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Over 28K People Have Signed a Petition to Seek Justice for Cat Being Thrown from Boon Lay HDB Block

2022-12-17 , 4:20 pm

Cats are well-loved by most people. Who can resist the charm and cuteness of a cat?

Apparently this boy.

Though this horrible act has been circulating all over the news and social media, here is a brief recap for those still unaware of the situation.

Recently, a video has been making its rounds around the internet showing a boy, who looks not more than 12 years old, allegedly throwing a cat off the 22nd floor of a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat in Boon Lay and killing it.

Currently, the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) are working together with the authorities to investigate the case.

Many netizens and organisations have spoken up and condemned the boy for his actions. Ms Aarthi Sankar, the executive director of SPCA, has called the boy’s actions “deeply disturbing.”

Petition to Seek Justice for Cat

On 15 December, a petition titled “Justice for the cat being thrown from 22nd floor of blk 186 Boon Lay Avenue” was created by Nadya Im on change.org.

In the description, Im’s outrage at the incident is evident.

“What kind of monsters are we living with???”

The petition has since gained more than 28,000 signatures, with more signatures pouring in at every minute.

Boy’s Age is No Excuse

Though the boy in the video seems young, many netizens agree that his age should not be an excuse for his actions.

Many stated that even though the boy is young, animal abuse is still abuse.

Some netizens have chosen to put the blame on the boy’s parents, citing it as their responsibility to teach their son kindness in the first place.

There’s also some speculation that the boy acted out because he wanted attention, which has since been confirmed.

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Animal Cruelty Laws in Singapore

Of course, there are animal cruelty laws in Singapore.

If convicted of animal cruelty, offenders can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed for up to 18 months. Reoffenders can be fined up to $30,000 and/or jailed for up to 3 years.

Despite these laws, it appears that abusers are not deterred.

The amount of feedback regarding animal cruelty and welfare increased from 2,490 to 3,025 from 2018 to 2021, though AVS cites the public’s greater awareness rather than an increase in animal cruelty cases as a reason.

Under the petition, some netizens commented that they signed the petition because they believe that Singapore needs tighter laws on animal cruelty.

It is their belief that these laws should not exclude minors. After all, taking accountability and having kindness are traits that should start from young.

Moreover, some netizens are concerned that the boy will grow up to be violent if no intervention is made since he doesn’t seem to demonstrate conscience as a child.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a cat has been killed by getting thrown down from a high floor of an HDB flat.

In 2015, a man was arrested for killing an adult tabby cat by throwing it down from the 13th floor. Furthermore, recurring cat deaths were reported at one particular Yishun block, where they were allegedly thrown down from an HDB flat.

Well-Loved by the Community

The cat, who was affectionately known as Panther, was well-loved and taken care of by the community.

In the meantime, SPCA will also be counselling the boy as investigations take place.

The video has since been deleted from Facebook.