Animal abuse cases at a high in Singapore

SPCA saw record numbers in March, seeks deputy inspector to deal with growing workload
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 5 Jun 09;

DESPITE efforts by animal welfare organisations to curb animal cruelty here, the number of abuse cases has reached record levels.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) wants more to be done to educate prospective owners.

In March, the SPCA received 95 reports of animal abuse, the highest number of such allegations in its 62-year history. The monthly average here is between 60 and 80 reports.

But SPCA executive officer Deirdre Moss believes that the reported figures are just the tip of the iceberg.

'I don't think the figures are reflective as a lot of abuse goes on behind closed doors,' she said.

The abuse commonly involves pets tied for long periods of time, in small cages, with insufficient food and water, and being kept out in the sun.

This rise in the number of incidents has compelled the SPCA to seek a deputy inspector to cope with the workload.

The society's sole inspector, Mr Ranjiv Randhawa, said the chief aim of his work is to get an owner to empathise with the pet so that neglect can be halted.

'It can be challenging when an owner is not receptive to your advice; you have to be an excellent communicator and remain balanced,' he said.

'We counsel and assist; we don't lay down the law. We're very mindful that people may genuinely not know the right things to do. We help them see it from the animal's point of view so improvements can be made,' said Ms Moss.

While there is no lack of information, the lack of education at the point of sale is definitely a problem, she added.

The owner of All Breeds Pets in Holland Village, Ms Pia Yong Lo, is a strong advocate of education and has on occasion refused to sell pets to people she believes will not take care of them properly.

'I like to find out how much people know about keeping a dog, if they have had one before. If it's the first time, I make sure they know what they are getting themselves into.

'I also find out if they live in a house or a flat and check that if the pet is being bought for a child, that the parents are responsible,' she said.

Ms Moss' advice to people working all day is: 'Don't get a dog' as they are highly dependent.

'It's better to deprive yourself than to end up with a frustrated dog which could become difficult to deal with,' she said.

In instances of extreme abuse or persistent neglect, the SPCA refers the case to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) which also carries out checks and has the added power to prosecute.

On average, the AVA receives 10 reports a month and a third of these come from animal welfare groups, predominantly the SPCA.

The general guidelines from the AVA are that a pet must have sufficient space to move freely and comfortably, to lie down and stretch, to exercise, and to relieve itself. It must have enough headroom to stand upright on its hind legs and clean drinking water must be provided.

The head of the AVA Centre for Animal Welfare and Control, Mr Madhavan Kannan, said that cruelty to animals, which includes abandonment, is an offence and the maximum penalty if convicted in court is a fine of up to $10,000, or up to one year's jail, or both.

Cruelty cases and action taken
Straits Times 5 Jun 09;

IN 2006, action was taken in four animal cruelty cases:

Composition cases

• A kennel manager of a dog farm was fined $1,000 for keeping dogs in poor living conditions.
• An individual was fined $250 for tying a mynah bird by its leg and hanging it out a window.
• A dog owner was fined $250 for tying a rubber band around his dog's muzzle.

Court case

• The owner of a pet grooming salon was charged and convicted of causing burns to a dog during grooming. He was fined $2,000.

IN 2007, there were three cases:

Composition case

• A pest control company was fined $1,000 for causing the death of a stray dog through negligence.

Court cases

• A dog owner was charged and convicted of hurting his dog. He was fined $3,500.
• A dog owner was charged and convicted of beating his dog and fracturing its leg. He was fined $3,000 and jailed for one week.

LAST year, there were three cases that were compounded:

• A pet shop owner was fined $1,000 for leaving the fish in his shop unattended during vacation.
• A fish stall owner was fined $200 for putting fish together to fight.
• A kennel manager of a dog farm was fined $1,000 for keeping dogs in poor living conditions.