SINGAPORE: After a second cat was found killed in Nee Soon within a short span of time, a bounty of S$5,000 has been put up in the hopes of finding the person responsible for the deaths, CNA reported on Tuesday (Jun 2).
The report says that animal welfare groups believe that a serial cat killer could be on the loose, adding that in addition to the bounty, a private investigator has been hired by the community to help solve the killings, and that the Cat Welfare Society intends to do more house visits to determine if a witness can be found.
Early in May, a community cat at Yishun Street 51 named King Kong was found dead. Its killing had been particularly horrific, and photos of the cat were shared online showing that it had been cut open and some of its internal organs had been exposed. Moreover, King Kong was believed to have been tortured, as its eyes had been gouged out.
Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC, described the killing of King Kong in a Facebook post as an act of “appalling cruelty.”
“What kind of person will do this? This is not who we are as a people,” he added.
Some days later, a community cat in Punggol named Shere Khan was discovered with severe injuries near Block 326B Sumang Walk. Despite receiving medical care immediately, Shere Khan, fondly known as Papa Cat, died.
“What happened to him was not just cruel — it was unthinkable,” wrote LUNI Singapore, a group that rehomes and cares for street cats, in a Facebook post.
Then, on May 24, another community cat was found dead, wrapped in plastic and paper beside a garbage bin at the void deck of Block 897 Tampines Street 81. The cat, named Sunshine, had been cared for by members of the community over the past decade.
CNA reported that the second dead cat was discovered in Nee Soon on Sunday morning (Jun 1) with its hind legs “in an odd position, suggesting an unnatural death” just a short distance from where King Kong’s body was discovered.
Meanwhile, a petition for a stronger enforcement of animal cruelty laws has been shared on the change.org platform.
“Community cats in Singapore are increasingly becoming victims of abuse, with more reports of physical harm, poisoning, and neglect surfacing in recent months. These animals, who often rely on the care of volunteers and kind-hearted residents, suffer silently with limited protection. Beyond the cats themselves, caregivers and animal welfare groups are also affected emotionally and financially as they scramble to treat injuries, report abuse, and seek justice within a system that often falls short,” it reads. /TISG