Credits To:
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130412-415365.html
By Kenneth Tan
My Paper
Friday, Apr 12, 2013
Animal abuse appears to be on the rise in Singapore, judging by the reports contributed by Stomp's citizen journalists.
With its wide reach and diverse readership, Stomp has proven to be an ideal platform for the public to raise awareness on animal cruelty.
The most recent and shocking of these incidents involves a miniature bull terrier that had its leg hacked off, leaving behind a gory stump.
Stomper Mitsueki had read about the case online on Mutts And Mittens' Facebook page and alerted Stomp.
An animal lover named Katherine Yeo found the crippled animal wandering around Changi Village last week and brought it to a vet for treatment.
It was later found that the wound, which was infested with maggots, had been untreated for over a week.
Stompers were united in condemning the act, as well as backing the actions of the dog's rescuer.
Many believe that the act was committed by an animal abuser on the loose in the area, and that the same culprit had beaten two cats to death in Tanglin Halt.
One carcass was found at Tanglin Halt Block 28, while the other was found at Block 45 within a few days of each other. Both cats appeared to have died of violent head wounds.
Officials from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore believe they were killed in the wee hours of the morning when no one would have heard anything.
These cases bring to mind the furore over two kittens that were found dismembered in Chong Pang in December last year.
The discovery of the butchered kittens had prompted Law Minister K. Shanmugam to appeal to residents with information on the culprit to come forward.
Both of these cases were highlighted by Stomper Mitsueki.
While these examples are certainly the most shocking cases, they are by no means the only ones reported on Stomp.
Several less-severe cases were also reported, although they are no less deplorable.
One case involves a cat that was found covered with pink and yellow spray paint at the foot of a block of flats in Bedok North in February this year.
Stomper Mya had found the cat and was shocked by the state it was in. She subsequently reported the incident to police.
But while that particular incident was likely an act of mischief, there are many others that were the result of ignorance.
Stomper Nikita contributed the heartbreaking tale of a Oriental Pied Hornbill fledgling that fell to the ground after leaving its nest in Changi Village.
According to her, a man saw the struggling bird and grasped it by the neck in order to snap pictures of it with his mobile phone.
All the while, a pair of adult hornbills could be seen observing the situation from nearby trees.
The fledgling was so terrified after the ordeal that it later refused to move or fly away.
Eventually, with the help of bird-watchers and bird enthusiasts who formed a protective ring around it, the bird recovered from its shock and rejoined its parents.
If you have personally encountered cases of animal abuse, do send your reports and photos to Stomp.
Don't let such cases go unreported - spread awareness of these reprehensible deeds and help put an end to them.
