S'porean man, 58, buys 4 pet gerbils in JB for 'emotional support', animals seized at Tuas Checkpoint

A 58-year-old Singaporean man who bought four gerbils as "emotional support animals" during a day trip to Johor Bahru ended up getting them confiscated at Tuas Checkpoint as he did not have the proper licences to import the animals into Singapore.

The man, who kept the pet gerbils in a breathable sling bag when driving through the checkpoint, said he had no intention of smuggling the gerbils, and openly displayed brand new pet cages and accessories in the car.

When Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers asked him what was in his bag during the spot check in February, he apparently replied that his pets were inside.

However, the gerbils and pet accessories, along with the man's passport and mobile phone were seized for investigations into the illegal import of animals.

He has since been charged under the Animal and Birds Act.

Bought 'emotional support' gerbils in JB

The man, Shaik Ismail, told Mothership that his mistake was "unintentional" and "not criminal".

On Feb. 10, he went with a longtime friend to JB for a day trip.

After having lunch, the two decided to check out a pet shop in Skudai, Jurrasic Pet and Exotic Shop, out of curiosity.

Shaik said he was exploring getting a pet that could provide companionship for him and his 89-year-old mother who is recovering from a heart attack.

He had previously owned cats but was looking for pets that were easier to take care of.

When Shaik spoke to a pet shop assistant, he said he was recommended gerbils as they are good emotional support animals and also live longer than hamsters.

Gerbils are legal to own as pets in Singapore.

Shaik proceeded to buy four fat-tailed gerbils, two plastic boxes with hay to serve as cages, a bag of desert sand, and some pet food from the shop.

The bill came up to about RM450 (S$135), he said.

Shaik said he was unaware at that point that import and export licences are legally required to bring pets into Singapore, adding that the shop had not mentioned these regulations.

He claimed that the shop assistant used "hard-sell" tactics to promote the pets, and that the staff emphasised that they are legal to own in Singapore.

What's the law on importing pets?

By law, pet owners who are keen to import a pet into Singapore will need to ensure the pet meets veterinary conditions for import set by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster under NParks.

Owners will need to obtain an AVS-issued import licence prior to importing the pet.

They must also produce a veterinary health certificate dated within seven days prior to the date of export, certifying that the pet fulfils the required veterinary conditions for import.

Pets must be certified as being healthy, free from any clinical sign of contagious or infectious disease and fit for travel at the time of export.

All animals and birds entering Singapore must undergo inspection at either the Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine Station or Tuas Checkpoint upon arrival in Singapore.

Under the Animal and Birds Act, it is an offence to import animals into Singapore without an import permit.

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.

When Mothership asked the pet shop if a licence is needed to bring fat-tailed gerbils back into Singapore, the shop replied that it is not legal to bring the animals back.

The shop did not elaborate on what it meant by this.

Stopped at Tuas Checkpoint & gerbils seized

Before returning to Singapore, Shaik said he placed the gerbils in a breathable sling bag he had bought from the shop, purportedly to reduce their stress during the journey.

He also said he did not see any signs at Tuas Checkpoint informing travellers that pet animals must be declared or licensed before entry into Singapore.

According to a seizure form shared by Shaik, he and his friend were stopped at Tuas Checkpoint at around 6:36pm.

ICA officers subsequently seized the four gerbils along with the pet accessories in the car.

Animals seized at checkpoints are typically sent to the AVS Animal Quarantine Centre for physical examination and quarantine, where they are monitored for signs of diseases.

Once deemed suitable, these animals will be rehomed by AVS.

On the day of the seizure, Shaik said he and his friend were interrogated by officers on the illegal import of the gerbils.

They also seized Shaik's mobile phone and passport, telling him they needed his phone to check who he "deals" with, he said.

"If I wanted to smuggle them, then why did I place the brand new gerbil tank, food and play accessories at the back seat openly? And when officers asked me what is in my bag, I immediately said 'my pets'," Shaik said.

On Feb. 11, Shaik was charged with the illegal import of animals under the Animal and Birds Act, based on charge sheets seen by Mothership.

His bail has been set at S$10,000.

Hopes to raise awareness for others

However, as of Jun. 26, more than five months later, Shaik is still waiting to get an update on the status of his case from authorities.

His phone and passport are still impounded and have yet to be returned to him.

Mothership understands that investigations into his case are ongoing.

To Shaik, a freelance emcee in Singapore, the incident has been a costly mistake.

"I have acute pancreatitis, spinal problems and diabetes, and am doing ad-hoc jobs. I rely on social media to support my freelance career, but without my phone, I can't take videos," he said.

In sharing his story, he said he hopes to raise awareness and prevent other Singaporeans from accidentally falling afoul of the law when bringing pets back into the country.

"Singaporeans are going to JB all the time and the lure of buying a pet at such low prices could get them into trouble. How would we know of such rules about bringing back pets?" he said.

In response to Mothership's queries on whether there are signs at the checkpoint to indicate pets must be declared, an ICA spokesperson said that the onus is on travellers to declare any dutiable, controlled or prohibited goods at the checkpoints.

However, travellers would also be proactively profiled by ICA officers who would ask them if they are carrying such goods and bring them aside for further checks, said the spokesperson.

Buy or adopt pets from reputable sources: NParks

Group director of the veterinary division of AVS, Chua Tze Hoong, told Mothership that to safeguard Singapore’s animal health status, AVS has in place a comprehensive biosecurity system that comprises pre-border, border and post-border checks and controls.

"This includes allowance for the import of animals only when they can meet Singapore’s import health requirements," said Chua.

Chua urged members of public who are keen to get a pet to obtain them from reputable and legal sources, such as licensed pet shops and animal welfare groups.

On pet animals from unapproved sources, Chua said they may have been smuggled, or not bred or kept according to the standards of animal health and care, which NParks imposes on licensed breeders and pet shops in Singapore.

"As these animals are of unknown health statuses, they may carry pathogens, such as rabies or highly pathogenic avian influenza, that pose a health risk to people and other animals and may transmit diseases that can cause serious illness to other local animals as well as people who come into close contact with them, including the pet owners themselves, their families, and friends."

Top image from Jurrasic Pets and Exotic Shop/Facebook & ICA/Facebook (for illustration only)