Sad Story of a Dog killed at Sembawang Animal Quarantine

[michjee]

Recently, I flew my dog back to Singapore and he was under 30 days quarantine at AVA Sembawang Animal Quarantine Station, 10 Lorong Chencharu. Over there, I noticed this sweet brown dog who I named her 'Betty'. She's a loving dog. Visitors like me will ask the guards whose dog is that. But she's just a stray dog who treats the compound as her home and constantly guarding it. To the guards, she's great companion who will always go on routine patrols with them and keep them company.

I am always happy to travel the far distance to AVA Sembawang though I stayed at the other part of the island, not that I can visit my dog but to see Betty to welcome me at the front gate every time I visit. She's such a sweet girl. Based on her size, she is most probably less than 2 years old. She is so adorable and harmless. She always seems so merry running around. Back in my mind, I thought of adopting her, but well, I am overwhelmed with the number of pets that I currently have adopted. Betty seems so happy running freely in that piece of land. Some times, I see her lying in the middle of the field enjoying the breeze and sun-bathing.

After many visits, Betty finally let me pat her head and in return, she licked my hand back. My 1st touch on her head last Thursday was also my last touch… I no longer see her welcoming me at the gate anymore. I questioned the guard who she always petrol with and he told me the tragic death of her.

On 09 October 2009, Friday, AVA has sent a team of catcher to seize her. To avoid her being caught, the guards chased away the other side of the land.

On the following day, the guard spotted Betty who seems to be sick so he did a prayer for her. After a while, Betty just collapsed in front of him. The guard cried in tears. AVA has claimed her body. The guard questioned on her death and was told by AVA that she died of poisoning.

I learnt from the guards that this is not the 1st attempt that AVA tried to seize her and he was always worried of her threatening life. He has spoken to the Indian lady in-charged who sits in the Quarantine office but seems she has no mercy on Betty.

Now Betty has gone to heaven. She is a harmless hardworking dog and never had created any trouble, can lost her life. A person that holds no mercy on helpless innocent strays holds an evil heart shall deserve no mercy too. Now I am really worried not only for my dog but the rest of the animals being locked up in AVA.

Can you feel safe and secure when your nanny who takes care of your child daily turns out to be a child hated who will beat up children?

[road.not.taken]

I am wondering how you learned about this in such detail??

[sundaymorningstaple]

Did she know Betty went to Heaven? Was it doggie heaven or human heaven, does she know if there's a difference? Does she know for sure there's a heaven at all? Why did she call the dog Betty? Any special significance for the name? Is she a member of one of the new evangelical, rolling in the aisles, speaking in tongues type of church? I always wondered about that - does living in Singapore mean all are feeling the power as most speak in several different tongues that I don't understand.

[road.not.taken]

Well, I do know exactly which dog she's referring to ~ having spent the last 30 days at 10 Lorong Chencharu. The dog has been curiously absent for the my last visits, but why wouldn't michjee visit her own dog in quarantine? Who would tell her they poisoned the dog?

[michjee]

As what I mentioned earlier, I have a dog being quarantine at AVA this is why I got to meet Betty who I gave her a name. I do feed Betty and chat with the guards. The guards told me the entire incident. Another dog owner who also visits her dog daily, did noticed many people were loitering at AVA compound last Friday when she left at about 6:00pm, which is the day when AVA sent a team of their catcher to seize her.

I was sick last Friday this is why I wasn't around to witness the scene and managed to visit AVA on the next day. I questioned one of the guards on last Saturday when I couldn’t locate her. He told me they had chased her away from being caught.

I had read articles about the stray’s scene in Singapore and learnt that AVA has been culling strays since few years back....

Now I really do not know how to face those murderers daily when I visit my dog. I couldn't confront AVA now as my dog is still being locked up by them... I am really depressed why some people could just treat strays like dirt and still can joke about it. A stray was killed is something very funny? She's harmless and create no trouble to the public, why they are so inhumane? It's so heartache for me not to see her again...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Obviously you don't know too much about the stray population here in Singapore. What are the authorities supposed to do. Pick up every dog to see if it's friendly and then decide whether it should be put down? If Singaporeans weren't so cruel in the first place by abandoning their pets, there wouldn't be a stray population that often travel in packs and attack other dogs, and often people as well. Course if you live in the city you probably don't have too much of a problem, but there are lots here who have been chased, bitten, and harassed by packs of stray dogs. The AVA cannot spend the time to try to pick and select those strays that "May" be docile in nature.

Yes, I am a dog lover myself as is road.not.taken, my last dog was an abandoned pup who stayed with me from 3 months of age till she died of a stroke with her head in my lap 3 month shy of being 14 years old. However, I have to admit, if the guards and other were so adoring of this stray, why did not one of them adopt the dog and take it home? It's still a scavenger looking for it's next meal. Don't confuse their different jobs. Dog catchers have a necessary job to do for the general good of the public. Culling stray dog, cats and reducing the pigeon & crow populations are but a few of them. Bet you would have changed your story has the dog taken a chunk out of your backside or calf wouldn't you? You would have probably screamed bloody murder that they weren't doing their jobs because they let wild dogs roam around the same area as your precious pet.

