S'pore girl, 16, allegedly bitten by neighbour's dog at Lentor & had to undergo surgery

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly attacked by a dog at a private residential estate in the Lentor area.

Speaking to Mothership, the girl's mother, Christine Lee, shared that the dog was believed to be medium- to large-sized, and appeared to be a cross between a Dobermann and another breed, though she could not be sure of the exact breed.

The incident occurred along a route commonly used by residents when walking to a nearby bus stop.

Attacked twice

According to Lee, her daughter was walking past a neighbour's house on her way to the bus stop when the incident happened.

At the time, the neighbour's gate was reportedly left open, and the dog was unleashed.

The girl had stopped briefly to greet the neighbours, and was about to leave when the dog suddenly ran towards her and attacked her.

The first bite reportedly tore through the girl's shorts, and her arm was bitten during a subsequent attack.

Though the dog's owner was said to be present, Lee claimed the dog was not restrained immediately after the initial attack, which resulted in the second bite.

Had to undergo surgery

Despite living only a few houses apart and having each other's contact details, the neighbours did not inform the girl's parents immediately and had driven her to the hospital themselves.

The girl's family only became aware of the incident after the girl sent a message to their family group chat.

Lee added that her daughter required surgery and is currently undergoing follow-up treatment, with doctors warning of the possibility of permanent scarring.

Following the incident, the neighbour reportedly contacted the family intermittently to check on the girl’s condition and also paid for an initial hospital deposit.

However, Lee said her main concerns lie in how the situation was handled at the time, citing "delayed intervention, the lack of immediate parental notification, and decisions made without parental consent".

She also claimed there had been previous incidents involving the same dog, and that she hopes to raise awareness to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Reports made to the police and NParks

After her daughter was discharged, Lee made reports to the police and the National Parks Board (NParks).

While her priority remains her daughter's recovery, she felt that it was important to formally document the incident and seek proper follow-up to prevent similar cases.

In response to Mothership's queries, Jessica Kwok, Group Director of Enforcement and Investigation at NParks, confirmed that they were alerted to a dog bite incident that took place in Lentor estate on Dec. 16.

She stated that they have reached out to the parties involved and investigations are ongoing, adding that they take all reports of dog bite incidents seriously.

Kwok also highlighted that under the Animals and Birds (Licensing and Control of Cats and Dogs) Rules 2024, dogs must be leashed and kept under proper control when in public spaces to ensure the safety of the public, other animals and the dog itself.

Dog owners who allow their pets to roam freely or fail to keep them leashed and under control in public areas may face a fine of up to S$5,000 upon conviction.

Top photos courtesy of Lee