Platinium Dogs Club operator charged with multiple offences, including cremating body of missing sheepdog to obstruct justice

SINGAPORE — The operator of pet hotel Platinium Dogs Club was charged on Monday (June 15) with multiple offences, including obstructing the course of justice and hiring a pet cremation company to cremate the carcass of missing Shetland sheepdog Prince.

The dog had died while it was boarded at the pet hotel, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in January 2019.

Charlotte Liew, 31, intentionally obstructed the course of justice as Prince's body had been evidence relevant to investigations into its death, charge sheets stated.

Liew was also charged with one count of furnishing false information to a public servant, in relation to the whereabouts of Prince. The charge carries up to six months in jail, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.

A further nine charges fell under the Animal and Birds Act, which carries a punishment of up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to S$40,000, or both, for each offence.

These include six counts of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that an animal is provided with adequate and suitable food and water.

In five cases, she had kept dogs tied to a window grille on a short leash in a room with poor ventilation, causing them unnecessary suffering.

She is accused of neglecting the low-fat diet of a Jack Russell Terrier named QQ, and failing to bring it to a veterinarian despite its unresponsive condition, which led to its eventual death.

Liew was also charged with failing to make reasonable efforts to recover a Mixed breed dog named Texas when it was missing.

She was given a charge of causing unnecessary pain or suffering to a Chow Chow named Whisky by not periodically cleaning it, leaving it to sit in its own urine and faeces for long periods.

She is also accused of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that an animal is protected from, and rapidly diagnosed of, significant injury or disease by not bringing a Shih Tzu named Pika to a veterinarian, despite its multiple visible injuries.

RAN PLATINIUM DOGS CLUB AS AN UNREGISTERED BUSINESS

Liew was also charged twice under the Business Names Registration Act.

She had provided pet boarding services with Platinium Dogs Club as an unregistered business between January and Oct 29, 2018, charge sheets state.

Liew is accused of abetting the furnishing of false information to the registrar on Oct 30, 2018 by instigating a person named Tan Charmaine to state herself as the owner of Platinium Dogs Club instead of her.

Tan Charmaine had also stated the principal place of Platinium Dogs Club's business as 570A Woodlands Avenue 1, when Liew knew that it was actually 7 Galistan Avenue in Bukit Panjang.

Each offence carries a punishment of up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

Liew was arrested in 2018 over animal welfare-related offences, after the facility was raided by AVA following several complaints that animals were ill-treated under its care. CNA

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