ANIMAL ABUSE UPDATE

Excerpt taken from Newsletter February 2008

Dogs confined or left alone or prolonged periods

The SPCA investigates between 70 and 80 complaints of alleged animal abuse each month. A significant number involve the mistreatment of dogs. The types of complaints range from dogs being tied up or caged up for most of the day to incessant barking or whining. The SPCA does not routinely look into the latter, unless there is reason to believe the animal is in distress. This is where we depend on the caller to determine whether or not the animal is crying at a certain time of day. Is it because the owner has gone out and separation anxiety has taken over? In such instances where noise is a problem, it may be better for neighbours to communicate this to the owners, rather than to call in a third party, which may cause hostility.

A dog’s environment plays an important role in how it develops and behaves. Dogs that are tied up, caged, unsocialised or left alone for long periods can become distant, timid, uncertain and hostile. This has an impact on the surrounding community – sometimes it becomes a noise issue (which can lead to disputes between neighbours), and other times a concerned neighbour pities the animal because it has no freedom of movement.

The SPCA is witness to too many cases of dogs suffering everyday because their owners cage them or tie them up. Various reasons owners give up include:

- The dog is undergoing training

- It digs up the garden or

- It runs out of the gate when it is opened

There are currently no laws which prohibit tying up or caging dogs day in, day out. However, in view of the significant number of complaints received, the SPCA has also raised this issue with the authorities, not only from an animal welfare standpoint, but also to highlight the social impact it has on our community.

Dogs that are never exercised or paid attention to can become bored and bark a lot. These behavioural problems are not addressed by many owners, the preference being to ignore them, give the dog up, or pass the problem on to someone else who hopefully will be committed to finding a solution.

What is the solution?

Should new owners have to attend a compulsory seminar before they purchase a dog? Certainly, they should think long and hard about why they are buying the dog – is it mainly for the children, in the hope that they are going to take on full responsibility for the animal? Is it because they need a guard dog? Or is it because the puppy is so cute they have an urge to buy?

The SPCA is keen to offer dog care seminars to more people. Our seminar held at NUS in October was attended by 70 people, and there were many owners there who were keen to know more about the care of their pet and why it behaved in a certain way. Healthcare and behavioural problems are important issues to responsible owners, but many others prefer just to keep a dog and not pay heed to its daily needs.

DON’T BUY:

If you don’t have the time to take care of the animal

If you are not around most of the time

Just because the children want it

If you need a guard dog

If you are going to tie it up or put it in a cage for the rest of its life

If you are not willing to spend time and money taking it to a vet

If you are not prepared to train it and exercise it regularly

If you are not prepared to feed it a balanced diet

Poachers prey on wild animals and birds

In early October, an officer from the Police K9 Unit reported to the SPCA that a wild boar had been caught in a poacher’s snare in the vicinity of the Police K9 Dog Unit base in Mowbray Road, off Choa Chu Kang Way.

The SPCA attended the scene, where a female wild boar was found injured. The animal died on arrival at the SPCA. A post-mortem was carried out by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority and it was concluded that the most likely cause of death was heatstroke brought about by an irreversible combination of cardiovascular collapse and shock, and widespread blood clotting.

In December and January it was reported in the press that illegal animal traps have been found on Pulau Ubin; one could hold up to 51 wild boars. Poaching in parks and nature reserves (including Pulau Ubin) is illegal under the Parks and Trees Act. Trapping or killing wild animals and birds is also against the law under the Wild Animal & Birds Act. Offenders can be fined up to $1,000 and be forced to forfeit the animal or bird.

In the SPCA’s opinion, the penalty is too low and is not a deterrent. The SPCA has written to the authorities, asking for the penalty to be increased. As demonstrated by the above case, trapping is a cruel act in the extreme.

Bird trapping

The SPCA received a call from a member of the public on December 20^th reporting birds being trapped in netting in the vicinity of Block 603 Ubi Avenue 1. On arrival, the SPCA’s Animal Handling Officer saw three birds trapped in netting attached to bamboo poles. The three birds, which were in a stressed and frantic state, were taken to a veterinarian for examination and later released.

The SPCA has appealed through the press and on its website for witnesses to come forward. A reward of $1,000 will be offered for any information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator(s).

In the first week of January 2008, a report of another net set up to trap birds was reported in the vicinity of Bedok Reservoir Road Block 347. The case was immediately referred to the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) following the SPCA’s inspection of the scene.

The SPCA had earlier received reports of bird traps being set up at Harding Road (near Dempsey Road). Bird traps were visible when we visited, and the case was referred to the AVA.

For cases involving trapping of wild animals or birds, the SPCA advises you to inform the AVA at 6227 0670 and the SPCA at 6287 5355.

Abuse of kitten

A Guidance Programme has been ordered by the prosecution for two teenagers who were caught abusing a kitten by urinating on it at Henderson Crescent on September 23^rd last year.