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A 36-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 months' jail for illegally importing 26 puppies and one cat into Singapore and causing the animals "unnecessary pain and suffering" in the process.

One puppy was found dead on arrival. Another 18 later died from canine parvovirus, a highly contagious disease found in young and unvaccinated dogs.

Smuggling attempt

The smuggling attempt took place on Oct. 18, 2022.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Tuas Checkpoint stopped a Malaysia-registered lorry for checks.

During the inspection, the officers found the pets hidden in various compartments of the lorry, including in the overhead compartment.

The animals were found secured in laundry bags and packed in plastic containers, causing them "unnecessary pain and suffering". One puppy was also found dead in the lorry.

Following health inspections and laboratory tests, some of the remaining puppies were found to have canine parvovirus. A total of 18 subsequently passed away from the disease, despite emergency veterinary treatment.

"Had these puppies gone into homes, canine parvovirus might have been spread to other dogs in the community," NParks said in an Apr. 25 press release.

Other cases

Between October 2022 and March 2023, NParks and partner agencies detected 19 cases of pet animal and wildlife snuggling.

These include a shipment of 337 birds that were smuggled in plastic boxes hidden in a lorry.

Within five days of the seizure, 91 birds died, likely due to stress from the smuggling process.

Another case involved the illegal import of 11 puppies and one kitten, which were found sedated and hidden inside a vehicle.

"The government takes a zero-tolerance stance on the illegal trade and import of pet animals and wildlife," NParks said in the release.

"NParks adopts a multi-pronged approach to regulate and enforce against such activities, which includes working with partner agencies such as ICA to conduct security checks at our borders, regulating and monitoring physical and online marketplaces, carrying out surveillance for poaching activities, conducting regular operations to arrest those suspected of illegal trade activities, and taking enforcement action against offenders."

Under the Animals and Birds Act, first-time offenders caught importing any animal or bird without a licence may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

Top image via NParks