Video of man kicking dog in Hong Kong supermarket sparks outrage online

A five-second clip showing a middle-aged man in Hong Kong allegedly throwing and kicking a small dog which strayed into a supermarket has sparked outrage among netizens.

The video of the incident, which happened at a ParknShop supermarket in Po Tin Shopping Centre, was uploaded on Sunday (Sept 24).

According to the Facebook post by user Chuckle Cheung, the man had shouted at staff: "How could you let a dog come in here? Throw it out!".

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/shopchuckle/videos/1719706688042579/[/embed]

The staff said they were waiting for the owner to arrive, and could only stop the dog, which did not appear to have a leash on, from running further inside the store. But the man allegedly 'went crazy' and said: "Let me do it," before going after the dog.

While it is not clear from the clip if the man had thrown the dog or if it had wriggled out of the man's grasp, the man then attempted to kick the animal, slipping and falling in the process. The dog appeared to be unharmed as it scrambled to safety outside the store.

Netizens who watched the clip were infuriated, describing the man as "perverse" and "cold-blooded". Others called for the man to be prosecuted, while some blamed the owner for not taking care of his dog.

The uploader of the video has also come under fire for not going to the aid of the defenceless animal. However, Cheung said in a post later that evening that everything had happened too quickly, and the man's behaviour was so explosive that everyone was too shocked to move.

Police are investigating the case. According to a South China Morning Post report, staff tried to avoid contact with the dog and lead it to the entrance. A spokesperson said only guide dogs are allowed in the supermarket, and staff have been trained not to hurt or touch animals that stray into the store.

candicec@sph.com.sg