Autos Community

GEORGETOWN: Fruit farm owners Joseph Teoh, 42, and his wife Teoh Bee Eng, 56, were fined a total of RM4,000 or in default three months jail term each, for owning four dogs without collars and registration licences.

Magistrate Mohd Hidayat Wahab imposed the fine after the couple, who were unrepresented, pleaded guilty at the Balik Pulau Magistrate's Court Monday.

They were charged for committing the offence on Jan 9 around 10.30am.

Mohd Hidayat said the four dogs, which were pit bull type dogs, would be handed over to the Penang Municipal Council's veterinary department to be destroyed or dealt with any other action deemed suitable.

The two male dogs and two female dogs were not wearing collars and licence registration when two of them attacked Irish tourist Maurice Sullivan, 51, who died of severe haemorrhage due to multiple injuries because of dog bites.

Maurice Sullivan, who was a volunteer worker, had gone to the farm with his Polish friend Agnieszka Jablonska, 28, to photograph organic plants.

In pleading for leniency, Joseph expressed his regret over the incident.

"We never meant for it to happen," he said, adding that the dogs would wear collars when they were taken out.

The couple paid the fine.