S'pore dog handler caught on camera kicking dog, claims she was stopping it from eating off the ground

A Facebook user thought he was going to capture a cute video of a pack of dogs.

The user, Vienoth Mohan, shared in a post that he was taking a stroll along Coney Island on Nov. 6 at 10:57am when he saw two women walking eight dogs.

He then witnessed one of the dog walkers kick a pup in the face.

"...Wanted to take a video of these cuties. But in the end up witnessing and capturing animal abuse instead," Mohan wrote.

Mohan added that he has since reported the incident to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS).

In a subsequent comment on the post, he identified the women as being from Stormwoofers Daycare and Boarding.

SPCA's Executive Director, Aarthi Sankar, shared with Mothership that they received several reports on Nov. 6 regarding a video circulated on social media showing a woman kicking a dog during a pack walk.

"We have since escalated the case and associated information to AVS for their action."

In response to Mothership's queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) group director Jessica Kwok shared that NParks have received feedback that a dog was allegedly abused at Coney Island Park and is looking into the matter.

"NParks takes all cases related to animal cruelty seriously and investigates all feedback received. 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."

Members of the public can play a part by promptly reporting suspected cases of animal cruelty to NParks or providing potential evidence via their website or calling their Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

Explanation

According to Stormwoofers Daycare and Boarding, the woman who kicked the dog was the business owner, and the dog she kicked was her own.

In an Instagram story, she apologised that "all of you had to witness that".

She explained that the other handler had her dog's leash, and at that moment, she only saw her dog chewing something.

"I really needed to stop her in emergency, as I didn't have control over her leash, I had to use my foot in the heat of the moment."

She admitted that she handled the situation "poorly" but was afraid her dog would have to visit the vet if it something off the floor.

She also acknowledged that it was not the best way to handle the situation and would "remedy this heat of the moment action".

"My dog is my life. It's the only reason why I take care of other dogs as well. Please understand that a five second video really doesn't represent who I am at all."

In Stormwoofers' next Instagram story, the handler shared that she loves her dogs "as much as anyone else loves their own children".

In subsequent Instagram stories, the handler reaffirmed the care and affection she showed her dog.

This included a message from an apparent client who claimed they had "never had a bad experience with [Stormwoofers'] services".

The handler also reiterated that the original video clip was a "misunderstanding" and her actions were "not an act of abuse".

In response to Mothership's queries, the handler reiterated that the video does not represent who she is.

"I will definitely reflect on my heat of the moment action towards my dog, Stormi," she added.

She explained that her pup had a very sensitive stomach, and she panicked at that moment.

"So yeah, really panicked, it wasn't the best way to handle the situation, but at that moment, it deemed most suitable to me."

Top photos via Vienoth Manon/Facebook & Stormwoofers.sg/Instagram