Target: K. Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Singapore
Goal: Impose the maximum prison terms on the individual who hurled cats from Housing Board blocks and bolster strict nationwide enforcement against future animal abusers.
A series of horrifying community-cat killings has gripped the nation, including a case in which a man tossed cats from high-rise Housing Board corridors, causing the animals’ agonizing deaths. Although an appeals court recently doubled this individual’s jail term, such brutality continues to surge: the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recorded 961 cruelty complaints in 2024 alone, most involving cats.
Authorities note that only about six per cent of reported cruelty cases are substantiated, often because vital evidence is missing. Meanwhile, repeat offenders may face up to three years’ imprisonment, yet shocking incidents persist. Singapore’s Home Minister has vowed “zero tolerance” for those who treat animal torture as a game, stressing that psychological issues cannot excuse cruelty.
Without consistent maximum penalties and strengthened investigative resources, offenders may conclude the risks are low. Enforcing stiff sentences, expanding surveillance and whistle-blower protections, and accelerating public-education campaigns would demonstrate that society will not tolerate the casual killing of innocent animals. Immediate action is essential to end this cycle of suffering and deter future violence.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Shanmugam,
Recent reports describe a man killing cats by throwing them from public-housing blocks—acts so egregious that his original sentence was rightly increased on appeal. Yet animal-welfare groups still register nearly a thousand cruelty complaints each year, with cats the primary victims.
When only a small fraction of these cases lead to successful prosecution, potential abusers may assume they can avoid serious consequences. Singapore’s reputation for safety and compassion depends on demonstrating that violence toward any living being will be met with firm justice.
We respectfully urge your ministry to ensure that the individual implicated in these cat deaths serves the maximum custodial term allowed and to direct agencies to pursue similarly strong penalties in future cases. In addition, please expand investigative resources, promote public hotlines, and accelerate legislative reviews that raise sentencing ceilings. Swift, decisive action will honor the lives lost and reinforce the republic’s zero-tolerance stance on animal cruelty.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Kok Leng Yeo
