Animal welfare groups have been asking questions about the 'undeserved' euthanisation of an adopted dog, Loki.

Healthy dog allegedly put down

Loki's plight came to light when a staff member at local non-profit Exclusively Mongrels Limited (EML) revealed details of the incident in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.

Loki, who was by all accounts a healthy dog, was allegedly put down by a vet at Mount Pleasant Changi after his adopters' attempts at rehoming him failed.

Loki had apparently bitten one of his adopters and another girl, and the adopters did not want to "risk it" with their newborn baby.

The EML staff member also lamented that the adopters could have consulted the group before deciding to put Loki down.

The adopted dog's fate has since sparked outrage among netizens and various animal welfare groups alike, with some netizens starting a '"witch hunt" for the identities of the adopters.

Is euthanasia an essential service?

Groups like EML and Chained Dog Awareness Singapore (CDAS) have also posed questions to Mount Pleasant for clarification about the decision to euthanise Loki.

Here is a summary of some of the questions they posed:

• What steps were taken before the decision was made to put Loki down?
• What is the clinic's usual protocol before a dog is euthanised?
• Why were animal welfare groups not consulted before the decision to euthanise was made, especially since Loki was previously a stray dog?
• A trainer was allegedly in Loki's case. Why did the vet not reach out to the trainer before the dog was euthanised?
• Is euthanisation under the list of essential services the clinic offers during Circuit Breaker?

According to CDAS, the latter question was something members of the public had wondered as well.

Mount Pleasant's website states that during this period, non-critical (Elective) services such as routine vaccinations, wellness checks, mild skin conditions etc. will be postponed to a later date.

However, euthanisation is not included in either the emergency, Elective (non-essential) or Non-elective (essential) services in the Singapore Veterinary Association guidelines Mount Pleasant referenced.

Mothership reached out to Mount Pleasant for comment, but received no reply as of 3:00pm, May 13.

Politicians speak out

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam came forward on May 13 to air his views on the incident.

He shared a personal letter from a vet, who said that the act of euthanising an animal was not something professionals took lightly.

Although Shanmugam acknowledged the anger animal lovers felt, he urged not to take justice into their own hands without the full story from the vet's side.

He also pointed out that the incident is still being investigated by the Animal & Veterinary Service.

Nee Soon GRC MP and Acres founder Louis Ng also called for an end to "convenience euthanasia".

He suggested that pet owners who wish to put down a healthy pet due to its aggressive behaviour would need to show proof that they have engaged a trainer, and the trainer must certify that he or she tried all means possible to train the animal.

Top photo from Theng Wei Gan and EML