IT'S NOT EASY TO PUNISH OWNERS WHO ABANDON PETS
The Newpaper, 8 Feb 2002

Yesterday, we reported that more pets are being dumped. Should this be made an offence? WEE LI-EN asks around

THROW a piece of paper in a public place and you can be fined.

But dump your pet in a nature reserve park - like the rabbits above - and
you get away with it.

Animal abandonment is not an offence.

In 1994, the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) appealed
for animal abandonment to be considered an offence in the Animal and Birds
Act.

The matter is still being reviewed.

However, in the UK, pet abandonment can lead to fines of up to £5,000
($12,950) and six months' imprisonment. UK passed the Abandonment of Animals Act in 1960.

Should animal abandonment be considered an offence here too?

A lawyer, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ng, listed a number of possible
problems with implementing such a law.

Abandonment is difficult to define as a legal term.

He said: "What does abandonment entail? The definition of the word must be
clear before we can decide whether or not it should be considered an
offence."

Secondly, Mr Ng is doubtful about whether it would be practical to implement
such a law. "What kind of sentences are we looking at? If we agree that the
sentence meted out must be commensurate with what the public feels, where do we draw the line?"

Third: Who's the witness?

"When animals are the only witnesses, and the owner claims that the animal
got lost and was not abandoned, how can we use the witness' testimony?"

Finally, the courts may not be so sympathetic to animals. "They would rather
focus on human lives rather than animal lives," said Mr Ng.

LEGISLATION SHOULD NOT BE THE ISSUE

The Singapore Zoological Gardens feels that legislation shouldn't be the
issue.

Said Mr Robin Goh, assistant manager of corporate relations: "I hope the day
does not come when we need to pass a law to get people to be responsible and to care for their pets."

What do pet shop owners feel about it?

Mr Tan Chin Thiam, who works for AA Pets, feels that the law against animal
abandonment should be passed.

He said: "If England can have that law, why not Singapore? Education may not be enough. I think Singaporeans must be fined before they will listen."

He, however, rejects the idea that there should be regulations on the number
of pets sold.

"It is unfair to pet shops to control their businesses in such a manner," he
said.

Ms Elizabeth Zhang, 18, who has never owned a pet, feels very strongly about this.

She said: "There should be a regulation against pet abandonment. Think about it. Isn't it similar to abandoning a child? We don't abandon our kids just
because they misbehave or we get tired of them."