KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. --- Every dog has its day. And in the magistrate’s court today 13 dogs had theirs.

For ill-treating them so badly that they had to be treated for skin disease, their owner Francis Xav Lau Choo Kee, 46, was fined RM200 or two days’ jail.

Lau, surprisingly enough a dog breeder, also ended up having to pay RM1,300 for their medical treatment.

The 13 dogs were an English bull terrier, a Shar-Pei, a golden retriever, two basset hounds, a Labrador, two English bulldogs, two bull mastiffs, two Weimaraners and a Saint Bernard.

Witnessing justice being done were Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals inspector Sabrina Yeap, SPCA animal welfare consultant Dawn Peacock and Amy Firth of London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals.

Earlier, magistrate Nurul Izwan Ahmad Zubir, accompanied by the court interpreter, Veterinary Service Department prosecuting officer Tee Thian See and Lau, took a look at the exhibits --- the 13 dogs in five dog carriers on a small pick-up lorry parked at the back of the court building.

Lau pleaded guilty to a summons charge of causing unnecessary misery to the dogs and for not giving them medical treatment.

He committed the offence in a shed at No.33-1, Kampung Cheras Baru, about 3pm on March 25.

The offence under the Animal Ordinance 1953 is punishable with RM200 fine or six months’ jail or both.

Lau pleaded for leniency, saying that he was a first offender.

Tee said that a release order had been made and the dogs returned to Lau.

Yeap later told reporters that she assisted to confiscate the dogs.