TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—A man surnamed Su has caused a fierce backlash after a witness posted a video showing a dog bleeding from injuries in its legs and gasping for air after being tied to the back of the man’s truck and dragged along for about 300 meters in Keelung City, northern Taiwan on Tuesday. For his cruelty, the city's animal protection office said it would slap the man with a fine of NT$15,000.

Video taken from the Facebook page of 基隆人

A college student surnamed Tsai witnessed the animal cruelty and stopped the truck. The video showed the student slamming the driver for dragging the dog behind the truck and causing its feet to bleed heavily. Blood is visible all over the road surface around the dog.

However, the driver snapped back at the intervening passerby, saying he is the owner of the dog, he feeds it and “why can’t I give my dog a workout?” The college student lashed back, saying, “What kind of workout was that, dragging the dog behind a truck to cause it to bleed and be exhausted like that?"

Keelung Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office Director Chen Jui-pin (陳瑞濱) said that after he received a report of the alleged animal cruelty, he and police went to interview Su at his home. According to Chen, Su said he was taking his dog home to give it a bath, but because he worried that his dog could fall out of the back of the truck, he tied it to the back with a steel chain and make it run along behind the truck.

Chen said Su’s behavior had violated Clause 5 of the Animal Protection Act, which stipulates that dragging a pet behind a car or motorcycle is punishable by a fine ranging between NT$15,000 to NT$75,000. The director said he had invited Su to the office to further account for the incident, adding that if he has not sent his pet to see a vet yet, the agency will slap another fine between NT$15,000 to NT$75,000 on him.

CNA/Courtesy of Keelung Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office