A remorseful construction worker turned himself in to Banglamung police for hanging his two dogs behind a Nong Plalai gas station.
Mana Nutheeprasert, 44, surrendered Sept. 18, a day after a photo of the two dead dogs hung on a green nylon rope at the Highway 36 natural-gas vehicle station in Krating Lai went viral on the Internet. Activists from the A Call for Animal Rights Foundation posted Mana’s name and a 20,000 baht reward on its Facebook page.
After he found out he was wanted, Mana Nutheeprasert surrendered to police.
The two dogs – one of which was pregnant – were said by neighbors to often lay on the vehicles at the station, but were not aggressive.
Banglamung police had issued a warrant for animal cruelty for the Samut Prakan native who had lived behind the station for three years. When the photo went up on the Internet, he was working in Hua Hin and couldn’t be reached.
The maximum penalty Mana faces is a 1,000 baht fine and a month in jail.
Once Mana learned of the scandal, he surrendered to police and was questioned by the commander of Region 2 police, Maj. Gen. Sanit Mahataworn. Sanit said Mana told him the killing was done impulsively out of anger at the dogs, which had a habit of jumping on his car, scratching the paint.
Mana admitted to beating the dogs previously to break them on sleeping on vehicles, but when he caught them on his car again, he lost his temper, Sanit said.
“I feel ashamed of what I have done,” Mana said. “Therefore, I have turned myself in to police to face the law and I beg for forgiveness from the society for my actions. This happened because of the heat of the moment and I am also an animal lover.”
Sanit condemned the act, especially as it violated Buddhist principles. He said that in addition to jail time, Mana would be required to talk to a therapist.
