A Malaysian man who stuffed a pregnant cat into a laundry dryer was sentenced to 34 months' jail and fined RM40,000 (S$13,128).

The incident

The offence was committed on Sep. 11, 2018 at a self-service launderette in Selangor, reported The Star.

CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media.

The video shows two men picking up a pregnant cat from under a table and throwing it into one of the dryers.

The men then turned the dryer on, causing the cat to die.

They exited the launderette shortly after the machine was turned on.

Suspects arrested

The launderette's manager lodged a police report on Sep. 14 , 2018 after receiving a call from a customer who found the dead cat in the dryer.

The two men were arrested on the same day, while a third suspect was on the run.

Convicted for causing hurt on the cat

On Tuesday (Nov. 5), one of the men, contract worker K. Ganesh, 42, was convicted at Selayang Sessions Court for causing unnecessary pain on the cat.

According to Bernama, this is the first of such conviction under Malaysia's new Animal Welfare Act, which started in July 2017.

Those found guilty under the act are liable to a fine of up to RM100,000 (S$32,833), imprisonment for up to three years, or both.

Other suspects dealt with in court

Two other men connected to the case have also been charged.

The man who appeared in the CCTV footage with Ganesh, A. Mohanraj, 42, was sentenced to two years’ jail on Jan. 17, 2019. 

He initially pleaded not guilty, but later changed his plea and was convicted.

The third man, S. Satthiya, 27, was given a discharge without an acquittal.

Top photos from FB/Fiona Choo.