A petition to inflict stiffer punishments against animal abuse in Singapore has garnered more than 50,000 signatures on Saturday, amid investigations into pet boarding center Platinium Dogs Club reportedly mistreating animals and causing them to go missing and die.
The petition was started on petition website Change.org by Roderick Low, who wrote on the petition’s page that he wants “to seek justice for those voiceless furry kids who can’t speak for themselves nor tell us what happened inside (the) facility and how much they have suffered”.
Although the petition did not specify exactly how punishments for animal abuse should be made stiffer, he referred to the ongoing saga with Platinium Dogs Club as a case of what might go wrong when pets are left in the wrong hands.
“Some people have no qualms in taking away our family members,” he wrote in the petition, which was addressed to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and National Parks Board.
Comments on the petition vociferously supported the cause, with many arguing that stiffer penalties help give a voice to animals who may be unable to call for help in times of crisis.
“This petition proves that there is a very strong animal loving community in Singapore and it proves that as long as we are united, we can send a strong message to the relevant agencies to review the current animal rights laws,” said Roderick on the petition website, in response to the support from signatories.
The case has even received political attention, with minister K Shanmugam posting on his Facebook page on Saturday that both the AVA as well as the police have been investigating the allegations against Platinium Dogs Club.
“Anyone who has engaged in illegal acts will face the consequences,” he said.
The club has been under intense public scrutiny for reports of animal abuse, and its location in Galistan Avenue was raided by authorities to rescue some 18 dogs and a rabbit, according to Mothership.
Attempts to contact the club’s owner have been futile, according to a sign placed outside the building by the AVA, as reported by Channel NewsAsia.
In the meantime, a Facebook group has surfaced to gather news about the Platinium Dogs Club case. A search has also been mounted for a dog who went missing from the pet boarding house.
If you spot the dog Prince, do contact its owner Elaine Mao via Facebook or via phone.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to ‘Platinium Dogs Club’ as ‘Platinum Dogs Club’. We’ve amended it correctly to its ah lian spelling.
