(MY) cat cruelty

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Vet careless, says counsel - Malay Mail - 16th June 2006

-by SANGEETHA NAIR -

 

NEGLIGENCE by the Veterinary Services Department caused the death of two

Persian cats.

This was the issue at the Kuala Lumpur magistrate's court during a trial

involving cat breeder Abdul Rashid Mohd Othman yesterday.

 

Department director Dr Norhaliza Abdul Halim told the court that two of four

cats died while under her care.

 

She also agreed that she had not prepared a medical report the day the first

cat died.

 

Defence Counsel Robert Devan put it to her that the reason she prepared the

report a day later (Oct 5, 2005) was because she did not want fingers

pointing at her.

 

Robert: Do you agree that you were afraid that the cat's death would reflect

on your carelessness and this was the reason you decided to prepare the

report?

 

Dr Norhaliza: I disagree.

 

Robert: I also put it to you that out of fear, you prepared an exclusionary

liability clause which reads 'the death of the cat was not due to the

negligence of this department'?

 

Dr Norhaliza: I disagree.

 

The doctor agreed, however, that her report had stated that the cat had died

of 'immuno suppression' which she did not state in her earlier report.

 

Robert: I put it to you that the medical report which you prepared on Oct 5

was an after-thought.

 

At this point, the doctor asked Robert to rephrase the question.

 

Magistrate Azniza Mohd Ali interjected saying that there was no point

harping on the issue since the outcome was clear.

 

" Her testimony is already leading to that (that the medical report was an

after-thought).

 

" If you ask her, she is going to say 'no', " said Azniza.

 

After two hours of cross-examination, Robert asked the court to fix another

date for him to continue.

 

Azniza then asked Robert how many more questions he had as the trial was

taking too long.

 

When Robert said he had 60 more questions, Azniza replied: " Why so many? It

is only a cat, not a murder trial. This is a cross-examination, you can ask

direct questions. Don't beat around the bush. "

 

Abdul Rashid is alleged to have caused unnecessary misery to four cats by

not giving them proper care at No 65 Jalan Wan Malini 1, Seri Petaling,

here, at 11am on Sept 21, 2005.

 

Trial continues on Sept 7 and 8.