Four of 23 rabbits rescued in Seletar Farmway after being abandoned have died; NParks investigating

SINGAPORE – Four out of the 23 rabbits that were allegedly abandoned in Seletar last week have died as at Sept 22, said the National Parks Board (NParks), which is investigating the case.

The four were among seven kits recovered from Seletar Farmway 1 by animal welfare group Voices For Animals (VFA), which also rescued 16 adult rabbits from the location.

The rabbits were found to have health issues, including overgrown nails and skin conditions, according to a medical assessment conducted by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), VFA and vets from The Animal Doctors on Sept 21.

Some of the rabbits also had wounds, said NParks’ group director for enforcement and investigation Jessica Kwok in a media reply on Sept 22.

In response to queries, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said on Sept 21 it received a call about “a large number of rabbits” seen abandoned in Seletar Farmway at about 11.45pm on Sept 18.

“Rabbits are fragile animals who are highly vulnerable to stress, predators, and environmental elements, making it urgent to take the abandoned rabbits in for the night,” it said.

As its rescue officers were not able to be deployed at the time, SPCA said that it explored alternatives with the people who provided the feedback.

With their help, the rabbits were able to find refuge with VFA by about 1am that night, SPCA said. It added that VFA will be sharing the evidence with NParks for further investigation.

In an Instagram post on Sept 19, VFA said its team found “tiny babies, merely a few days old, left to fend for themselves” after it received a call about the rabbits.

“We were told there could be 20-30 rabbits, with some still hiding inside the boxes that had apparently been used to dump them there,” the post said.

The animal welfare group added that the area was wet after a bout of heavy rain, and that many rabbits were covered in urine and stains.

The group had also combed through the entire stretch of the road to ensure that no rabbits were left behind.

“For those who think dumping an animal somewhere is an easy way to get rid of a problem – it is not,” it said in the post.

“These animals were alive, vulnerable and completely dependent on humans.”

Kwok said that NParks takes all cases of alleged animal abandonment seriously.

She added that the board will take appropriate enforcement action against owners who abandon their pet, fail to provide adequate care for it, or have committed an act of animal cruelty.

NParks has urged members of the public who have information on the incident, including photos, videos, or eyewitness accounts, to submit them at https://go.gov.sg/reporttoavs or call its Animal Response Centre on 1800-476-1600.

Those convicted of failing to care for their pets, including abandoning them, may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.