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NUS PhD student & husband, both 29, illegally bred Ragdolls in HDB flat, sold 8 for S$46,300 in 7 months
Together, the couple face 63 charges in total.



A female PhD student from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and her husband have been charged for illegally breeding and selling Ragdolls from their Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat.
The couple allegedly sold a total of eight Ragdolls in seven months, earning a total of S$46,300 through what they described as "adoption agreements".
The two now face possible imprisonment.
Together, the couple face 63 charges in total
According to Shin Min Daily News, the two defendants, both 29 years old, are originally from China.The female defendant, Qiu Shiwen, is a Singapore Permanent Resident and a PhD student at NUS' faculty of Medicine.
Her husband, Wen Tianhao, is a Singaporean.
Qiu faces a total of 32 charges, while Wen faces 31.
They were charged with 16 counts of violating the Animals and Birds Act, with the remaining counts to be taken into consideration during sentencing.
Imported cats from overseas
Investigations revealed that around 2021, the pair decided to start a cattery as they felt that the Ragdolls sold locally were generally of low quality, which meant that there was a market for higher-grade Ragdolls, Shin Min reported.The two then began importing adult Ragdolls from overseas breeders, intending to breed them and sell the kittens.
In 2022, the authorities received a report that the two were illegally breeding cats for sale in their HDB flat.
After a raid, the couple was fined S$300 in September that year.
Despite this, however, authorities received yet another report that Wen and Qiu were still breeding cats for sale at their home in January 2023.
Home inspections on Jun. 15, Jun. 20 and Aug. 8 led to the seizure of 21 cats from their home.
According to charge sheets as seen by Mothership, one of the charges stated that Qiu had obstructed three Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) officers during the inspection on Aug. 8.
She allegedly sat down in the hallway to block the path leading to the exit door, preventing the officers from seizing 14 cats from the HDB flat.
Sales conducted under "adoption agreements"
According to Shin Min, further investigations revealed that the two individuals advertised the cats on social media, sharing photos and videos of the cats to attract potential buyers.Interested parties would then contact them to negotiate prices.
Buyers were then asked to sign an "adoption agreement", which was found to be a disguised sales contract.
The contract included a clause which said that if the buyer reneged before the sale was completed, the 50 per cent deposit paid would be forfeited.
Cats were categorised by "quality levels"
The Ragdolls were sold under three pricing tiers.- "Pet level": S$4,000 to S$5,000
- "Show level": S$5,000 to S$6,000
- "Special show level": S$6,000 to S$7,000
Bred 30 cats in total
Shin Min reported that from late April to early May 2022, Wen had called the authorities to inquire about pet shop licences, and also asked them if he would require a licence if he intended to breed cats to sell.In response, the authorities said a license is required to breed cats in any location, and that catteries must operate from approved breeding facilities.
They also stated that cats can only be sold through licensed pet shops.
Despite this, the couple went on to breed 30 Ragdoll cats for sale at their home within a year. Of these, 19 kittens were bred after they had already been fined for illegal breeding.
Prosecution seeks jail time
According to Shin Min, the prosecution argued that the couple had deliberately violated regulations for profit, noting that fines alone were unlikely to serve as a deterrent.Moreover, they noted that despite being fined previously and informed that they were prohibited from breeding cats at home, the couple continued to do so.
As such, the prosecution requested that the two be sentenced to two weeks' imprisonment and a fine of at least S$45,000, marking the first case in Singapore where imprisonment has been sought for illegal pet breeding.
The prosecution also stressed that these laws are put in place to prevent disease outbreaks and ensure that breeding occurs in controlled environments, away from residential areas.
Defence: Couple treated the cats like family
The couple's lawyer countered that the couple treated the cats "like their own children", ensuring that they were vaccinated and well taken care of, and added that none of the seized cats were found to have any diseases or potential viruses.He appealed for a lighter sentence in the form of a S$47,000 fine, saying that Qiu was a PhD student with limited income and relied on her parents for financial support, hence a fine would serve as a sufficient deterrent.
The couple also reportedly hoped to reclaim the cats after the case is concluded.
Sentencing has been adjourned to Nov. 20.
Top photos via Canva and Shin Min Daily News