SINGAPORE - A 39-year-old woman who carried out illegal dog breeding activities at a pet resort and kept nine dogs without licences was fined $11,000 on Wednesday (June 14).

Lin Xiaoqun admitted to keeping a farm without a valid licence at Ethans Pet Resort at the Farmart Centre in Sungei Tengah Road, near Old Choa Chu Kang Road, on Feb 3 this year.

She also pleaded guilty to keeping a chow chow, two golden retrievers, a weimaraner and a shiba inu without a licence that day.

Four other similar charges were taken into consideration.

The court heard that Lin, a licensee of Ethans Pet Resort, had been using the premises to breed puppies without a licence.

Nine adult dogs that were used for breeding were found kept in individual kennels in a room behind the pet shop.

These dogs were segregated according to their breed. Four puppies below three months of age were also found in a separate kennel.

The dogs were discovered during an inspection by AVA officers on Feb 3.

Officers observed that there were five dogs that were more than three months of age and Lin did not have licences for them.

Pleading for leniency, she said in mitigation that she had not been able to sell her dogs and had run into difficulties. She also said that she had ceased operations.

She was allowed to pay half the fine first and the balance by July 14.

She could have been fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months for keeping a farm without a licence.

For keeping a dog without a licence, the maximum penalty is a $5,000 fine per charge.