The Police have explained that they will not be penalising motorists who negligently run over certain animals and fail to stop.
Animal welfare activist have been lobbying to get all animals to be covered under the road traffic act and are disappointed with the decision.
Under the current Road Traffic Act, motorists are required to stop and help only certain animals if they knock them down but other animals are not covered.
Animal welfare groups SPCA and ACRES have indicated that they wish to appeal MHA’s decision. They had been trying to get ‘animal’ to be defined as any mammal (other than man) or fish, and includes any other living creature that is prescribed as an animal. This is the definition for animal in the animals and birds act.
However, MHA said that it will not be making any changes to the Road Traffic Act.
“Our main concern was that it is not always safe for a motorist to stop his vehicle (e.g. when travelling along a busy expressway) after hitting an animal.” They explained.
The animals currently covered under the act are: dog, horse, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or cattle. It does not include cats, monkeys or other animals.
Failure to stop and help these animals could be a crime with a jail term of up to 1 year and a $3,000 fine.
ACRES founder Louis Ng explained that his organisation has responded to more and more cases of hit-and-runs involving macaques. He spoke about how there is now an inconsistency in the law as animal cruelty is likely to soon carry harsher penalties.
It may be a case where abusing a cat is illegal but you are allowed to run one over and continue driving without any penalty.
The MHA spokesman said motorists who hit an animal on the road should stop and provide help only when it is safe to do so, adding that it encourages such drivers to contact the SPCA or Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore for assistance.
http://therealsingapore.com/content...un-cat-or-monkey-you-must-stop-if-you-hit-dog
Animal welfare activist have been lobbying to get all animals to be covered under the road traffic act and are disappointed with the decision.
Under the current Road Traffic Act, motorists are required to stop and help only certain animals if they knock them down but other animals are not covered.
Animal welfare groups SPCA and ACRES have indicated that they wish to appeal MHA’s decision. They had been trying to get ‘animal’ to be defined as any mammal (other than man) or fish, and includes any other living creature that is prescribed as an animal. This is the definition for animal in the animals and birds act.
However, MHA said that it will not be making any changes to the Road Traffic Act.
“Our main concern was that it is not always safe for a motorist to stop his vehicle (e.g. when travelling along a busy expressway) after hitting an animal.” They explained.
The animals currently covered under the act are: dog, horse, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or cattle. It does not include cats, monkeys or other animals.
Failure to stop and help these animals could be a crime with a jail term of up to 1 year and a $3,000 fine.
ACRES founder Louis Ng explained that his organisation has responded to more and more cases of hit-and-runs involving macaques. He spoke about how there is now an inconsistency in the law as animal cruelty is likely to soon carry harsher penalties.
It may be a case where abusing a cat is illegal but you are allowed to run one over and continue driving without any penalty.
The MHA spokesman said motorists who hit an animal on the road should stop and provide help only when it is safe to do so, adding that it encourages such drivers to contact the SPCA or Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore for assistance.
http://therealsingapore.com/content...un-cat-or-monkey-you-must-stop-if-you-hit-dog
