A man suspected to have killed a cat after allegedly kicking and throwing it on the floor in Tampines has been arrested.
A press statement issued by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said the 25-year-old suspect who allegedly abused the cat at Block 884 Tampines St 83 was arrested yesterday (May 31).
The man was nabbed in Tampines St 84 at about 1.30am in a joint operation with the police.
Mr Joshua Teoh, deputy director of AVA’s Animal Management Group, acknowledged the role residents played in sharing information on the suspect, which led to his arrest.
He said: “We are heartened by their civic-mindedness. The information provided helped us to establish the identity of the suspect quickly. We urge members of the public to be vigilant and share information on animal cruelty cases to AVA via our 24-hour hotline.”
AVA was alerted to the cat abuse in the wee hours of May 26. Its officers collected the cat carcass for post mortem.
It came to light after the Cat Welfare Society made an appeal for information on its Facebook page. According to a resident, the animal was “slammed on the ground twice” and “burned with a lighter” by a man who looked like he was in his 20s, wrote the society.
Anyone found guilty of animal cruelty can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed up to 18 months, or face both punishments for the first offence. For second and subsequent offences, the maximum penalty is $30,000 or a jail term of up to 3 years, or both.
AVA hotline: 1800-476-1600
chenj@sph.com.sg
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