PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The man who was seen kicking a dog during a pet show said he was defending his dog from the other canine's attacks.

Mr Lee Kong Hoong, 51, said he was warding off attacks from the dog while trying to reclaim his own dog from the fray during the Pet Fiesta Expo at the Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam on Saturday (April 15).

"Say a dog is going to attack your daughter or son, what are you going to do?" he said.

"Say someone else's dog was about to attack your child, your baby that you're holding. This is the same thing."

"I was defending my dog," he added.

Mr Lee said that he gave the other dog space to move away, but it kept returning to take swipes at his dog.

"If a dog is abused, it will run away. But this dog didn't want to run. It kept coming back, it was trying to attack," he said.

He also questioned why the other dog's owner did not do much to end the fight.

"Why did he not try to help stop the fight? Why was it only me who tried?" he asked.

Mr Lee added that it was unreasonable to assume that just one person could stop a dog fight.

He said that this opinion was shared by the judge at the event.

Mr Lee said he was disqualified from the dog obedience trial event, but said it was because his dog broke the rules rather than for his actions.

He also asked why the other dog's owner did not lodge a complaint about the matter.

The dog fight and Mr Lee's actions were captured in a video that has been circulating on social media, drawing the ire of netizens.

In the video, Mr Lee is seen trying to break up a fight between his dog and another at the obedience test.

In the process he kicks the other dog a number of times.

On the opinion brewing on social media that he was a dog abuser, Mr Lee dismissed it, saying he has been involved in animal welfare and training dogs as a hobby for more than 10 years.

He said dog abusers could not take part in dog sports events as abused dogs would not perform what they are wanted to do.

"No abused dog can go into dog sports. For instance, I do dog agility. If I abuse a dog, the dog won't do it," he said.

"At that moment of time, can anyone suggest anything that could have been done, with the dog coming at you?" he asked, referring to those criticising his actions.