Man nabbed for beating dog with hoe

Man nabbed for beating dog with hoe

A man has been arrested for bashing his pet dog to death with a hoe in Hat Yai district of Songkhla after the dog became vicious and violent, according to local police.

The Watchdog Thailand group filed a police complaint against Klong Chaipet, 65, who was arrested at his home in tambon Khuan Lung yesterday.

He has been charged with violating the Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Animal Welfare Act of 2014.

Mr Klong allegedly admitted he used a hoe to hit Singto, his 20-year-old pet dog he has raised since it was a puppy. He said he had looked after the dog like his own child.

However, the dog had been out of control for some time. It slipped out of the house and bit many neighbours and he could not afford to keep paying medical expense to treat the victims, Mr Klong said.

Last month, Mr Klong said, the dog also bit his wife, Somsilp, 63, in the hand and he also suffered nasty scratches from the dog while trying to put it on leash.

"Singto showed signs of being unwell. It bit everyone," he said. He decided to take the matters into his own hands and killed the dog.

Mr Klong said he buried the dog in the backyard. "At least, it didn't suffer any more," he said, adding he had no idea that killing his own dog would break the law.

The Watchdog Thailand representative said if the dog was ill, the owner should have told a state agency and asked to have the dog treated.

Bashing the dog with a hoe was violent, and a criminal act under the law, according to the organisation.

Pol Lt Col Nimman Niguno, investigation officer with Hat Ya police, said the owner was liable for a maximum two-year jail term or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.

Meanwhile, in Satun, police apprehended Panpakorn Suwannarit, 36, who allegedly shot and seriously injured Somchai Kiangchan, 41, who is a music teacher, his wife and their child, who live next door in Muang district of Phuket on April 9.

After the shooting, Mr Panpakorn fled to Satun where he was arrested on Friday on a charge of attempted murder.

Mr Panpakorn told police he shot the Kiangchans because he could not stand the noise of their family dog barking and Mr Somchai practising his music.

Police said Mr Panpakorn, a hired hand, has committed other crimes in five cases in Krabi and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Also yesterday, livestock officials in Non Thai district of Nakhon Ratchasima vaccinated and neutered 18 dogs raised by a dumb man, after the dogs went on the loose and attacked 200 farm chickens in the district.

Surapol Poonpeng, 55, was charged over the incident but could not afford to pay the farm owner who initially demanded 30,000 baht in compensation.

However, the owner later agreed to reduce the compensation by half and allow Mr Surapol to pay by installments.

Pol Lt Col Thawat Boonkeha, superintendent of Non Thai police who supervises the case, said he has contacted animal welfare groups on social media which are soliciting cash donations to build a shelter for the dogs away from the community.

The shelter is being built on the property of Mr Surapol's brother, about 1.5 kilometres from Mr Surapol's house.

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