Puppies at the Inspection Checkpoint
First case of its kind in Singapore: Woman, 28, gets 19 weeks 3 days’ jail, S$5K fine for illegally confining animals for online sale
Summary
A 28-year-old woman received 19 weeks and three days’ jail and a S$5,000 fine for illegally keeping puppies for sale.
She and her husband were involved in selling 21 puppies after keeping and advertising them for sale in Singapore.
A separate offender received two weeks’ jail, the highest sentence yet for keeping animals for sale at unlicensed premises.
SINGAPORE: A 28-year-old woman has been jailed and fined in Singapore’s first case involving animals kept in captivity for sale at unlicensed premises.
Ng Siew Teng was sentenced to 19 weeks and three days’ jail and fined S$5,000 on Aug 5. Her husband, 34-year-old Callurn Lim, received the same sentence on Sep 11.
The couple was arrested with their 23-year-old friend, Bryan Peh, on Dec 27, 2023. The case began after Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers found five two-month-old Pomeranian puppies hidden inside a vehicle at Woodlands Checkpoint, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Sep 15).
Puppies were transported in cramped conditions
Two puppies were placed inside a carrier, while three others were kept inside a plastic storage container.
The puppies had been transported in cramped and poorly ventilated conditions, according to the National Parks Board (NParks).
All five also tested positive for Canine Parvovirus, a contagious disease that can cause serious illness and death in dogs.
Investigators later found that Ng and Lim kept illegally imported puppies at their home and advertised them on Instagram. They also arranged viewings for potential buyers at their void deck.
Between October and December 2023, the couple sold 21 puppies and made about S$21,000. Both pleaded guilty to five charges under the Animals and Birds Act.
Separate case sets highest sentence for the offence
A separate case involved 33-year-old Sundra Pandian, who acted as a runner for a syndicate moving animals from Thailand through Malaysia into Singapore.
Pandian kept 13 smuggled animals at his residence before buyers were found. Cages and carriers were stacked up to three levels high, with animals kept there for two to three weeks at a time.
He pleaded guilty to nine charges and received 24 weeks’ jail. Two weeks of that sentence covered the offence of keeping animals for sale at unlicensed premises.
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Another man involved in Pandian’s case, 25-year-old Chow Chee Hoe, was fined S$4,000 on Sept 1 for facilitating the sale of smuggled dogs.
NParks urges buyers to avoid unlicensed sellers
NParks said prospective pet keepers should adopt through animal groups or buy from licensed pet shops.
It warned that illegally imported animals may have unknown health conditions and may be transported or kept in poor conditions.
The agency also said buyers who help arrange illegal imports can face prosecution.
Cheap and convenient online pet deals can also carry serious consequences for both buyers and animals. Buying through licensed channels provides a safer way to bring a pet home while holding the trade accountable.