Woman sentenced to 5 months jail for smuggling puppies and animal cruelty
A Singaporean woman has been sentenced to five months in jail for illegally importing 13 puppies into Singapore and committing animal cruelty.
On Sept 9, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) notified the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) on an illegal import of 13 puppies in a Singapore-registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint.
The puppies were found in black cloth bags under the seats of the car and in the glove box compartment, and the woman was arrested.
An investigation revealed that the puppies had been sedated and transported against AVA's guidelines, which requires pets to be transported into Singapore in containers that comply with the International Air Transport Association standards.
The puppies are currently quarantined at AVA's Sembawang Animal Quarantine Station for observation.
AVA warns that animals smuggled into Singapore may carry transmittable diseases like rabies, which is endemic in the region.
As such, AVA strictly regulates the import of animals to safeguard the health and welfare of animals, and to prevent the introduction of exotic animal diseases.
More information on importing animals into Singapore can be found on AVA's website.
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