A 24-year-old man and 42-year-old woman pleaded not guilty at the Klang Sessions Court today to committing animal cruelty against a dog named Rocky during a stray dog-catching operation last month.
Muhammad Shah Idham Nor Haikal Shaharom and S. Roghini Devi were separately charged with unreasonably strangling the male dog with a looped rope, causing it pain.
They allegedly committed the offence between 11 pm and 11.30 pm outside a house in Taman Telok Gedung Indah, Port Klang, on July 29.
The charge under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act is punishable by a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000, up to three years in prison, or both, upon conviction.
They both entered their pleas before Judge Mujib Saroji.
Sharif Sabran from the DVS prosecuted while Shah Idham was represented by Rafique Rashid Ali.
Roghini was represented by Choo Dee Wei and Jeremy Vignesh Anthony.
Mujib granted bail of RM6,000 with one surety and ordered both accused to report to the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) every month till the disposal of the case.
The judge fixed Oct 8 for case management.
Sharif told the court that the prosecution would seek a joint trial for Roghini and Shah Idham as both cases involved the same facts.
Earlier, Roghini and Shah Idham arrived six minutes apart, starting at 8.38 am.
Security was also tightened with the presence of 50 police personnel and officers from the South Klang District Police Headquarters.
There were also no signs of any gatherings or protests at the court.
Rocky’s death attracted widespread attention after a video related to the incident at Taman Telok Gedong Indah on July 29 went viral on social media.
No valid licence
Separately, Roghini pleaded not guilty in the magistrate's court to failing to obtain a valid licence for her dog, Rocky.
She was accused of keeping Rocky, who was more than three months old, without a valid licence issued by the Klang Royal City Council.
The offence, under Section 3 of the council's Dog Licensing and Dog Breeding House By-Laws, carries a maximum fine of RM2,000, a jail term of up to one year, or both, upon conviction.
Magistrate A. Karthiyayini set bail at RM1,000 with one surety and imposed no additional conditions.
The court fixed Oct 8 for mention. – August 20, 2026
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