“We hope the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) can take over this case and charge the man under the Animal Welfare Act 2015 as the punishment is more severe,” Malaysia Animal Association (MAA) president Arie Dwi Andika told FMT.

Police are investigating the case under the Penal Code’s sections 448 and 428, which outlaw trespassing and committing mischief.

If convicted, the suspect could be jailed for three years or fined RM5,000 or made to suffer both penalties.

Under the Animal Welfare Act, the maximum jail term is also three years, but a judge can impose a fine of up to RM100,000.

Jasin district police chief Mispani Hamdan told reporters that the dog’s intestines had spilled out after the attack last week and it died a few hours later.

The suspect was arrested last Friday and police got a remand order of four days. FMT has been unable to get information from Jasin police whether the remand has been extended.

Arie said the dog’s owner told MAA the suspect, a neighbour of his, had regularly expressed his displeasure with the dog for barking at him whenever he passed by the front gate.

“The owner said that after entering the house, the suspect first stabbed the dog with a knife before using a machete,” he said.

Melaka DVS have dug up the remains of the dog for a post-mortem. It has been taken to the Salak Tinggi veterinary laboratory in Selangor.