A 23-year-old woman was on Wednesday (Jun 21) fined S$2,500 in court for abandoning her pet cat at a staircase landing.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a media release that it was alerted to the incident on Jan 10 after a member of the public found the cat at a staircase landing along Canberra Road. Details of the owner were on the carrier next to the cat.
Upon questioning, the owner of the cat, Illya Natassia Abdul Manaf, admitted to abandoning it after a “family conflict”, AVA said.
The cat was cared for by a fosterer while investigations were underway, and has been successfully rehomed with the help of an animal welfare group, AVA said.
“AVA takes a stern view on pet abandonment. 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 S$10,000 and/or 12 months’ jail for first convictions,” the authority added.
It also urged members of the public to report cases of pet abandonment by calling its 24-hour hotline at 1800-476-1600, or submitting tip-offs via its website.
Source: Channel News Asia
