A disturbing video emerged online showing a man in Malaysia throwing bricks at a stray dog and hitting it with a stick, before setting the canine on fire.
The viral video has since caught the attention of the Johor police, who are investigating the incident.
The acting officer in charge of the Johor Bahru North police district, Superintendent Fariz Ammar Abdullah, said that they received a police report in regard to the incident on Monday at 3pm.
He said that the videos of the man attacking the dogs have gone viral and the incidents are believed to have taken place near a veterinary clinic in Taman Impian Emas in Skudai.
Superintendent Fariz Ammas added that the case is being investigated by the Veterinary Services Department under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which comes with a maximum penalty of imprisonment of up to 3 years and/or a fine of between RM25,000 to RM100,000.
Brutally attacking community dog
In the viral video, the suspect, believed to be a 19-year-old man, was seen throwing a vase at the dogs that were seeking shelter at a staircase beside a veterinary clinic on 8 March.
The man then returned to the same spot about 6 days later on 14 March, and attacked the dogs by throwing rocks and bricks at them.
On 27 March, he returned once again, armed with a metal rod and using it to hit the dogs with it, before driving away from the scene.
However, he later returned to the scene and set one of the dogs on fire.
His actions were widely condemned by netizens, who criticized him for his cruel brutality towards the defenceless animals who were merely trying to seek shelter at the stairwell.
You can watch the video of the attack below. (Warning: Graphic images, viewer discretion is advised.)
Man reveals himself and apologises
Following the virality of the video, a Facebook video by a user “Braden Yap” posted a video apologising for his actions.
A resident who lives nearby, said that the man and his mother had visited the veterinary clinic to ask the doctor to withdraw their police report and said that it was just a “small matter”.
They said that stray dogs are dangerous because they may bite passers-by, but the resident said that the stray dogs had never bitten anyone in their years there.
In the Facebook video, Yap said that he is willing to pay for the injured dogs’ medical fees, and sought the forgiveness of the public.