The Cat Welfare Society (CWS) sounded the alert yesterday after the dismembered bodies of 2 kittens were found at Tampines Dormitory.
They were alerted to the grisly find after a cleaner, 44 year-old Raden Ahman Nawawi, discovered a cat leg and tail at Block 1 at the dormitory at about 11AM yesterday.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) retrieved 2 limbs and a tail from the scene, but they could not confirm whether the remains belonged to the same cat or multiple other cats.
CWS volunteers found more remains from the first discovered cat, and a second cat carcass after combing the dormitory.
“We were walking around the side of the road when we found there was another part of the body, which was the cat head as well as two parts of the legs that were still kind of half attached to each other,” said CWS CEO Joanne Ng. “Not long after, we began to search the whole area with the cleaners and staff here, and that’s when we found a ginger cat not far from Block 1 where the guts were all coming out and eyes were popping out.”
“Interestingly, the cleaner actually recognised the cat and said that the cat was seen this morning at around nine, and he was still playing with the cat,” she said. She added that the cats were part of the same litter and were only 5 months old.
"There's three of them, so one is now alive and two are dead," said CWS vice-president Fareena Mehr Omar. She noted with concern that it looked like the ginger kitten was trampled on. She cautioned that her comments were "speculative" and that she was awaiting confirmation from SPCA or a vet.
Just the day before, the Cat Welfare Society also found a cat with a plastic bag secured around its head in the area.
According to the cleaner, Mr Raden, he noticed that the cats around the area have been suffering from this sort of abuse ever since he started his job as a cleaner 3 months ago.
"I have buried three cats,” he said. “My colleague has also buried one, then, I think, my management has also buried another two or three. Actually, the abuse started quite long ago already."
In one instance, he found a cat which had been brutally stabbed.
An SPCA inspector has gone to the scene and spoken with the relevant parties involved, Ms Fong said. “The case is being investigated by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), and the SPCA will assist the AVA where the SPCA can,” she said.
AVA confirmed that it was “investigating the case of alleged cat abuse/mutilation with the assistance of animal welfare groups”.
“AVA will take enforcement action against anyone who committed animal cruelty. If found guilty in court, the offender can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed up to 18 months,” said AVA.
Police officers were seen at the dormitory at 4PM today. A police report has been lodged.
AVA added that any members of the public who have information on the case should contact them at 1800-476-1600. The SPCA is also urging anyone with any leads to contact them at inspector@spca.org.sg or by calling their 24-hour hotline 62875355 ext 9.
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