Animal Cruelty is a problem that still occurs today and is evident in almost all parts of the world. The term “Animal Cruelty” refers to any form of inflicting physical pain, suffering or death on an animal (The MSPCA–Angell, n.d.). Ontario SPCA (n.d.) categorized animal cruelty into two categories: neglect, or intentional cruelty. Neglect is the failure to provide essential care that includes adequate water, food and shelter to the animal while intentional cruelty involves physical harm intentionally inflicted on an animal.
The earliest form of animal cruelty dated back to the ancient times where animals were forced to fight for purpose of entertainment. An example would be dog fighting which started in Britain in the 12th Century. Originally,
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92). Therefore, several organizations such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES) are promoting animal welfare in Singapore. Despite efforts by these organizations to curb animal cruelty, the numbers of cases are on the rise (Tan & Lee, 2013). According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Singapore (SPCA Singapore, 2014), an increase of up to 5 percent in animal abuse cases was observed in 2013.
Pet Neglect is one of the most common forms of animal cruelty in Singapore (SPCA Singapore, 2014). Pets are tied up or kept in small cages for long periods with insufficient food and water. Being lock up in small cages, the pets face physical restrictions, and this can compromised their health and cause them to develop psychological problems. The main cause of neglect is ignorance. This is because there are limited education on pet’s responsibility and owner screening when buying a pet.
Recently, businessman Lim Soo Seng was fined $10,000 for animal cruelty after he failed to provide treatment for his female cross-breed dog despite starving her for months. The dog was found to have multiple organ dysfunctions and died before treatment was sought (Siau,