St John's Island suspected to be dumping ground for pedigree cats

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/suspected-abandoned/857660.html

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was at St John's Island to conduct a neutering exercise to help contain a growing stray cat population there. It came across 15 pedigree cats.

The group said the fact they are purebreds suggests they were probably abandoned.

Corinne Fong, SPCA executive director, said: "A lot of them were still unsterilised. We knew that we would have to do it again sooner or later.

SPCA said this could be a result of owners leaving purebreds there.

One pedigree can cost more than S$1500.

Ms Fong said: “If you're talking about Ragdolls and Russian Blues and Persians, they are not there like local cats. I can understand if there are local cats there. But these are purebreds. What are they doing on the island to begin with?

Some animal experts said they are not surprised if people were dumping animals on the islands.

Louis Ng, executive director of Animal Concerns Research & Education Society, said: “You see on Kusu Island, a lot of people are abandoning their tortoises, turtles and terrapins on the island as well, so people are doing this.

Mr Ng added: "Obviously it is cruel to abandon pets. With the cats in particular - they have formed an emotional bond with (the owner) and abandoning them is cruel, unethical as well.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore told Channel NewsAsia it will investigate all feedback on animal cruelty - including pet abandonment.

Those found guilty face up to a S$10,000 fine and a year's jail.