17-05-2025
Why we should be concerned when animals are abused
A community cat feeder at a makeshift memorial for King Kong the cat, who was brutally killed earlier in May. PHOTOS: JANET CHIN
Why we should be concerned when animals are abused
SINGAPORE - In the wake of the brutal killings of two community cats in May, some members of the public are echoing a question posed by Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam after the first incident: What kind of person would do this?
In a January report, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said there were 961 confirmed reports of animal abuse involving some 2,190 animals in 2024. The figure is a 12-year high and means an average of six animals were subjected to suffering or death each day in Singapore last year.
SPCA's first full report on the state of animal cruelty and welfare in Singapore also revealed that more than half of these cases involved cats, with 1,330 cases, or 60.7 per cent.
The numbers have some mental health experts concerned.
Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology , said: 'At a moral level, these acts are appalling and reflective of a disregard for the suffering of sentient beings. They suggest that animals are perceived to be less worthy of compassion or protection.
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'Beyond morality, there are serious psychological and societal implications.'
Dr Lim Boon Leng, a private psychiatrist from Dr BL Lim Centre for Psychological Wellness said that such cases of animal abuse and cruelty are a 'worrying red flag'.
'We should be very concerned, especially when the acts go beyond mere neglect or impulsive aggression and take on a calculated, brutal nature,' said Dr Lim.
'The sheer level of cruelty inflicted - mutilation, repeated injuries, or killing with intent - often correlates with deeper psychological disturbance.
'Such behaviour isn't just anti-social; it may reflect entrenched callousness, sadism, or a lack of empathy so profound that it borders on psychopathy.'
Animal cruelty at a young age is a warning sign for future interpersonal violence, both Dr Chow and Dr Lim said, citing the Violence Graduation Hypothesis , which assumes a direct causal link between animal cruelty and interpersonal aggression.
Youth who abuse animals are also at an increased risk of harming peers, family members, and others later in life, Dr Chow said. For them, such behaviours may be driven by curiosity, a desire to gain peer approval, or even a desire to attract attention.
If left unaddressed, these behaviours may escalate and contribute to wider societal harm.
In clinical terms, the severity of violence is often a more telling indicator of risk than frequency alone, Dr Lim added - someone who goes out of their way to inflict prolonged suffering on an animal is far more likely to escalate, or already be engaging in, other harmful behaviours such as emotional abuse, coercive control, or violence toward vulnerable individuals.
'In Singapore's context, societal constraints (legal, cultural, and communal) may inhibit escalation to violence against people. But inhibition isn't rehabilitation,' said Dr Lim. 'The underlying pathology may fester and be expressed in less visible but still damaging forms: emotional abuse, coercive control in relationships, or domestic violence.'
The internet normalising disturbing content may also feed such behaviour. Both Dr Lim and Dr Chow agreed that the shock value of such brutal killings attract attention and increasingly desensitise viewers to such violence over time.
This creates a 'distorted feedback loop', says Dr Chow: The more shocking the act, the more engagement it garners on social media through likes, shares, and comments, and as conversational topics.
For some perpetrators, this visibility can feel like validation or recognition, negatively reinforcing the continuation of such behaviour.
What should I do if I think someone I know is an animal abuser?
'Firstly, if there is an immediate danger to an animal, we should take steps to protect it,' said Dr Lim.
'We must never minimise it or rationalise animal abuse away. It is never 'just a phase', a joke or a way to vent anger. The potential of an underlying psychiatric disorder and escalation of interpersonal violence is real.'
Not all perpetrators will become violent offenders, he said. But when one sees a level of cruelty that involves planning, enjoyment, or symbolic intent, such as targeting specific animals or repeating the act, it is often a red flag of a much more disturbed inner world.
'These are not simply 'troubled youths' or 'people having a bad day',' said Dr Lim.
He added that parents who observe their children mistreating animals should be concerned, as it may be indicative of underlying emotional distress and may be a reflection of the child's difficult or even abusive environment.
'When such behaviour is noticed, it's vital to approach the individual with compassion, seeking to understand the motivation rather than reacting with anger,' he said, suggesting beneficial steps such as fostering open dialogue and taking the individual to counselling or therapy.
While animal cruelty must be taken seriously, responses should balance accountability with understanding, said Dr Chow, adding that in such cases, it is never just about the act itself, but about what lies underneath: a breakdown in empathy, in self-regulation, sometimes in human connection.
To effectively mitigate the issue of animal abuse, Dr Chow said that addressing root causes is essential in preventing recurrence and creating meaningful change in the lives of perpetrators, as well as society.
She also believes that the wider community's response to both incidents reflects something hopeful.
'These incidents show us where those breakdowns exist,' she said. 'But they also show us what we still hold on to. When people speak up, when communities organise, when strangers come together around a shared cause, that's not just a reaction. It's a reflection of who we are.'
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