SPCA proposes increasing fine, jail term to curb animal abuse

Esther Ng Today Online 5 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE - If the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) had its way, animal abusers would be hit with heftier fines and jail terms, among other penalties.

The move to review the Animals and Birds Act comes as the SPCA sees more cases of pet neglect and an increase in reports of animal cruelty. Between July last year and June, it received 987 such complaints.

While the SPCA attributes the increase in the number of reported cases to growing public awareness, its executive director, Ms Corrine Fong, said: "The strong public sentiment towards animal welfare signals a need to transition the current legal framework towards a progressive approach that allows for legal intervention before acts of cruelty are committed and animal suffering occurs."

Under this approach, neglect would also constitute an offence. The SPCA proposes that the penalty under Section 4 of the Act, which deals with the prevention of cruelty to animals, be raised to a S$20,000 fine and a jail term of up to two years - up from the current S$10,000 and 12 months' jail. The last time the law was amended to raise the maximum fine and jail term for animal cruelty was in 2002.

The non-profit organisation also wants the sale of pets to those below the age of 16 to be prohibited, unless they have their parents' express consent.

To prevent recalcitrant offenders from having a chance to abuse animals again, they should be banned from keeping a pet, the SPCA said.

Other suggestions include a list of prohibited acts which specify actions that endanger animal welfare or are known to cause suffering amounting to cruelty to animals.

Members of the public have one month to give their feedback on the proposed amendments to the Act at www.spca.org.sg/lawreview.html before the SPCA submits its proposals to the Ministries of National Development and Law.

SPCA calls for review of laws to prevent animal abuse
Channel NewsAsia 4 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has called for a review of the Animals & Birds Act. It said this has become necessary because of a rise in the number of cases of animal abuse.

There is an average of 82 cases of animal abuse each month.

The recommendation relates to sections 42 and 44 of the Prevention of cruelty to Animals sections of the act. It wants higher fines of up to S$20,000, imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.

This, it said, will serve as a greater deterrent than current penalties.

SPCA also wants duty of care to be stated clearly for persons responsible for or in charge of an animal. A breach of this "duty of care", it said, should be considered an offence.

This, it added, will target pet owners who are negligent in the care of their pets and will also help in cases where intervention is needed before an animal suffers cruelty. It is also recommending that offenders be banned from keeping pets.

SPCA is also calling for a ban on sale of pets to those below the age of 16, except with the knowledge and express consent of their parents.

Public feedback can be given online at www.spca.org.sg/lawreview.html.

Ban under-16s from buying pets, says SPCA
Changes to law sought as more cases of animal cruelty are reported
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 5 Nov 11;

CHILDREN aged under 16 should be banned from buying pets, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said yesterday.

These youngsters may not have the maturity or money to take care of them properly, the group added.

They are also more prone to impulse buying, which could lead to pets being abandoned once the novelty wears off.

The recommendation was one of several proposed changes to the law contained in a draft document released by the society yesterday. Others include doubling the maximum penalty for people who abuse animals, banning them from keeping pets in exceptional cases, and publishing a list of what counts as animal cruelty.

The public is being asked to give feedback on the proposals online.

The society said it was motivated by a rise in the number of reports of animal cruelty. It received 987 between July last year and June this year, 15 per cent more than in the preceding 12 months.

Banning the sale of pets to under-16s without parental consent could be one way to deal with the problem, said the society. It noted that teenagers in Europe are not allowed to buy animals unless a parent is present.

Tougher penalties for animal cruelty offenders are another possible solution. The society wants the maximum punishment to be doubled to two years in jail, a $20,000 fine or both.

To help give the authorities extra teeth when prosecuting abusers, it called for greater clarity on what exactly constitutes animal cruelty. This could include practices such as using electric collars and other painful aids to train pets, shortening their tails for cosmetic reasons and keeping animals prone to fighting, like Siamese fighting fish, in close quarters.

It could also include causing mental suffering to animals, which the society said is not covered sufficiently under the current law. For example, dogs are sometimes tied up or confined in cages for long periods, a practice which made up a third of the recent cases. This would be counted as causing 'unnecessary suffering' under the current law, which the society said is not specific enough. 'It is necessary to recognise that brutal cruelty is not the only way to harm an animal,' it said in its draft.

It added there have been cases of abusers avoiding prosecution due to uncertainty about what counts as mental suffering.

The society also recommended a committee separate from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) be set up to advise the Government on animal welfare matters. It said this should include businesses, welfare groups and veterinarians. Fines imposed on pet cruelty offenders should be funnelled into a fund to take care of animals.

Animal welfare groups welcomed the recommendations. Mr Ricky Yeo, president of Action for Singapore Dogs, said: 'There are a lot of grey areas in the current law. For example, if a dog is chained up, how short does the chain need to be before it's considered cruel?' He said a more specific definition would allow different groups such as the police and AVA to follow the same standards.

To give feedback, visit www.spca.org.sg/lawreview.html before Dec 4.