Yishun, Punggol cat deaths likely caused by vehicle accidents; no evidence of deliberate cruelty: NParks

CNA

2 days ago

SINGAPORE: Two community cat deaths in Yishun and Punggol were likely caused by vehicle accidents, and there is no evidence to suggest either was a deliberate act of animal cruelty, the National Parks Board (NParks) said on Tuesday (Jun 3).
In making its conclusions, NParks took into account its investigation findings, a postmortem examination for the Yishun case and a report from the veterinary clinic in the Punggol case.
It also considered the initial locations where both cats were found, said Ms Jessica Kwok, NParks' group director of enforcement and investigation.
She also gave updates on two other cats that were found dead in the past week – a second cat in Yishun and another in Tampines.
FIRST CAT IN YISHUN
A cat was found dead at Yishun Street 51 and NParks was alerted to a case of suspected animal abuse by the police on May 9.
During its investigations, NParks interviewed the person who reported the case, located potential witnesses and reviewed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the area.
"Through our investigation, we confirmed that the cat carcass was initially found on the road by a passer-by, who moved it to a nearby void deck," said Ms Kwok.
A postmortem examination was carried out on the cat carcass by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS).
The overall findings were "compatible" with external blunt force trauma, which resulted in injuries, such as fractures of the bones of the pelvis and sternum. There were also multiple areas of bleeding, and its right eye had fallen partially out of place.
There was no evidence of penetrating or sharp force injuries or wounds, said Ms Kwok.
"When the injuries are considered as a whole, a vehicular impact is the most likely cause of the blunt force traumatic injuries."
CAT FOUND DEAD IN PUNGGOL
In its statement on Wednesday, NParks also gave further updates on its investigation into the feline that was found injured at the loading and unloading bay near Block 326B Sumang Walk in Punggol.
NParks retrieved the injured cat after being notified on the morning of May 12 and sent it to a private veterinary clinic.
After the cat's microchip was traced, NParks informed the community cat's caregiver to contact the clinic.
At this point, the case was classified as animal rescue as there was no evidence at the initial stages that the cat was abused, NParks' director for enforcement and investigation Joshua Teoh told reporters on Tuesday.
He added that an animal welfare group representative had decided to put down the cat on welfare grounds, and it was not sent for a postmortem examination.
The cat's body was subsequently collected by another community cat caregiver and cremated.
The report from the private veterinary clinic that treated the injured cat noted the cat's condition and injuries "in detail", which included proptosis - abnormal protrusion of one or both eyes - and lesions on the head.
The report included the private vet's professional assessment that the lesions and findings are "usually suggestive of blunt trauma" to the head, with a "possible common cause" being a road traffic accident, said Ms Kwok.
NParks began investigating the case on May 13 after receiving feedback that the cat may have been abused.
It interviewed the person who first found the injured cat and other potential witnesses.
Officers also visited the scene and retrieved CCTV footage from multiple cameras in the area, but the CCTV cameras did not capture any footage of how the cat sustained its injuries.
"Based on the investigation findings, including taking into account the initial location where the cat was found, NParks assessed that it is likely that the cat had sustained its injuries due to a vehicular accident, and there was no evidence to suggest a deliberate act of animal cruelty," said Ms Kwok.
She added: "NParks understands the concerns on cases of alleged animal cruelty, and we would like to assure the public that we take all feedback received from the public on alleged animal cruelty seriously and will investigate them thoroughly, including looking at any new evidence presented."
TWO MORE CASES
Ms Kwok also gave updates on two other cats that were found dead in the past week, including a second one at Yishun Street 51 with its legs splayed.
She said there were no visible external injuries found, based on the preliminary physical examination, and a postmortem examination is being carried out.
In another incident, a feline was found dead at a void deck at Tampines Street 81 on May 24.
NParks established that Traffic Police officers had attended to a traffic incident involving a car and a community cat earlier that day.
"The (Traffic Police) officers moved the cat's body to the void deck as it was likely to pose a safety hazard to other road users and to prevent other vehicles from running over the cat's body," said Ms Kwok.
A member of the public later came across the cat's body and reported the case to NParks.
No further action will be taken as the car driver had reported the accident to the police within 24 hours.
ABUSE CASES REACH 12-YEAR HIGH
Speaking to reporters, Mr Teoh said that NParks has seen a "fairly consistent trend" in cases designated as animal abuse or cruelty over the years. Of these, no more than 6 per cent had evidence pointing to animal cruelty.
Among the rest, the majority were public disputes or disamenities caused by pet or community animals, and some of these may not be related to cruelty, Mr Teoh added.
Some animals may have underlying conditions and could have died due to natural causes.
In 2024, the number of cases involving animal cruelty and welfare in Singapore rose to a 12-year high of 961, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
A total of 2,190 animals were involved in the cases, with cats forming the majority (1,330).
The Animals and Birds Act is currently being reviewed to increase penalties – such as fines, jail terms an disqualification orders – to ensure "effective deterrence" against animal welfare offences.