Man, 40, arrested in connection with Yishun cat abuse cases

SINGAPORE — The series of cat abuse cases in Yishun since September has seen a breakthrough, with a 40-year-old man due to be charged in court tomorrow for animal cruelty.

The suspect, believed to be a resident of Block 115B, Yishun Ring Road, was arrested on Sunday, said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the police in a joint statement today (Dec 28).

Pinning down a suspect in the case has hitherto proven elusive despite animal welfare groups and volunteers chipping in to help with the authorities’ investigations. 

Since Sept 24, there have been 17 reported incidents of cat abuse, ranging from strangulation, poisoning and severed limbs.

The AVA said today the suspect was identified after extensive on-ground enquiries and follow-up investigations with the police’s assistance. 

TODAY understands surveillance camera footage was one of the leads in the case, while a volunteer with the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) had helped in identifying the man after he was arrested along Yishun Ring Road — an area where carcasses of several cats that were thrown from height had been found. Animal welfare groups had indicated the possibility of multiple culprits for the spate of cases. It is unclear if the authorities are looking for other suspects.

Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone found guilty of animal cruelty can be fined up to S$15,000 and/or jailed up to 18 months for the first offence. For second and subsequent offences, the maximum penalty is S$30,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both.

The news of a suspect being identified was met with relief by the Yishun residents interviewed.

Before the authorities’ joint statement today, many residents of Yishun Ring Road who were interviewed were on edge. While some issued pleas to stop the cat killings or took in strays out of fear, others speculated as to who the perpetrators could be.

Reacting to the news of the arrest, Ms Sabreena Nazim, 28, a writer, said: “I can finally sleep in peace now. When I saw photos of the cats killed, I almost cried because I thought it was the cat I was taking care of… It’s a sickening feeling, you get so frightened.” She had been taking walks in her neighbourhood at night to keep a lookout for the cats in the area, as well as sheltering some of them in her home.

While Ms Veron Lau, a CWS committee member, said the arrest has made “all our efforts worthwhile”, she said the group will continue with patrols in the town. “We’re trying our best to be as cautious as possible ... investigations are ongoing,” she added.

Agreeing, Mdm Janet Sum, who founded cat interest group Yishun 326 Tabby Cat, said that while she was “overjoyed” at the breakthrough, “we will continue to stay vigilant as we believe the killings are not the job of one man”. She also praised the efforts by the various parties so far. “The (volunteer) patrol team has worked hard, the community has been forthcoming, and AVA and the police have been very cooperative,” she added.

The CWS similarly praised the efforts by the authorities in this case, describing it as “a landmark protocol of cooperation between AVA and the police in handling animal cruelty cases” in a post in the comments section of this newspaper’s online article.

Member of Parliament (Nee Soon GRC) Louis Ng wrote on his Facebook page today that he is “delighted” there has been progress in the investigations, but urged those who have any more information on the episode to contact the AVA.

“I hope this sends out a strong message (of deterrence that) we will investigate and prosecute when it comes to animal cruelty… I don’t think we should close the case and think it’s over, but we should keep the work going,” the founder and executive director of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society told TODAY.