Maximum Sentence To Be Imposed On Dog Killer

cc the AVA, SPCA

20 August 2010


Dear Sirs

On 18 August 2010, Wednesday, at about 7.40pm, an unnamed Pomeranian dog was killed brutally by an unknown man at the void deck of Block 267B Compassvale Link. A witness said that the man was picking up the dog and throwing it onto the floor over and over again - for at least 10 times. This lasted for more than 10 minutes. The dog cried out in pain at first, after awhile, there was silence.

The dog's face was soaked in blood and the concrete slabs and floor of the void deck bore blood stains. This is evidence of the cruelty the animal suffered.

In Singapore, cruelty to animals is a crime. Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone who is found guilty of such an offence including abandonment of any animal, can be imprisoned for up to 12 months, fined up to $10,000, or both.

However, in this particular case, it is more than just cruelty. The man has showed a blatant disregard of the law and displayed his aggression to a poor, defenseless animal openly in the public, whilst under the watchful eyes of witnesses around. Nobody went forward to stop his act of aggression as they feared being attacked by him. This man must be punished by the law for his aggression may go out of control and his next victim may be a young and defenseless child.

Even if the maximum punishment of one year imprisonment and a $10,000 fine is imposed, it is too light a sentence for a man who has a lack of respect for life itself. If such an act of aggression is let off lightly, what kind of message are we sending to the public and what kind of society would we be seen as by other countries?

We, the undersigned, appeal to the Court to impose a harsh punishment on the offender, so as to deter others and help prevent further animal cruelty incidents from happening. Animals are unable to defend themselves so we must all do our part to save them from acts of cruelty.