Why we should be concerned when animals are abused

SINGAPORE – In the wake of the deaths of two community cats in May, some members of the public are echoing a question

posed by Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam

after the first incident: What kind of person would do this?

In a January report, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said there were

961 confirmed reports of animal abuse

involving some 2,190 animals in 2024.

The figure is a 12-year high and means an average of six animals were subjected to suffering or death each day in Singapore in 2024.

SPCA’s first full report on the state of animal cruelty and welfare here also revealed that more than half of these cases involved cats, with 1,330 cases, or 60.7 per cent.

The numbers have some mental health experts concerned.

Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said: “At a moral level, these acts are appalling and reflective of a disregard for the suffering of sentient beings. They suggest that animals are perceived to be less worthy of compassion or protection.

“Beyond morality, there are serious psychological and societal implications.”

Dr Lim Boon Leng, a psychiatrist from Dr BL Lim Centre for Psychological Wellness, said such cases of animal abuse and cruelty are a “worrying red flag”.

“We should be very concerned, especially when the acts go beyond mere neglect or impulsive aggression and take on a calculated, brutal nature,” said Dr Lim.

“The sheer level of cruelty inflicted – mutilation, repeated injuries or killing with intent – often correlates with deeper psychological disturbance.

“Such behaviour isn’t just anti-social; it may reflect entrenched callousness, sadism or a lack of empathy so profound that it borders on psychopathy.”

Animal cruelty at a young age is a warning sign for future interpersonal violence, both Dr Chow and Dr Lim said, citing the violence graduation hypothesis, which assumes a direct causal link between animal cruelty and interpersonal aggression.

Youth who abuse animals are also at an increased risk of harming peers, family members and others later in life, Dr Chow said. For them, such behaviour may be driven by curiosity, a desire to gain peer approval or even a desire to attract attention.

If left unaddressed, such behaviour may escalate and contribute to wider societal harm.

In clinical terms, the severity of violence is often a more telling indicator of risk than frequency alone, Dr Lim added. Someone who goes out of his way to inflict prolonged suffering on an animal is far more likely to escalate, or already be engaging in, other harmful behaviour such as emotional abuse, coercive control or violence towards vulnerable individuals.

“In Singapore’s context, societal constraints (legal, cultural and communal) may inhibit escalation to violence against people. But inhibition isn’t rehabilitation,” said Dr Lim.

“The underlying pathology may fester and be expressed in less visible but still damaging forms: emotional abuse, coercive control in relationships or domestic violence.”

The internet normalising disturbing content may also feed such behaviour. Both Dr Lim and Dr Chow agreed that the shock value of such brutal killings attracts attention and increasingly desensitises viewers to such violence over time.

This creates a “distorted feedback loop”, said Dr Chow – the more shocking the act, the more engagement it garners on social media through likes, shares and comments, and as a conversational topic.

For some perpetrators, this visibility can feel like validation or recognition, negatively reinforcing the continuation of such behaviour.

What should I do if I think someone I know is an animal abuser?

“First, if there is an immediate danger to an animal, we should take steps to protect it,” said Dr Lim.

“We must never minimise it or rationalise animal abuse away. It is never ‘just a phase’, a joke or a way to vent anger. The potential of an underlying psychiatric disorder and escalation of interpersonal violence is real.”

Not all perpetrators will become violent offenders, he said. But when one sees a level of cruelty that involves planning, enjoyment or symbolic intent – such as targeting specific animals or repeating the act – it is often a red flag of a much more disturbed inner world.

“These are not simply ‘troubled youth’ or ‘people having a bad day’,” said Dr Lim.

He added that parents who observe their child mistreating animals should be concerned, as it may be indicative of underlying emotional distress and may be a reflection of the child’s difficult or even abusive environment.

“When such behaviour is noticed, it is vital to approach the individual with compassion, seeking to understand the motivation rather than reacting with anger,” he said, suggesting beneficial steps such as fostering open dialogue and taking the individual to counselling or therapy.

While animal cruelty must be taken seriously, responses should balance accountability with understanding, said Dr Chow, adding that in such cases, it is never just about the acts themselves but also about what lies underneath – a breakdown in empathy, in self-regulation, sometimes in human connection.

To effectively mitigate the issue of animal abuse, Dr Chow said addressing root causes is essential in preventing recurrence and creating meaningful change in the lives of perpetrators, as well as society.

She also believes that the wider community’s response to both incidents reflects something hopeful.

“These incidents show us where those breakdowns exist,” she said.

“But they also show us what we still hold on to. When people speak up, when communities organise, when strangers come together around a shared cause, that is not just a reaction, it is a reflection of who we are.”

Correction note: In an earlier version of this article, we referred to the Punggol cat death as a killing. NParks said on the evening of May 17 that based on its investigation findings, it is likely that the cat had sustained its injuries due to a vehicular accident.