PETALING JAYA: A video of a man abusing a dog has sparked a heated response from canine lovers on social networking site Facebook and triggered a nationwide hunt for him.

In the widely-circulated video, the unidentified man, believed to be a Malaysian, is seen using brutal force on a poodle in his attempt to get the dog to stand up on its hind legs.

Some of those who viewed the video have said the man is a Malaysian.

Several people also claimed to know his close friends.

Harsh lessons: The poodle being abused by the unidentified man in the video.

In one scene, when the dog returned to standing on its four legs, the man in frustration gave it a violent smack, sending the poodle flying.

The Facebook user who uploaded the 15-minute video last Friday said she had discovered it in a thumbdrive which she had found in a Kuala Lumpur shopping mall.

Thousands of animal lovers, shocked and angered by the man’s act, immediately called for his arrest.

“This is an outrage! Swift action ought to be taken on this man,” one Facebook user commented.

“The guy in the video is crazy to have done such a thing to the helpless animal,” another said. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is getting complaints and leads from callers.

“We have been receiving a lot of calls on the matter but we have no confirmation on the man’s identity,” SPCA office manager M. Shelvy said.

She also asked those with information to call the SPCA at 03-42565312 or 03-42535179.

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