Town Council to work with NParks, animal welfare groups to raise awareness after Punggol cat death: DPM Gan
Town Council to work with NParks, animal welfare groups to raise awareness after Punggol cat death: DPM Gan
SINGAPORE – The Town Council will work with the National Parks Board (NParks) and animal welfare groups to raise public awareness, following the death of a community cat in Punggol on May 12, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.
In a Facebook post late on May 15, DPM Gan said that many residents had written in to share their feedback on animal welfare, after the cat, named Shere Khan, was found severely injured in the area.
'NParks has assured us that they are looking into the matter,' he said, adding that posters will be put up to raise awareness.
Urging the public to treat animals with care, DPM Gan said in his post: 'Let us be a gracious society, and show kindness and compassion to animals.'
DPM Gan, who became an MP for the newly created Punggol GRC after leading his PAP team to victory in the May 3 General Election, had previously said that a new town council will be formed for Punggol as the existing Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council has been dissolved.
The case first came to light after animal welfare group Luni Singapore posted a public appeal on its Facebook page on May 13, detailing what it called one of the most brutal cases it has encountered.
The injured cat was found in a carpark near Block 326B Sumang Walk and the alleged abuse likely took place on May 11 or 12, the group said.
'Despite receiving immediate veterinary care, Shere Khan did not survive. The nature of his injuries points strongly to deliberate abuse, potentially involving strangulation or blunt force trauma,' the group added.
The National Parks Board (NParks) confirmed on May 13 that it is investigating the incident as a suspected case of animal cruelty.
The case follows closely on the heels of a separate incident on May 9 in Yishun, where another community cat, known to residents as King Kong, was found dead disembowelled and with its eyes gouged out.
In a Facebook post on the same day, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who is also the MP for Nee Soon GRC which covers the area, condemned the act as 'appalling cruelty'.
'What kind of person will do this? This is not who we are as a people,' he wrote.
Both incidents have sparked renewed calls for stricter penalties against animal abusers and heightened community vigilance.
Animal welfare groups, including the Cat Welfare Society, have intensified public engagement efforts in the affected areas, appealing for witnesses and urging residents to report any suspicious activity.
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