Senior dog trapped at Seletar farm dies from cardiac arrest, AVS saddened by death

AVS says it conducted health check on dog from Seletar farm before it was picked up by animal welfare group

One of the dogs that were trapped at a farm in Seletar last week has died from cardiac arrest, according to a Facebook post by animal welfare group Causes for Animals Singapore (CAS) on Friday (21 Nov).

The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) said it is “saddened” by his death, which occurred after he was sent to a private veterinary clinic.

CAS will not send Seletar Farm dog for post-mortem

CAS said the senior dog, named “Baby Boy”, had been “bailed out” from AVS and sent to its regular vet.

However, his “heart gave out” shortly after being sent there.

CAS decided not to proceed with a post-mortem as that would mean sending him back to AVS, it stated, adding:

… and he’s already been through more than any old farm dog should.

Baby Boy will be cremated on Saturday (22 Nov), with his feeders sending him off.

He will be cremated at Mobile Pet Cremation in 59 Sungei Tengah at 12 noon, with all welcome to say goodbye, according to dog rehoming page Rescue With Love.

Dog observed to be ‘alert & well’ at AVS

In response to queries from MS News, Dr Anna Wong, AVS Group Director of Community Animal Management, said Baby Boy was under the care of AVS from 14 Nov to the morning of 21 Nov.

He was observed to be “alert and well” though he had a “slight limp”.

During his time with AVS, he was given a health check, vaccination, parasite preventatives and a blood test.

His blood test showed moderate anaemia and some underlying inflammation.

Dog went into cardiac arrest at private vet

At about 11.30am on Friday, Baby Boy was handed over to CAS for rehoming under the Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) programme, Dr Wong said.

AVS understands that he was sent to a private veterinary clinic identified by CAS, which was given his blood test result.

However, the dog went into cardiac arrest when placed under sedation at the clinic.

Dog’s death ‘unexpected’, AVS ‘saddened’

Dr Wong said Baby Boy’s death is “unexpected” and AVS was “saddened” by the news.

The agency is in contact with CAS to “look into identifying the cause of death through an independent post-mortem examination”.

The other two dogs that were trapped by AVS are still in its care, and “are observed to be well”, it added.

Dog trapped at Seletar farm for public safety

Baby Boy and another dog were trapped at Seletar West Farmway 8 on 15 Nov, by an animal management contractor was deployed by AVS.

This was for “public safety reasons” after four dog bite incidents were reported resulting in injuries to members of the public, Dr Wong said earlier.

But CAS retorted in its post on Friday that Baby Boy could “barely stand”, thus it was “at a loss over how he was said to have chased anyone”.

Animal lovers question trapping methods

Animal lovers also questioned how the dogs were trapped after online videos showed Baby Boy struggling at the end of a restraining pole.

The other dog was seen being forced into a crate by two men with poles.

The OP also shared clips of blood and poo on the floor, possibly shed by the dogs during the operation.

After being trapped, Baby Boy, who was already injured, could not stand up due to the shock, she claimed.

In an Instagram Story on Friday, Rescue With Love had several questions for the authorities, including whether the trapped dogs were tested and treated when they arrived at the AVS’ Animal Management Centre (AMC).

It also asked how long they took to reach the AMC and whether there was any delay in their assessment and treatment.

Also read: Dogs trapped & pushed into crates at Seletar farm, AVS says multiple dog bite incidents reported

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Featured image adapted from @rescuewithlovesg on Instagram.