The Straits Times
STForum Online
Aug 26, 2010
Fatal dog bashing: Step up investigations, please
IT SADDENS me greatly to read about a pomeranian beaten to death in last Friday's report ("Dog beaten to death in Sengkang"). I cannot imagine the fear and pain the dog must have gone through when it was brutally tortured.
There have been far too many animal abuse cases hogging the limelight lately. In April, an irresponsible dog breeder abandoned his farm - and more than 85 sick and malnourished dogs - in Pasir Ris. In July, 10 severely emaciated cats were dumped in Tampines by an unknown young man. Earlier this month, a community cat in Jurong was hacked with a knife.
What have the animals done to deserve that? Cruelty to animals is a crime in Singapore. Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone found guilty of such an offence can be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned up to 12 months, or both.
However, the dog breeder in the Pasir Ris case was sentenced to a mere six weeks in jail - and that was only after he failed to pay the fine. The cat abusers are still not found. I wonder if justice will ever be served to the Sengkang dog abuser.
I urge the authorities to be more involved in carrying out investigations and to severely punish animal abusers, to prevent future animal cruelty incidents.
Mahatma Gandhi said: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." If we continue to close our eyes and hearts to the weaker beings of society, we will never progress as a nation.
Jaclyn Lim Ms)
