SINGAPORE - Twenty-nine cats were seized by officers from the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) from an illegal cat breeder on Sunday (Jan 9), according to a statement released by the National Parks Board (NParks) on Thursday (Jan 13).
NParks added that a 58-year old woman was assisting AVS with its investigations.
AVS is a cluster under NParks.
In the statement, NParks said that it received a tip-off from a member of the public regarding the unlicensed breeding and selling of cats, three days before conducting the operation.
AVS staff inspected the woman's residence, believed to be used to breed and sell cats.
The cats seized include 14 female cats, 10 male cats and five kittens.
Among them, a pregnant cat as well as a nursing female and its kittens, were found and sent to a veterinary clinic for observation.
The remaining cats are currently under the care of AVS' Animal Management Centre, where AVS vets have assessed them to be in good condition.
NParks said that under the Animals and Birds Act, those found guilty of keeping animals in captivity for sale without a licence may be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
The Act also stipulates that the penalty for using premises as a farm without a licence is a fine of up to S$10,000, up to one year's imprisonment or both.
NParks said that pet owners and the public have a role to play in ensuring the health and welfare of animals.
Prospective pet owners are strongly encouraged to purchase their pets from licensed pet shops that maintain records of each animal that they have kept in their premises, including the source, import date, importer, date of reception and date of sale of the animal.
The animals allowed to be sold in pet shops include dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, chinchillas, and birds and fish that have been obtained legally from regulated sources.
Prospective pet owners should not purchase from unknown sources such as online platforms, as the health of these animals is unknown and may carry diseases.
