SINGAPORE – A cat was found dead in Boon Lay on March 30, some 350m away from the Housing Board block where another community cat was allegedly thrown off from the 22nd storey in December.
In the latest incident, the carcass of a ginger cat had been found near the letterbox of Block 191 Boon Lay Drive.
Cat Welfare Society’s (CWS) senior community engagement manager Michelle Siau had posted on Facebook the evening the carcass was found, appealing for eyewitnesses and saying that the “cat seemed to be beaten to death”, citing the bloodstains in the vicinity.
The cat was not known to be a community cat, so it may have been a pet, or even relocated from elsewhere, said CWS president Thenuga Vijakumar, who also suspected that the ginger cat was abused.
“We expect the authorities have been investigating the earlier case and will investigate this as well.”
When contacted, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ executive director Aarthi Sankar said the blood had been smeared on the wall, letterbox, and floor surrounding the cat.
“We understand that the authorities are investigating the case and SPCA will provide any assistance should it be required,” she said, adding that there was no information that could yet link this incident to the earlier one.
In that incident, a community cat, known to residents as Panther, was seen in a video on social media being picked up by a boy, who then purportedly threw it over the railing.
The cat’s mangled body was found near a bicycle parking space at Block 186 Boon Lay Avenue by a resident in the afternoon of Dec 14.
The police confirmed that a police report has been made.
As the Animal and Veterinary Service is investigating the latest incident, however, the public is advised to avoid speculation, said its group director Jessica Kwok.
“Stray animals do not have optimal living conditions, and often lack regular access to food, shelter and medical care.
“They may suffer injuries or even die due to various reasons such as fights or attacks by other animals, getting knocked down by vehicles or even falling from (a) height,” she said, stressing that safeguarding animal welfare is a shared social responsibility.
First-time offenders convicted of abusing an animal face a fine of up to $15,000, a jail term of up to 18 months, or both.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ginger-cat-found-dead-in-boon-lay-authorities-investigating
