A 24-year-old man was fined $2,000 and issued a six-month disqualification order (DO) for pet abandonment, which disqualifies an individual from owning any animals, said Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Wednesday (17 October).
According to the authority, it was alerted to a case of two cats found abandoned at the rooftop garden of a multi-storey carpark at Blk 504 Yishun Street 51 on 4 November 2017.
A resident had found the cats in a pet carrier covered by a blue canvas sheet and investigation revealed that Muhammad Firdaus Bin Samsudin was the owner of the cats and had abandoned them at the rooftop garden.
AVA noted that the two cats have since been rehomed.
AVA stressed that it takes a stern view on pet abandonment, saying, “We investigate all feedback on pet abandonment and will take enforcement action, where necessary.”
Individuals who abandon their pets are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or a maximum jail term of 12 months for first convictions.
It also stressed that safeguarding animal welfare is a shared responsibility that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders, including the public.
It noted that the public should promptly report cases of animal welfare issues to AVA via its 24-hour hotline, 1800-476-1600, or via its website.
“Providing photographic and/or videographic evidence will help us in our investigations. All information shared with AVA will be held in the strictest confidence,” the authority added.
