Man sentenced to 20 days in jail for neglecting 43 cats in Ang Mo Kio flat

Source: Gutzy Asia

SINGAPORE: A 31-year-old man, Muhammad Danial Sukirman, was sentenced to 20 days in jail on Wednesday (24 April) for neglecting 43 cats found in a vacant flat in Ang Mo Kio.

Danial pleaded guilty to 10 charges of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to animals as a pet owner.

Additional 34 charges under the Animal and Birds Act were considered during sentencing, including one for failing to comply with a notice from AVS.

Court documents revealed Danial's neglect of the cats between August and November 2021, citing inadequate provision of food and water.

NParks prosecutors highlighted the unprecedented scale of abandoned pets in an animal cruelty case.

This marked the first jail sentence under Section 42(1)(d) of the Act, focusing on neglect by pet owners, as reported by TODAY.

Ms Farisha, representing NParks, described the cats' plight in the confined space, stressing the significance of the case.

The prosecution argued against a mere fine, considering Danial's deliberate conduct and poor management of the cats' living conditions.

In his defence, Danial expressed remorse and cited being the sole breadwinner.

However, District Judge Lorraine Ho sided with the prosecution, acknowledging the health hazards posed by the neglected cats to the neighbourhood, thus justifying the jail sentence.

The case gained attention when reports of a foul odour emanating from a public housing unit surfaced on 5 November 2021.

Upon investigation, police officers discovered the unattended flat, locked for approximately a month, with signs of cats inside.

Concerned about the situation, they gained entry and found over 30 cats, including some skeletal remains.

Further inspections conducted jointly by NParks and Housing and Development Board (HDB) officers confirmed Danial as the owner of the cats found in the flat.

Danial admitted to being the owner of the 41 live cats, two deceased cats, and skeletal remains discovered in the vacant flat.

He acknowledged that the uncontrolled breeding of the cats resulted from their lack of sterilization.