SINGAPORE: A man was charged on Wednesday (Mar 6) with leaving 43 of his pet cats alone in a flat for about three months without food and water.
As a result, two of the cats suffered “acute deaths” after experiencing stress and were found in “exceedingly poor body (conditions)”.
Muhammad Danial Sukirman, a 31-year-old Singaporean, was handed 44 charges under the Animals and Birds Act.
They largely comprise causing unnecessary pain and suffering to the 43 cats, with the last charge for failing to attend a meeting with an authorised officer at the Animal & Veterinary Service.
According to charge sheets, Danial left the 43 cats unattended at a vacant flat on the sixth floor of a Housing Board block at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 between August 2021 and November 2021.
The flat was of “poor living condition” and he did not give adequate food and water to his pets.
The domestic shorthair cats were labelled E1 to E43.
E42 and E43 died after an episode of “stress and physical exertion” and were found in a state of “exceedingly poor body condition”, the charges stated.
Danial was then given a notice in writing on Dec 6, 2022, telling him he was required to attend before an authorised officer at the Animal & Veterinary Service at JEM Office Tower on Dec 12.
However, he did not comply.
The National Parks Board (NParks) prosecutor said he would be seeking a total sentence of at least two to four weeks’ jail.
The plea offer was to proceed on 10 charges with the other 34 taken into consideration.
Danial said he wanted to plead guilty but wished to apply for a lawyer under the Public Defender’s Office.
He will return to court on Mar 27.
For each charge of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal, he faces up to 18 months’ jail, a fine of up to S$15,000, or both.
If convicted of failing to attend before an authorised officer, he could be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
