Update as of Nov. 9: The Animal Veterinary Service (AVS) has reached out to Mothership with the following statement:

"The Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks), is aware of the case of alleged cruelty and relocation of a community cat, by a shop owner in Jalan Bukit Merah.

Upon investigations, we have clarified that the cat had been relocated as it was causing disamenities in the shop including peeing and scratching. The cat has been found and AVS examined it and found it to be in good physical condition with no injuries. The cat is now being cared for by a fosterer.

AVS has established that there was no offence of animal cruelty under the Animal & Birds Act."

AVS takes all feedback received from the public on animal cruelty seriously, and will look into the cases reported. As with all investigations, all forms of evidence are critical to the process and photographic and/or video-graphic evidence provided by the public will help. They can alert AVS of any suspected cases via the online feedback form on our website at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback or call us at 1800-476-1600. Information shared with AVS will be kept strictly confidential."

On Oct. 31, one Rebecca Ong made an urgent plea on community Facebook page Sayang Our Singapore's Community Cats.

Ong urged Bukit Merah residents to look out for a brown female tabby cat that had recently gone missing.

The stray cat has been taken care of "for many years" by an elderly couple who own a shop in Jalan Bukit Merah.

On the night of Oct. 30, around 8:45pm to 9pm, the cat apparently walked into a neighbouring unit as the elderly couple had closed their shop for the day.

Cat allegedly placed in rice sack

According to the post, witnesses allegedly saw the neighbouring shop owners tying a plastic bag around the cat's neck and placing it in a rice sack while the cat was "meowing for help".

"Nobody there then had the courage to stop them except for a passerby asking them to release the cat," Ong said.

After being confronted, the shop owner allegedly told the passerby to call the police and mentioned that he merely wanted to bring the cat home.

The shop owner reportedly returned 20 minutes later, drenched in sweat and without the rice sack.

Released cat at Cendex Centre

Ong went to the shop the next day (Oct. 31) and called the police. A report was also made to the Animal Veterinary Service (AVS).

The shop owner allegedly admitted to tying a plastic bag over the cat's neck and putting it in a rice sack.

He also said that he had released the cat at Cendex Centre, which is about a 10-minute walk away from his shop.

According to Ong, they have been looking for the cat all the way to Cendex Centre but could not locate the cat.

Mothership has reached out to the Animal and Veterinary Services (AVS) and will update this article with more details.

Up to 18 months jail for animal cruelty

Animal cruelty is illegal in Singapore.

Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone who is found guilty animal cruelty faces a fine of up to S$15,000, and/or imprisonment for up to 18 months.

In the case of subsequent offences, the offender may face a fine of up to S$30,000 and/or imprisonment of up to three years.

Top image from Rebecca Ong.