SINGAPORE - The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has stressed that stray dogs should not be blamed for the rat infestation in a forested area beside Bukit Batok MRT station.

Since a pest extermination operation began last week to rid the area of rodents, members of the public have suggested that the strays should be removed.

Food scraps left by indiscriminate feeders of the strays have been blamed for the infestation.

Said SPCA's executive director Corinne Fong in a statement: "We must recognise that the community dogs have no place to go and, while the SPCA and the other animal welfare groups have tried their best to house them, they have space and resource constraints."

She urged the public to show tolerance and empathy, and added that SPCA does not round up healthy animals from the streets, unless they are injured, ill or distressed.

"Removing community animals could create a 'vacuum effect', and the void left would be filled by another group sooner or later," said Ms Fong.