On Friday (17 May), a man was charged for failing to take his dog to the vet despite the animal having a maggot-infested wound on its paw.
61-year-old Khor Lian Huat was fined S$4,500 and banned from owning pets for a year, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
His mixed-breed dog, which he kept in Pulau Ubin with his cousin, suffered from a paw that was infested with maggots.
Despite noticing the condition, Mr Khor only used an antiseptic to clean the wound instead of seeking veterinary care.
The dog was eventually taken to a vet by the non-governmental organization Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD).
National Parks Board (NParks) prosecutor Lim Chong Hui told the court that Mr Khor kept his dog and its nine puppies in Pulau Ubin with his cousin, Ho Beng Neo, according to TODAY.
Meanwhile, Mr Khor resided primarily in mainland Singapore.
Between July and August 2021, Mr Khor visited Pulau Ubin and noticed a wound on his dog’s paw. He cleaned the wound with antiseptic and instructed his cousin to continue cleaning it.
It was not mentioned how the dog injured its paw or why Mr Khor had left the dog with Ms Ho.
Source: Court documents via TODAY
The wound had maggots when Mr Khor made his next visit one or two weeks later.
However, he still did not take the dog to the vet, opting to clean the wound with antiseptic and pick out the maggots. He then returned to mainland Singapore.
As the dog’s wound worsened, Ms Ho grew worried and sought help from friends and relatives.
It was Mr Khor’s nephew who put her in touch with SOSD volunteers who helped take the dog to a vet on mainland Singapore.
By that time, the vet considered amputating the paw. Fortunately, the dog made a full recovery after being warded for 10 days.
SOSD reported the incident to the Animal and Veterinary Service under NParks on 26 August 2021.
In court, Mr Khor pleaded for leniency, claiming he loves his dog “like his own child”.
However, District Judge Lorraine Ho noted that he had not visited the dog while it was at the vet.
When he was charged in March, Mr Khor had appealed to the judge to “understand the lifestyle of people like us who live in the village”.
The judge responded that just as people need medical treatment even if they live on Pulau Ubin, “it’s the same for pets as well.”
Mr Khor had earlier been fined S$1,000 but did not pay it despite four reminders. CNA reported that he also asked the court to reduce the fine to S$500.
Instead, the prosecutors raised the fine to S$5,000.
NParks prosecutors also noted Mr Khor’s “belligerence and defiance towards law enforcement officers” during the court proceedings.
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Featured image adapted from TODAY/Ooi Boon Keong, Court documents via TODAY.
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