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ACRES launches new Animal Crime Investigation Unit to combat animal cruelty

ACRES launches new Animal Crime Investigation Unit to combat animal cruelty (Photo: Getty Images)

Wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) has launched a new Animal Crime Investigation Unit dedicated to investigating animal cruelty and wildlife crime in Singapore.

The unit, which will begin operating on Monday, will also go undercover to detect animal crime and work with authorities to nab offenders.

Once evidence has been collated, the unit will bring the case to court for prosecution by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

“One of the challenges AVA has faced is the lack of or insufficient evidence in some cases of alleged animal cruelty or abuse or wildlife crime. We want to help gather the evidence and work with AVA to bring more offenders to task and ensure that justice is served” said Louis Ng, Chief Executive of ACRES in a statement released on Saturday.

The new unit was formed after participants at the Chong Pang Public Forum on Animal Protection Policies over the past five years called for a higher rate of prosecution in cases of animal cruelty.

In most cases of animal cruelty, the rate of prosecuting the crime is low because of challenges involving gathering evidence and getting witnesses to testify.

The unit, which will be headed by Noelle Seet, a lawyer with 11 years of litigation experience, has four full-time staff members.

“We are confident that with this new unit and by working with AVA, we can help bring more offenders to task and ensure that justice is served,” said Ng.