Singapore: A woman who has adopted two three-month-old cats quickly feels “stressed” by the sounds they make and their “hyperactivity”, especially at night.
She claimed that she tried to get them to adopt but failed, so she put them in a pet cage and then put them on the grass with the door open.
Natalie Lau Sze Yuin, 40, was fined S$4,000 by the District Court on Wednesday (October 27) for a crime of abandoning an animal permanently without justification. A second similar charge was considered in sentencing.
Liu was also prohibited from owning any animals for 12 months.
The court learned that Lau adopted two kittens named Milky and Panda from Ms. Teo in early August 2020.
She left the kittens at home, but “feeled” because of the noise they made.
Lau claimed that she tried to adopt a cat through friends, family and animal welfare organizations, but failed.
On August 19, 2020, Lau placed two kittens in a pet cage and walked through her block in Sims Place. She put the cage on the nearby grass, opened the door and watched the kitten run home, and then walked home.
The court learned that she did not leave any food or water, and did not try to check the kittens afterwards.
Later that day, Ms. Teo saw a Facebook post about Milky and Panda that was discovered and suspected of being abandoned. She managed to find Panda, but did not find Milky.
Between August 19 and August 28, 2020, Lau lied to Ms. Teo that she was caring for two cats and claimed that she had vaccinated them. She also sent a video of a kitten to Ms. Teo.
According to court documents, Lau adopted two more cats shortly after giving up Milky and Panda. The two cats have been relocated.
In a statement after the hearing, NParks stated that becoming a pet owner is a life-long commitment and urged owners to be responsible for their animals and provide proper care.
“Remind pet owners to fulfill their pet care standards, ensure that their pets’ residences are safe, and provide appropriate food and water regularly,” said an NParks spokesperson.
“Those who cannot take care of pets should find a suitable home for them, or seek help from animal welfare organizations to relocate their pets.”
A first-time offender who abandons a pet can be sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, or a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
