A Singapore-born veterinarian residing in Australia has been fined and sanctioned for engaging in sexual acts involving animals.
Dr Marcus Wei Sheng Tan was found to have inappropriately handled several animals in his care.
He has been fined A$5,000 (S$4,400) and will continue working as a vet under “indirect supervision”.
According to The Advertiser, Tan faced disciplinary action in the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) in December last year after the Registrar of the Veterinary Surgeons Board raised multiple complaints about his professional conduct.
Source: ABC News
Tan was found to have performed several inappropriate acts on animals, including consuming about 0.1 cubic millimetres of dog semen from a syringe.
He told the tribunal that he did not have any sexual attraction towards animals and only did this out of “sheer curiosity”.
Apparently, he was wondering if it was “going to taste salty”. That, he claimed, was his main “motivation” for committing the act.
When confronted by his practice manager, Tan admitted he was ashamed and knew it was wrong.
Source: The Advertiser
His practice manager also discovered horrifying images of dogs on Tan’s phone, which Tan had shared with his friends on WhatsApp.
Moreover, Tan allegedly inappropriately touched several animals in his care between August 2019 and September 2020.
ABC News reported that this included a Labrador Retriever owned by the Royal Society for the Blind.
However, two other claims involving the euthanasia of a sick puppy and another incident of inappropriate touching were not proven.
Born in Singapore, Tan started his veterinary practice in 2019 after living and studying in Australia for six years.
Source: FamVeld on Canva, for illustration purposes only
After Tan’s case was made public in April, ABC News reported that he was in the field of animal reproduction, including artificial insemination, while he was inappropriately interacting with these animals.
Moreover, a petition signed by 17 individuals within the veterinary industry underscored his unprofessional and unethical conduct, advocating for his immediate deregistration.
Some of Tan’s former colleagues had also shared that they were “uncomfortable” with how he interacted with animals.
While providing evidence in court, a vet surgeon pointed out that Tan’s actions “had no valid medical reason” and were “markedly abnormal”.
They were also a “serious breach of the standards of behaviour expected of veterinarians”.
After reviewing the contents of the case, the tribunal found proper cause to discipline Dr Tan.
Despite being fined A$5,000 (S$4,400), he retains the capacity to administer veterinary treatment under an approved practice.
However, he will operate under “indirect supervision” and receive mentorship from individuals sanctioned by the Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia.
These restrictions are to be enforced for a period of five years commencing on 31 Jan this year.
Additionally, Tan is obligated to cover legal costs amounting to A$27,000 (S$24,000).
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Featured image adapted from Konstantin Pelikh on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
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