9 months' jail for maid who beat dog which later died

A maid who beat a dog belonging to her employer's boyfriend, with the dog later dying, was sentenced on Nov 26 to nine months' jail.

- Samuel Devaraj

Junny Lal Awm Pui, 26, a Myanmar national, pleaded guilty to three charges under the Animals and Birds Act – two over cruelly beating an animal, and one over unreasonably doing an act causing it unnecessary pain and suffering.

Another charge under the same Act was taken into consideration during her sentencing.

In sentencing Junny Lal Awm Pui, District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong said that while it was not disputed that the maid was acting on the instructions of her employer to discipline the dog by hitting it, she could have controlled her strength in doing so.

A report prepared by two vets indicated that the dog, a poodle named Boyboy estimated to be 15 years old, experienced severe pain and suffering. They added that it was very likely the blows to the head would have caused the dog to suffer painful head trauma and subsequent incapacitation, given the way it was handled and abused by Junny Lal Awm Pui.

One of them said that in the absence of any other likely contributing factors, the repeated traumatic beatings would have very likely caused its death.