Animal Abuse

Picture and excerpts (in italics) from article by Chong Chee Kin taken from
The Straits Times, 26 August 2005

"An Alaskan Malamute is an Artic sled dog which has two coats of fur and needs plenty of water to stay cool.... events manager Lim Bee Leong, 30, left his dog without water and shelter in the backyard of his terrace house... The three-year-old died of heatstroke."

For the full story go (beg, borrow or steal) and read The Straits Times, don't expect me to type out the whole article. However, I will summarise it and add some of my thoughts for you.

Reading stories like these make me sad.

This Alaskan sled dog died in a small backyard littered with faeces and dangerous utensils like skewers and shovels lying around. There were empty dish bowls in the yard and the dog was found with blood foaming at it's mouth.

Firstly, (I have to get this off my chest...) Of all the places!! The dog had to be in sunny Singapore!!! This is no place for an Artic sled dog complete with 2 coats of fur. I cannot understand how dogs of such breed can end up living this close to the equator. Dogs like these are meant to run free in the snow in the coldest places on Earth. Imagine wearing winter wear in a soccer field at high noon. Knowing that the dog has special needs, extra care had to be given, yet this poor dog was locked up in a yard without enough water or shade.

In 2003, the owner was advised by the SPCA to set up blinds to shield the dog from the sun, but the advise was not taken. I feel that, although the owner did not actively kill his dog, the amount of neglect or lack of care is inconceivable.

In the end, the dog had to pay for it. What did it do to deserve this? For being a loyal friend? For running to greet you at the end of the day? For guarding your property, only to have the very walls seal it's fate?

Mr Lim was fined a lousy $3000 for causing his pet "unnecessary suffering", a small price to pay for such a painful end. Perhaps the accused should be subject to "unnecessary suffering" too. I propose taking him to the home of the Alaskan Malamute to be stripped naked and left in the snow to suffer unnecessarily.