Get real.

[road.not.taken]

I am always happy to travel the far distance to AVA Sembawang though I stayed at the other part of the island, not that I can visit my dog but to see Betty to welcome me at the front gate every time I visit.

You are confusing michjee. I was much more upset by the fact that they don't take the dogs out everyday, the chain smoking pregnant lady and the profanity spewing couple screaming obscenities in front of children. Its always sad when a stray loses it's life, but what did you think was going to happen? If the stray dog infects the dogs in quarantine, all bets are off.

[michjee]

Well, that's tell, u are a typical Singaporean... Indeed, they are strays which should be put down when they behaviour has went out of control. Think carefully who shall we blame? The breeders who keep breeding sick breeds to sell for the sake of money to customers and some pea-brains people just buy the pet for fun and abandoned them when they found it's not so fun any more or it's too expensive for forked out their vet's bill! We are humans that we have the ability to control over many things and have choices to make. However, animals are different! If humans are really so loving and caring, they should be adopting strays than buying for those chooks breeders.

When did that stray attacked any visitors at AVA? None! Visitors just kept asking whose dog is that. I should put it that Betty is not a stray as she is a guard dog in their compound who look after them daily, but they had never appreciated this. Humans just take things for granted or even things that come across their mind which is incorrect, they will give all sorts of excuses to defend themselves to make them feel better as to over come the guilt conscious. It’s so sad that people just blind themselves.

Accordingly to your reply, seems that we should put down all disturbing and out of control children as well. U are a joke!

[road.not.taken]

Well, that's tell, u are a typical Singaporean...

Doofus, you're on an expat forum! While our posts are not 100% grammatically correct, it is clear English is our first language, and for a dozen other reasons it should also be clear we are not Singaporean. Your link between animals and children is truly disturbing. It sounds like you need to get yourself some help.

[michjee]

Hi Reporter. Our dogs are well kept in that small room how can Betty attack them? What makes you think Betty is not a friendly dog? There are no rabies cases in Singapore since many years back. I understand your concern but that doesn't permit us to put strays to death roll.

To curb a problem doesn't need to end lives. We could just spay the strays to stop them from producing which I learnt that a team of Singaporeans brought the strays to spayed The spayed strays have 1 of their tiny corner ears snipped so that public and AVA could recognized them. However, AVA still shows no mercy to them.

We are living in the 21st centuries in Singapore which is a developed country but seems like they are acting more like China, practicing rather backwards methods. We should be educating the right way than to stop a problem by terminating our closest friend. So are we supposed to teach our kids that is right to kill any strays if they see one? And to bullied a beggar if they see one too? Being self-centred is not a sin but the selfish act when you take a life of others is one. Where is the sympathy from humans now?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Maybe AVA needs to put her down. She writes like a rabid animal. Putting the blame on the breeders. The breeders would breed dogs for Singapore if it wasn't for the locals that keep buying and abandoning them.

[michjee]

To: road not taken. I am not referring to you, I am pointing at the moderator as he seems to speak like a Singaporean. I noticed that most Singaporeans seem that they love to complain very much but never have the courage to stand up to speak up for themselves. There is nothing wrong to bring up a complain.

I do not write perfect English too! Sorry if I have confused you.

By the way, I noticed that AVA does bring our dogs out daily. If you stay till 6pm, you will notice that they do bring the dogs out at about 5:30pm.

[michjee]

Maybe AVA needs to put her down. She writes like a rabid animal. Putting the blame on the breeders. The breeders would breed dogs for Singapore if it wasn't for the locals that keep buying and abandoning them.

Thanks for agreeing with me. Your statement tells me it's the human's fault not the animals. So still humans are to be blame, no matter is a breeder or AVA or any person. Thanks!

[road.not.taken]

you will notice that they do bring the dogs out at about 5:30pm.

4 exercise pens, 80 dogs, 30 minutes

Why blame anyone? Why not try to change the situation instead of posting weird ramblings online?

[michjee]

4 exercise pens, 80 dogs, 30 minutes

Why blame anyone? Why not try to change the situation instead of posting weird ramblings online?[/quote]

I'm not lying. I did see them bring them out 1 by 1 and was shouting at each another 'faster'. I think they just let the dogs do their biz not so much of walking. Well, I miss my dog. I flew my boys in different time becoz of the long queuing at quarantine. I was paying visit to AVA many months ago. Definitely I do not trust them to take care of my boys. Well, who can take care better than the owners.

I wish to change the situation by bring the dead alive! My plan for Betty was ruined... The topic of how our pets are taken care of at AVA is another topic that there's some points to bring up. But, here I'm just feeling sad for Betty that's all! Well, not to share some more, the world is filled with too many selfish people who find all sorts of excuses for their doings...

So you agreed AVA to put down HARMLESS INNOCENT BETTY to sleep, then how do you expect these people to take care good care of your dog!!! We are under the mercy of AVA right now since our dogs are still being locked up.

Cheers to Fathers and Mothers to teach their children to put down innocent strays and bullied the weak! Let's see what sort of new generations the world is filled!

Bye. I need to get going to AVA now...