It’s certainly not easy to train and discipline a pet dog.
Some, like a woman at Pek Kio Hawker Centre, use fear to tame their animals — which admittedly, is not ideal.
A TikTok video showed an elderly woman and her pet dog sitting at the hawker centre in Farrer Park.
The woman repeatedly threatened to strike the dog with her cane, even hitting the table to scare it.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) reported that the woman was a repeat offender and that it has escalated the case to the authorities.
The video, posted onto TikTok page ‘aventmetier‘ on 9 Nov, documented an elderly woman with her brown-furred dog at Pek Kio Hawker Centre.
She held a cane in her hand, which she repeatedly used to threaten her dog. It flinched whenever she raised it as if to land a strike.
Source: @aventmetier on TikTok
She also caned the table loudly while scolding the dog.
Source: @aventmetier on TikTok
Despite her actions, she casually conversed with other patrons and even laughed.
Source: @aventmetier on TikTok
At one point, she whipped the cane in the direction of the dog. It’s unclear if she actually hit the canine, though the pet abruptly moved its paw.
Source: @aventmetier on TikTok
The OP alleged that further abuse took place prior to them filming.
“This felt so wrong and stressful to watch,” they commented.
As it turns out, the SPCA is aware of the matter and addressed the case in an Instagram post on 10 Nov. They revealed that the woman was an alleged repeat offender.
The post stated that on 4 May this year, SPCA staff visited the woman’s residence regarding similar animal welfare concerns.
During the visit, they provided her guidance and counselling as well as a firm warning.
As the woman did not follow their guidelines, the SPCA declared that they would be “taking further action”. Concurrently, they also escalated the matter to unspecified authorities.
The SPCA reiterated their stance on humane training methods. They further urged pet owners not to hit or threaten their pets so as to avoid causing them distress.
Members of the public can report animal cruelty or neglect on the SPCA site or by calling their hotline at 6287 5355.
Last month, a Malaysian ex-couple accused each other of dog abuse after their break-up.
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Featured image adapted from @aventmetier on TikTok.
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