Alan Chiam claimed himself to be a dog lover and passionate dog rescuer, but the nation refused to believe him — especially since he was caught on tape beating up his husky in full view of his other dogs.
The 41-year-old has been sentenced to an $8,000 fine today for one count of animal cruelty and one count of non-compliance with dog licensing and control rules.
Chiam rose to nationwide infamy through a viral video that saw him scolding, punching, kicking and choking a dog in his Jalan Loyang Besar residence backyard on May 23 last year. Chiam insisted that it was his way of disciplining the dog in a moment of anxiety — the black-and-white husky had gotten with a golden retriever after going for a morning walk near his house. He claimed that the husky also attempted to attack his helper when she tried to separate the fighting canines.
But animal cruelty is animal cruelty, no matter how you spin it. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) was alerted to the case, and immediately took the beaten-up dog to a vet for a medical examination. The dog suffered no external wounds or injuries, though there was an abrasion that the vet could not conclusively establish to be due to the acts of cruelty.
AVA, however, had enough evidence of the man’s offences through video footages shared by a neighbour. Investigations also found that Chiam kept more than three dogs in his premises — hereby failing to comply with dog licensing and control rules.
Oh, and don’t worry; the husky has been under the care of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals during the course of investigations, and rehoming efforts are currently being carried out.
