SINGAPORE: A woman was fined S$5,000 and banned from owning pets for a year on Wednesday for abandoning her 16-year-old unlicensed dog beside a rubbish bin.
Tan Siew Hoon, 69, pleaded guilty to a charge of abandoning a black poodle cross named Miko and keeping a dog without a license. A third charge was considered in sentencing.
She told the judge that she doted on the dog and spent a lot of effort caring for it. She added that her husband fell down in the toilet and died about half a year before she abandoned the dog.
It was left in a pink carrier bag by a rubbish bin on the ground floor of Block 709, Hougang Avenue 2.
She said she left the bag containing Miko near the lift and admitted she did not report losing a dog. It was clear she intended to abandon the dog, the court heard.
The dog was examined by SPCA and found to suffer from several health conditions, including loss of fur and matted hair all over its body. Its eyes were blocked by matted hair so it was unable to open them, its eyes were cloudy and shrunken, and overgrown nails were observed on all four legs, causing a stiff gait and crusty skin.
The prosecutor said that pets are for life and cannot be discarded.
