Gardens by the Bay looking at ways to control stray dogs

Jalelah Abu Baker Straits Times 12 Jul 12;

GARDENS by the Bay will be exploring various options to improve the stray dog situation in the park after a woman was bitten by one on Monday evening.

A spokesman said yesterday that the stray dog had ventured into the park's Bay East Garden from a nearby worksite.

The mega park opened last month, but two more sections of the project are still being built.

The Bay South Garden is the biggest, and was completed after five years of construction.

A spokesman for the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said dog traps have been placed in the park, and it has been conducting control operations since January in view of stray dog sightings in the area.

The attack on Monday was the first time such a case has happened since the 101ha attraction opened on June 29.

So far, seven dogs have been rounded up. Two of them were rehomed and five euthanised, said the AVA.

One dog was also caught in a dog trap set up at the Bay East Garden and subsequently euthanised.

The 22-year-old woman was attacked by what may have been a large mongrel when she was strolling in the Bay East Garden at about 6.30pm.

The section, located in the Tanjong Rhu area, is frequented by joggers. It is believed that there were two other dogs in the area during the attack.

The woman, who was bleeding from her legs, was ferried in an ambulance to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, but has since been discharged.

Staff from Gardens by the Bay have visited her, and will continue to render assistance, the spokesman said.

Mr Ricky Yeo, president of Action for Singapore Dogs, said that the best thing a person who accidentally enters the territory of a pack of two or more dogs can do is try not to scream or flail his arms.

He explained that dogs gain strength in numbers.

'If they are at a distance, once you see them, avoid them,' he said. 'By avoiding, it means no eye contact, and try to change your direction.'