Magistrate Azlin Zeti Zainal Abidin ordered Wong Phan Sang, 64, to serve two months in jail if he failed to pay the fine, Berita Harian reported.

Wong was charged with killing the dog in front of a restaurant along Jalan Seroja, Taman Pusing Baru in Batu Gajah at about 7.30pm on Jan 28.

He was charged under Section 428 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to three years, a fine or both, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Monisha Pandey urged the court to impose a heavier sentence to serve as a deterrent against animal abuse, saying there had been an uptick in such cases lately.

Wong’s lawyer Choong Hui Yean however requested a RM500 fine, claiming that the accused was also a victim, having been repeatedly chased by the stray in the past.