Disclaimer: Readers may find images in this article disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
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On Tuesday (6 June), two emaciated cats and the skeletal remains of three other cats were found locked in a cage in a rental HDB flat along Jalan Minyak.
Source: Facebook
Personnel from NParks and the Animal and Veterinary Services (AVS) have since rescued the two surviving cats. They are now under AVS’ care.
Meanwhile, investigations are currently underway.
The cats were first spotted by a neighbour living in the same HDB block as the flat in question.
Upon noticing the state the felines were in, the neighbour posted in the Sayang Our Singapore’s Community Cats Facebook group on Monday (5 June).
Source: Facebook
After being notified of the issue, Wati — an independent cat rescuer — contacted the police as well as officers from HDB.
Speaking to MS News, she shared that they entered the flat on Tuesday (6 June) after receiving permission from the tenant’s daughter.
Upon entering, they found the two emaciated cats locked in a cage in the kitchen. In the cage were also the skeletal remains of three other cats.
Source: Facebook
Wati then posted in the Sayang Our Singapore’s Community Cats group, urging anyone who saw her appeal to contact various authorities as well as media outlets to escalate the matter.
Thankfully, officials from AVS and NParks arrived at the scene promptly.
Wati mentioned that AVS has also taken the surviving cats, as well as the bones of the three dead felines with them.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), AVS is currently investigating the incident.
Speaking to MS News, Wati shared that the cats’ owner was in the midst of moving out of the rental home at Jalan Minyak and relocating to Jurong West, apparently without the felines.
Judging from this, she expressed her concern that the owner may continue to own cats in their new home.
If that proves to be true, she worries that they might neglect those cats too in the future.
Therefore, she encourages the owner’s new neighbours in Jurong West to monitor them closely to prevent a similar case.
Seeing such devastating cases of animal abandonment becoming increasingly common in Singapore is certainly heartbreaking.
As pet owners, such individuals have the responsibility of caring for the animals’ welfare and ensuring that they end up in good hands if they are ever unable to care for them further.
Indeed, we have rescuers like Wati to thank for looking out for helpless animals and ensuring they’re okay. But ultimately, they shouldn’t have to be spending so much time dealing with such problems.
Hopefully, pet owners will learn to be more accountable and compassionate for the creatures in their care. If not, the authorities should deal with offenders more harshly.
While we await the outcome of investigations, we hope that the two surviving cats’ conditions will improve and that they can lead happier lives in loving homes.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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