Man fined 2 million dong for beating Alaska dog at Da Lat square

A man has been fined 2 million Vietnamese dong after a video showed him repeatedly hitting an Alaska dog with a stick at Lam Vien Square in Da Lat.

Xuân Hương-Da Lat ward police identified the man as T.V.L., 38, from Ho Chi Minh City. Police said he had cruelly beaten and mistreated the animal, an offense covered by Article 28 of the government's animal husbandry penalty regulations.

The video circulated on social media on September 2. It showed a man leading the dog to a grassy area at the square while a woman walked behind him. Information posted with the clip said the dog was beaten because it would not cooperate while taking photographs with tourists. The footage drew widespread attention and prompted calls for an official investigation.

During questioning, L. said the dog belonged to him and that he struck it because he was angry that it did not follow his commands. He acknowledged that his behavior was wrong and said beating the dog created a negative impression and harmed Da Lat's image as a civilized and friendly tourist destination. He paid the fine at a bank on September 4.

Police advised visitors to Lam Vien Square not to take photographs, rent animals or support activities that use animals for commercial purposes in the area.

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The act of beating the dog created a negative impression and affected Da Lat's image as a civilized and friendly tourist destination.