Neglected pet dog rescued by concerned neighbor; owner wants it returned

Dog welfare group Voices For Animals (VFA) were alerted to a heartbreaking case involving a 13-year-old Maltese, which was apparently so neglected by its owner that its ghastly physical condition left rescuers speechless.

Last week, one of the group’s volunteers spotted a notice on Facebook, in which a concerned individual made a call out for help after finding a neighbor’s dog in such pitiful state, a VFA spokesperson informed Coconuts Singapore. The volunteer then picked up the dog from its house for veterinary treatment — the animal was surrendered to VFA by its owner’s father.

“…Clearly from what we physically saw, we are just speechless,” wrote VFA founder Derrick Tan in a Facebook post. Pictures uploaded depicted the poor male Maltese with its fur heavily stained and matted, its tongue lolling out of its mouth. Another picture showed that its toenails had grown out of control.

The only info made available to the VFA from the vet was that the dog had been neglected and suffered from non-specific “welfare issues”. A full veterinary report will be submitted to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) some time this week.

Now, the dog’s owner has written in to VFA, asserting that it should be returned home. The welfare group has since spoken to AVA, strongly recommending that the dog not be returned to its owner, said the spokesman to Coconuts Singapore.

The Maltese is currently under the care of a vet, and AVA officers will be checking in on the dog tomorrow with its owner. Updates will be provided to VFA once the authorities decide what happens next.

“I have been doing pet rescues for a long time, sometime the pet we received and the worst condition comes from home pet owners,” wrote Tan. “Those that suffered quietly happened mostly at home, no one voices for them, no one know.”

Individuals found to have failed to meet the minimum standards set in AVA’s Code of Animal Welfare (for Pet Owners) may be charged with animal cruelty, for which first-time offenders can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed for up to 18 months.