High Court Dismisses Lawsuit Over Stray Dog Kopi’s Shooting

By Lara Kramer  •  27 Feb 2026 in News

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The Kuala Terengganu High Court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by four animal activists against the Besut district council and the Terengganu government over the shooting of a stray dog known as Kopi.

Lawyer Adam Luqman Amdan, who represented the council, said the decision was delivered by judicial commissioner Yusrin Faidz Yusoff during online proceedings.

The court ruled that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi, noting that none of them were Besut residents and that they failed to show a “real and genuine interest in the matter”.

It also found that the declarations sought, including claims that the shooting breached the Animal Welfare Act 2015, amounted to an attempt to enforce criminal law through civil proceedings.

Adam said the court accepted the submission that such relief would effectively determine criminal liability in a civil suit, which would undermine the separation of powers and encroach on the attorney-general’s prosecutorial authority under the Federal Constitution.

The court further observed that the Act allows the use of firearms for animal population control.

According to the ruling, the shooting of animals for population control purposes is permitted under the Act as well as Sections 9(1) and (2) of the Besut district council’s dog licensing by-laws. The court also held that the Terengganu government was not vicariously liable.

The council was additionally represented by Zaid Daud and Munzeer Zainul Abidin, while the state government was represented by Zulfazliah Mahmud. The plaintiffs, Dr Kartini Farah Abdul Rahim, S Mukunnan, Hong Hai San, and S Shashi Kumar, were acting as representatives of the Selangor Stray Dogs and Cats Welfare Association, and were represented by lawyer Harvinpal Kaur.

The suit was filed in December 2024, naming the council and the Terengganu government as the first and second defendants.

The activists sought declarations that Kopi’s shooting violated provisions of the Animal Welfare Act and challenged parts of the council’s dog licensing by-laws, arguing they were inconsistent with federal law.

Earlier, in October 2024, Besut district council president Sukeri Ibrahim defended the shooting, saying the disposal of the stray dog was carried out according to standard procedures and denying claims that the carcass had been abandoned.

Public attention intensified after a 52-second video circulated online showing Kopi lying motionless with severe injuries.

The clip, which captured a resident discovering the dog’s body after hearing gunshots, sparked widespread anger, and reignited a nationwide debate on animal rights and accountability over the killing of the stray dog.

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