A dog owner in Punggol has spoken out after her pet was attacked by an unleashed dog, leaving it with serious injuries that required emergency treatment.
The incident, which took place on Wednesday (25 March) at 3.10pm, was first shared online over a few Instagram Stories, with the owner stating: “My heart is shattered seeing him like this.”
She added that her dog suffered “deep wounds” which required stitches.
Source: @jasmineangly on Instagram
Speaking to MS News, Jasmine, a wellness consultant and programme executive for a community service, said the incident occurred at around 3.10pm near Block 165A Punggol Central.
Her helper had been walking her dog, a 2-year-old toy poodle named Chacha.
They were heading home when a large dog suddenly ran towards them.
Source: @jasmineangly on Instagram
“Suddenly, the dog was unleashed and ran towards them, attacking Chacha,” the 34-year-old said.
The situation escalated within seconds, leaving little time to react.
“Thankfully, a kind passer-by stepped in to help separate the dogs,” Jasmine added. However, she claimed that the other dog owner left the scene without offering any apology or assistance.
Chacha sustained deep bite wounds, and Jasmine immediately rushed him to the vet.
Due to the severity of the injuries, the vet had to sedate Chacha before performing stitches.
Picture courtesy of Jasmine
Jasmine added that the recovery process has been difficult, with follow-up consultations scheduled, including a visit on 9 April to remove the stitches.
Source: @jasmineangly on Instagram
Describing Chacha as “small, harmless, defenceless”, she said that her pet did not deserve to have undergone the ordeal.
Jasmine said she managed to track down the other dog’s owner later that night after searching the estate.
“At around 8.20pm on 25 March, we went back down to the estate to look for the owner and asked people in the area if they had seen the dog,” she told MS News.
“At about 9.10pm, we managed to locate the owner together with the dog.”
In text exchanges she posted online, the owner reportedly questioned the cost of the emergency treatment.
Source: @jasmineangly on Instagram
“He kept saying the price is too high,” she said. “He mentioned his dog had been bitten before and that he paid only about $400.”
However, Jasmine stressed that her priority was her dog’s condition.
“Our priority was to treat our dog immediately. There is no reason for us to put Chacha in pain at home and wait until the next day,” she said.
The total veterinary bill came up to approximately S$1,209.74.
Picture courtesy of Jasmine
After persistent follow-ups, the other dog’s owner eventually agreed to cover the full amount, which was transferred via PayNow on 26 March.
Jasmine confirmed with MS News that a report has been lodged with the National Parks Board’s Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), following advice from the police.
She hopes the incident will raise awareness about responsible pet ownership.
Picture courtesy of Jasmine
While Chacha continues to recover, Jasmine said the ordeal has been emotionally taxing.
“Seeing him like that really broke my heart,” she shared.
Picture courtesy of Jasmine
Jasmine urged other pet owners to be more responsible, especially in public spaces.
She added: “Incidents like this can happen very quickly and could have been much worse,” she said. “Not just for pets, but for children or other members of the public too.”
MS News has reached out to NParks for comment.
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Featured image courtesy of Jasmine and adapted from @jasmineangly on Instagram.