Stray Dogs Chase Nighttime Jogger In Pasir Ris, AVS Actively Trapping Them

Pack Of Stray Dogs Chases Jogger In Pasir Ris, AVS Advises Against Running Away

UPDATE (7 Nov): In response to MS News‘ queries, an Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) spokesperson said they’re aware of the pack of “free-roaming dogs” and have been actively trapping and carrying out surveillance in the area.

The spokesperson added that the canines will be managed under  AVS’ Trap-Neuter-Release/Rehome-Manage (TNRM) programme.

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Singapore is generally very safe, with nighttime joggers facing little risk. Perhaps that’s why a video showing a pack of stray dogs chasing down a jogger garnered much attention.

In the video, set in Pasir Ris Drive 3, a man jogging on a footpath is set upon by five stray dogs on a small hill.

They chased him, barking frenetically while he broke into a sprint. Some stayed on his flanks on the hill while others chased hot on his literal heels.

The AVS advised those in danger from stray dogs not to run away as it encourages dogs to chase.

Stray dogs chase jogger in Pasir Ris

A video on TikTok by ‘Gary’ showed one such interaction at the Park Connector Network (PCN) along Pasir Ris Drive 3. According to Gary, the incident took place on Saturday (4 Nov) at around 10.40pm.

Gary kindly provided MS News with the full footage of the incident.

A pack of dogs standing on a small hill descend to the PCN path to investigate. The OP filmed them as they did so.

One of the white dogs then appears to notice the jogger approaching, looking alertly at something out of frame. It then quickly flees back up the slope to the rest of the dogs.

The entire pack of dogs then go on high alert, watching the approaching person. One of them barks once.

The night jogger soon appears in frame, and immediately the dogs start barking loudly and give chase.

Three white dogs run along the slope on the jogger’s left while two brown dogs chase him directly on the footpath.

The jogger increases his speed and breaks into a full sprint, but despite his efforts, one of the dogs catches up to him.

Throughout the barking, you can hear the man yelling, “Help! Help!” as the video ends.

Jogger injured from fall, but left alone by dogs

As the video did not show the jogger’s fate, many commenters on the video enquired about his status, hoping Gary could provide an answer.

Others praised the jogger’s speed, jokingly saying he could get gold for his IPPT.

However, the dogs clearly kept up with him despite his speed.

Gary told MS News that the jogger took a tumble and fell to the ground, suffering cuts on his hands, knees, and elbows. Thankfully, the dogs left him after he fell.

Gary added that stray dogs frequented the area, which might pose a threat to children and the elderly.

AVS recommends not running from stray dogs

In fact, an Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) advisory specifically recommends against running from strays. They stated that dogs may give chase against a running target.

It’s possible that the man jogging past them caused them to instinctively give chase. Instead, AVS urged people to stay calm and walk slowly in the opposite direction.

AVS also gave the tip of looking away, as staring at dogs can be seen as a challenge.

Lastly, AVS advised speaking softly instead of shouting and not making any sudden movements. The actions could frighten a dog and make them aggressive.

MS News has reached out to NParks and AVS for comments and will update the article if they reply.

Earlier this year, several stray dogs killed over 20 cats in Ang Mo Kio and Hougang.

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Featured image adapted from video provided by Gary.