A dog miraculously survived after being set on fire by a Molotov cocktail thrown over a fence.
The suspect – thought to be a loan shark – lobbed the petrol bomb at the pooch after a suspected row on social media..
The owner – named only as Mr Chen – had experienced a series of threats and harassment leading up to the horror attack.
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The 27-year-old began having problems after he responded to an online advertisement for a ‘legal loan’.
Although he never agreed to take out a loan, things quickly escalated into a nightmare for his family.
The Molotov cocktail exploded on his front porch after being aimed directly at the family’s dog who was outside.
Flames engulfed the dog, who repeatedly barked as it attempted to step away from the fire.
The dog’s paws still burned as the dog squealed in pain.
Luckily, Mr Chen’s pet survived after being rushed to a veterinarian and treated for severe burns, as reported by Need To Know.
This shocking act occurred on 25 March, days after the family’s home had already been targeted by multiple petrol bomb attacks.
Handwritten notes with threats were left behind, along with demands for repayment of money for a loan that was never taken out.
In one particularly chilling message, the attackers warned that ‘burning the dog’ was only the beginning and that more harm would come if their demands weren’t met.
Ms Zeng, 63 – the mother of Mr Chen – said: “This is beyond anything we could have imagined.
“Our dog was innocent, and this act of cruelty is something we will never forget.
“We just want this nightmare to end.”
Everything unfolded after Mr Chen provided his contact details to an individual named Darren, who claimed to be part of a legitimate lending operation.
He came across the loan advertisement while working away in Singapore.
Mr Chen received unsolicited funds transferred into his account on 17 March, which totalled a sum of £173.
When he attempted to return the money, the lender refused the refund, demanded additional payments and threatened to harm his family if they didn’t comply.
Mr Chen even returned an additional £115 on top of the £173 and blocked Darren’s number; however, the harassment continued.
Despite reporting the incidents to the authorities, the harassment has not ceased, and Ms Zeng and her son have lived in constant fear.
Local community leaders have condemned the actions of the attackers and called for stronger measures to protect families from such ruthless criminals.
Zhang Tianci, Director of the Department of Public Service and Complaints of Mahua, urged the public to be wary of online lending scams, which often disguise themselves as legal operations while engaging in extortion and violence.
The family, who live in Ipoh, Malaysia, are said to have remained in a state of shock after the incident, and hope that the nightmare will soon end.
