Irish tourist dies after being attacked by two dogs

[Balrog]

Published: Sunday January 9, 2011 MYT 3:40:00 PM
Updated: Sunday January 9, 2011 MYT 7:40:40 PM

Irish tourist dies after being attacked by two dogs

By TAN SIN CHOW

GEORGE TOWN: An Irish tourist died after he was attacked by two dogs at an organic farm in Teluk Bahang, about 25km from here.

Both the ears of Sullivan Maurice, 50, were severed and his chin almost torn off in the attack at about 10am Sunday.

He also had multiple injuries and bites on his body. He died on the spot.

It is learnt that Maurice had earlier gone to the farm with his 28-year-old Polish girfriend to take pictures of durian trees being planted.

He had gotten to know the farm owner less than 24 hours earlier.

The farm owner’s wife said the couple had also gone to the farm on Saturday during which they had played with both dogs.

She was surprised why the canines had attacked Maurice who was on his own at the time of the incident.

The dogs were not tied up at that time.

 

[Musashi Miyamoto]

Dogs attack and kill tourist in farm

By Tan Sin Chow and Ann Tan

Maurice Sullivan​

An Irish tourist died after being attacked by two dogs at an organic farm in Teluk Bahang, about 25km from George Town, Penang.

Both the ears of Maurice Sullivan, 50, were severed and his chin was almost torn off in the attack that took place at about 10am Sunday. He also had multiple injuries and bites marks on his body.

It is believed that Sullivan had gone to the farm with his 28-year-old Polish girlfriend Agnieszka Jablonska to take pictures of durian trees being planted.

Balik Pulau OCPD Supt Mohd Hatta Mohd Zain said Sullivan's girlfriend had walked away to take photos of the farm when the attack took place.

"Sullivan, who worked as a welfare home caretaker, had came to the farm with his girlfriend to take photos of plants. They planned to upload the photos on the Internet."

"We are still investigating why the dogs attacked Sullivan," he said, adding that the case had been classified as sudden death.

The farm owner, identified only as Teoh, 41, said he had only known Sullivan for less than 24 hours.

"We met at about 11.30am on Saturday and he expressed his intention to learn organic farming."

"He asked me to take him and his friend under a homestay programme so that they can help me out as volunteers during their stay in Penang," he said.

One of the two dogs which attacked Sullivan​

​

Teoh said his wife was looking out from their house window when she saw two of their four dogs (a male and a female), attacking Sullivan at about 50m from their house.

"My wife saw Sullivan trying to escape but the two dogs chased him, biting his ears, hands and legs. She came out from the house to pull the dogs away but to no avail," he said, adding that his wife also suffered light injuries on her fingers and legs.

Teoh said Sullivan had played with their four dogs on Saturday.

"I am surprised by the attack as we always keep the dogs in the cage after feeding them food every morning. We have been rearing the dogs for two years and there has never been any such incident," he told reporters.

Distraught...Agnieszka Jablonska was away taking photos when the dogs attacked Sullivan​

The dogs, both mongrels, were not tied up at that time.

Jablonska, who was seen crying uncontrollably at the Balik Pulau Hospital mortuary Sunday evening said Sullivan was in the country as a voluntary environmentalist.

"He invited me to join him along for a holiday and we had earlier gone to Grik, Perak and Pahang before arriving at the island,” she said.

Jablonska said they had known each other for 10 years and were a couple for five years.

 

[Sagat]

Tuesday January 11, 2011

Eye on two killer dogs

By TAN SIN CHOW, ANN TAN and TIFFANY LEONG WENYI
[email protected]

GEORGE TOWN: The two mongrels that attacked an Irishman have been placed at the Balik Pulau veterinary department for observation.

The dogs will not be put to sleep yet. State Veterinary Department director Dr Wan Mohd Kamil Wan Nik said they would monitor the canines for 10 days to check if they had any dangerous diseases such as rabies.

A team comprising 10 veterinary personnel and two policemen picked up the two-year-old dogs, a male and a female named Lee and Ning respectively, from the organic farm in Teluk Bahang at about 2pm yesterday.

“We will not put the dogs to sleep at the moment. We have no authority to do so as this is now a police case,” said Dr Wan Mohd Kamil.

Under observation: Farm owner Joseph Teoh carrying Ning into the car before sending her to the Balik Pulau Veterinary Department Monday.

On Sunday, Irish tourist Maurice Sullivan, 50, died after he was mauled by the dogs at about 10am.

Dr Wan Mohd Kamil said that once the observation period was over, he would write to the police on the next course of action. He said nothing would be done to the two other dogs at the farm.

Balik Pulau OCPD Supt Mohd Hatta Mohd Zain said the 41-year-old farm owner is being investigated under Section 289 of the Penal Code for negligence with respect to animals.

He said they had recorded statements from relevant parties, adding that the investigation was expected to be completed by this week.

Separately, dog lovers want owners to be more responsible about pet care.

“Owners should be well-informed and educated before they are given the licence to keep pets,” said Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association president Anthony Thanasayan.

He is also a councillor of the Petaling Jaya City Council and Canine Advisory Team (CAT) chairman.

Thanasayan said dogs usually acted according to the owner’s instructions, or from how their masters treated them.

The Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better canine welfare organisation urged the Department of Veterinary Services to investigate the living conditions and the kind of treatment previously received by the two dogs.

“The department should also find out if the dogs had a mix of the pit bull breed, which is banned in Malaysia for its ferocious streak,” said coordinator Christine Lai.

 

[Zhen Ji]

Thursday January 20, 2011

Report on killer dogs to be revealed today

GEORGE TOWN: The fate of two dogs which mauled an Irish tourist to death will be made clearer today.

Penang Veterinary Department director Dr Wan Mohd Kamil Wan Nik said he would be conveying the results of a 10-day observation to police.

He also said the dogs did not have rabies.

“We will have to wait for instructions from the police on what to do next,” he said.

Maurice Sullivan, 50, was mauled to death by two mongrels on Jan 9 at an organic farm in Teluk Bahang.

A post-mortem revealed that Sullivan had died of severe haemorrhage after suffering multiple bites, especially on the limbs, head and neck.

Both dogs were later taken to the Veterinary Department’s compound in Balik Pulau for observation.

Balik Pulau deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Lai Fah Hin said police were still waiting for the recommendation from the deputy public prosecutor’s office on the next course of action on the case.

The dogs’ 41-year-old owner was being investigated under Section 289 of the Penal Code for negligence with respect to animals.

The offence is punishable with a jail term of up to six months or a maximum RM2,000 fine or both.