Dog centre director who allegedly hit mongrel with metal bowl in viral video charged with animal cruelty

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
November 29, 2023

A director at dog training and daycare centre K9 Connection, who has been allegedly linked to a viral video of a mistreated mongrel, was charged with one count of animal cruelty on Nov 29.

Matthew Ng Zhaohui, 39, is accused of using a metal bowl to hit a dog in a MacPherson Road unit at around 10.45pm on March 20, 2022.

Court documents did not disclose if he was the person in the video, or if the dog in the clip was the one referred to in his charge.

The Straits Times reported in July 2022 that the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) was investigating a case of animal abuse at K9 Connection and had suspended the company from its list of accredited dog trainers since March that year.

Responding to earlier queries on the video, AVS said it does not condone the mistreatment of animals but did not elaborate on the dog’s condition.

The two-minute clip, dated March 20, 2022, shows a man hitting a brown mongrel with a metal food bowl while the animal cowers in a corner.

The video was posted on the Facebook page of animal welfare group Chained Dog Awareness in Singapore in July 2022.

The man is heard telling the dog: “Welcome to hell, my friend. Four weeks of hell, stupid idiot dog. Tonight, you make a single noise, see what happens to you.”

He then shouts profanities at the dog and threatens to shove what looks like a metal rod in its face. He also instructs the dog to sit and makes loud clashing noises before striking it three times with a metal bowl.

The dog is seen shrinking back in response and growling at the man.

Ng is also a director at another firm called Fenrir & Cerberus. His case has been adjourned to Jan 10, 2024.

Offenders convicted of animal cruelty can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $40,000.