In a Facebook post, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has shown that he takes the allegations of animal mistreatment at Platinium Dogs Club very seriously indeed.
On January 5, Saturday, Shanmugam told the public that he is aware that charges have been brought against the pet boarding facility and that the both the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) as well as the Singapore Police Force are looking into the matter.
He also said that the facility had been raided by the police.
He assured citizens that consequences would be meted out to anyone found to have broken the law and that due process will be followed.
Lastly, the Law and Home Affairs Minister said that allegations would also be investigated concerting certain individuals who reportedly took the law into their own hands.
[ Platinium Dogs Club ] Several serious allegations have been made against Platinum Dog Club.Both AVA and Police…
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Friday, 4 January 2019
Here is Mr. Shanmugam’s post, which has been shared more than 550 times, in full.
Several serious allegations have been made against Platinum Dog Club.
Both AVA and Police have been actively investigating the allegations. Police have raided the Club as part of the investigations.
Singaporeans can rest assured: there will be thorough investigations and there will be due process. Anyone who has engaged in illegal acts will face the consequences.
There are also allegations that some people, in response, have also acted wrongly, and taken the law into their own hands.
Those allegations will also be investigated.
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA)
Singapore Police Force
SPCA Singapore
The SPF and AVA also put out a press statement on January 5, advising people not to take matters into their own hands, saying they would launch an investigation that would be “thorough and fair.”
“The public is advised not to take matters into their own hands or engage in any actions that may violate the law or cause harm to themselves and others. The public should also refrain from speculation, and let the investigations take their course.”
The statement also included a phone number for anyone who would like to give information regarding Platinium Dogs Club (1800-4761600 AVA).
A number of dog owners have complained recently of mistreatment of their pets at Platinium Dogs Club. One claimed that her Jack Russell Terrier died after some time at the pet boarding facility.
These charges led AVA to investigate the facility, and raids of the facility’s location at 7 Galistan Avenue were conducted on December 29 and 31, whereupon 18 dogs and a rabbit were found on the premises.
On January 2, Wednesday, a woman said to be involved with the facility was in a standoff with the SPF. The woman reportedly refused to speak with police officers, and when she tried to leave, the car wherein she was a riding ended up hitting someone.
The police were responding to reports that people had gathered at 7 Galistan Avenue. In a statement from Wednesday night, the police said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that a 40-year-old man from the group had alleged that he was hit by the vehicle that was reversing out of the compound of the unit. The man was subsequently conveyed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in a conscious state.”
Others involved in the incident are cooperating with the investigation, according to the police.
The incident occurred when people stood outside the premises of the facility carrying placards that had a photo of a Shetland sheepdog who was reported missing. A woman named Elaine Mao said she left Prince, her Shetland sheepdog at the pet boarding facility, but her pet was not among those found at Platinium Dogs Club when the police raided the facility.
An online petition on Change.org has also been circulated on social media, asking for heavier punishment against people found to have abused animals. More than 54,000 people have signed the petition since it was launched on January 3.
https://theindependent.sg.sg/one-taught-me-love-one-taught-me-patience-and-one-taught-me-pain-pj-thum-throws-shade-at-shanmugaratnam-pm-lee-and-shanmugam/