Facebook user MD Shariff Abdullah said in his Facebook that runners, cyclists and others who are using the park connector route towards Mandai or Lower Seletar Reservoir Park along (Yishun Ave 1) please be careful because there are wild dogs there.
The user said: “This evening while I was taking photo of myself, group of dogs barking and chasing at me. This is not the first time yet been happening many times either early in the morning or around noon and evening the dogs will be crossing the road and either into the nearby army training ground and ORTO park. At times these dogs can be spotted at the neighborhood park too and chasing people. Some of us spotted people feeding the dogs too at the park.
Let’s do our part and think the safety of our people especially the kids and senior citizens. If you see anyone feeding the wild/stray dogs or spotted them please do take picture for an evidence and call AVA at 1800-476-1600 or drop us a note through AVA’s online feedback form.”
He further added in his comments that he wouldn’t hesitate to kick the dogs, but was afraid of what harm the animals could do to little children.
Some dog lovers are up-in-arms about the user’s comment. This publication received a letter from a reader Johnny Tam saying: “Blade runner of Singapore and ‘brand ambassador’ of various top sports brand has no qualms to use his sponsored blade to kick innocent wild dogs who did him no harm – is this what Singapore endorse?”
Channel NewsAsia had previously reported the news about aggressive stray dogs in Yishun Park. It said that some of the park’s users have said the dogs usually keep to themselves, but others said the dogs could be aggressive on occasion.
The report said that SPCA Singapore is working with animal rights groups and the National Parks Board (NParks) to trap, rehabilitate and rehome such stray dogs. SPCA further expressed that the Singapore authorities should seek to sterilise the stray dogs to control the population rather than round up the dogs to cull them.
NParks said that it is monitoring the situation of the stray dogs and is working with animal welfare groups to rehome them. It further said: “There are also signs in the park advising park users on how they should behave if they encounter stray dogs. Feeding of dogs is not allowed in the park and signs are installed to remind park users about this. Enforcement will be taken against those who are caught feeding.”