UPDATE on Sep. 11 at 3:53pm: This article has been updated with NParks' response. 

Two chinchillas were found abandoned on Sep. 5 at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block's void deck.

The pets were discovered by a member of the public in a tall metal cage at Blk 643 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, and subsequently rescued by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

In an appeal for information posted on Instagram on Sep. 9, the cage could be seen abandoned some ways from the rubbish bin on the ground floor.

It appeared to contain an assortment of accessories and feeding bowls.

SPCA said that the case has since been escalated to the authorities, but it does not have the legal right to retrieve CCTV footage from nearby cameras.

As such, anybody with information on the matter or who has witnessed anything unusual should come forward and make a confidential report to the SPCA.

In the comments section of the post, executive director of the SPCA Aarthi Sankar explained that while it reports suspected abandonment cases to the authorities and informs them of nearest CCTVs, the SPCA cannot retrieve such footage themselves.

Even when the footage is retrieved, the offender may not be easily identified if they choose to move through blind spots, or conceal their features by wearing a accessories like caps or glasses.

"Hence we were hoping that while the authorities investigate the case, we could help expedite matters by reaching out to the community living around the area!" she said.

Reports can be made via SPCA's 24/7 hotline at 6287 5355 (ext. 9), or submitted via email at [email protected].

In response to Mothership's queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said it is looking into the matter.

"NParks takes all cases related to animal welfare seriously and investigates all feedback received," said Jessica Kwok, group director of enforcement and investigation at NParks.

"We will take action against anyone who has abandoned their pet, failed to provide adequate care for it, or has committed an act of animal cruelty."

Rising animal cruelty and welfare issues

SPCA also highlighted the laws against animal cruelty and animal abandonment under the Animal and Birds Act.

For animal cruelty, an offender may face a jail term of up to 18 months, a fine of up to S$15,000, or both.

For abandoning a pet, offenders may face a jail term of up to 12 months, a fine of up to S$10,000 or both.

In January 2024, SPCA reported investigating 915 cases of animal cruelty and welfare issues in 2023 — the highest in 11 years.

The figure also represented a "staggering" 79 per cent increase in cases from 2022.

There were also 137 cases of abandonment involving 285 animals, representing a twofold increase from 2022.

Top image from SPCA Singapore and Stepan Konev/Unsplash