SINGAPORE: Despite having been previously fined a total of S$1,400 (US$1,042) by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) for failing to adhere to regulations which stipulate his dog breed must be leashed and muzzled, a man failed to do so last year.
This resulted in an attack by his bull terrier on a shiba inu, causing injuries to both the smaller dog and its owner.
Ng Boon Siong, the owner of the larger dog, was fined S$4,500 by a court on Tuesday (Nov 26) for not leashing or muzzling his bull terrier, which is required as the breed is a scheduled species.
Ng had previously been issued three composition fines by AVS – a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks) – in 2022 and 2023 for not doing so. In response to CNA’s queries, NParks confirmed the fines were in relation to the same dog.
According to court documents, the owner of the shiba inu puppy, named Miso, was on a walk with his dog at around 8am on Oct 23, 2023 when they saw Ng playing fetch with his bull terrier at a playground along Jalan Taman in Bendemeer.
Investigations by NParks revealed that at the time of the incident, Ng repeatedly threw a ball along the road for his dog, which was unleashed and unmuzzled, to chase after and pick up.
The bull terrier was, consequently, not under the control of its owner at that time.