Cover image via SAYSFollow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
The owner of Rocky, the dog that died during a capture operation in Taman Teluk Gedung Indah, Klang, has shared her account of what happened last Wednesday night, 29 July
Speaking at a press conference organised by animal welfare group Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) today, 5 August, Roghini Devi, 42, showed photographs of Rocky, whom she said she had rescued from the streets as a puppy two years ago.
"This is inside my house. This is us playing with him," she said while showing pictures of Rocky playing with her children, wearing a shirt, and resting on the family's sofa.
Roghini said she was fetching her daughter from tuition when the incident happened
Before leaving home, she noticed two men on a motorcycle carrying what appeared to be equipment used for catching dogs.
"I told this to my husband, Narendran. My husband said it looks like they wanted to do something to the dogs. But he couldn't find Rocky," she recounted.
Roghini said her husband later learnt that a dog from a nearby street had allegedly chased a child, who was subsequently hit by a car and taken to hospital.
However, she said they were reassured by neighbours that Rocky was not involved.
"My husband asked if our dog was involved, but it was another dog from another street. He told me that even if Rocky gets caught, we can go to Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) and bring him back. No need to worry, he said," she added.
Roghini Devi and her husband, Narendran.
Image via SAYSHowever, when Roghini returned home, she found a crowd gathered outside her home
She claimed that Rocky was already restrained and appeared to be unresponsive when she arrived.
"Just as I parked my car, my oldest daughter told me that our dog was being noosed by two people. I immediately went to him. I wanted to take him, I wanted to hug him, but my dog already didn't respond to me," she said.
Roghini said she asked her daughter to find something to cut the noose, such as scissors. However, she said her daughter returned with a knife and they later realised the noose was too thick to cut.
She also claimed that she was struck with a piece of wood while attempting to free Rocky.
According to Roghini, two MBDK officers arrived several minutes later and released the noose, but Rocky had already died by then.
She also claimed that Rocky was sleeping at her neighbour's car porch when the men arrived and dragged him out
Roghini said Rocky often moved between her home and a neighbour's house across the street, where they regularly fed him.
"Rocky sleeps at my house. But when I go out, he also goes out. He goes to my neighbour's house, he sleeps there, guards their house and my house," she said.
She claimed that the neighbours told her that several men entered their property and attempted to remove Rocky from under their car using wooden sticks.
"When they saw him under the car, they used wooden sticks to sweep under the car and drag my dog out. When the dog didn't come out, they tried to hit him.
"When Rocky came out from under the car, four of them hit his body and head. They hit him until my neighbours said my dog defecated there. Only then did they put the noose onto my dog's neck," she said.
She added that a neighbour claimed they saw Rocky's tongue was sticking out when he was being pulled, and believed the dog may have already died when she arrived at the scene.
SAFM president Kalaivanan Ravichandran said the purpose of the press conference was to allow Roghini to share her account while investigations remain ongoing
"We are not here to determine who is at fault or to prejudge the investigation. We want this matter to be evaluated based on witness statements, physical evidence, veterinary findings, and the proper legal process," he said.
Kalaivanan also questioned whether the capture operation complied with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government's guidelines for handling stray dogs, which state that dogs should not be pulled, dragged, or lifted using a capture loop.
He called on MBDK to explain how the operation was carried out, including who handled Rocky, what equipment was used, and whether officers followed the prescribed standard operating procedures.
The case is currently being investigated by the Selangor Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), with SAFM providing legal and logistical assistance to Roghini.
"We are not saying don't catch stray dogs. We are saying they should be caught prudently, without any element of animal cruelty," Kalaivanan said.
