AVA investigating sudden death of dog at pet boarding facility
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is investigating the sudden death of a customer’s dog at Benji Pet Kennel’s boarding facility in Joo Chiat.
The dog, a Pomeranian named Luffie, died on 19 December. Its cause of death has not been determined.
In a Facebook post on Friday (29 December), the pet store, which offers pet grooming services and owns a boarding facility for pets, said that it is currently working with the AVA in their investigations.
“AVA has visited our premises and we have also submitted all necessary documents and CCTV footages to assist in the investigation,” added Benji Pet Kennel. According to its website, the pet store has been operating since 1984.
A Facebook post by the dog’s owner on 20 December had gone viral with more than 1,400 shares.
In it, Facebook user Gina Kang Yen Ling wrote that she and her family were informed of their pet’s sudden death two days into a family trip.
“We did not expect Luffie to die because he was healthy and also very active. They gave us zero explanations on how Luffie died and simply replied us (with) ‘I don’t know’,” she said.
She claimed that they were notified of the incident almost four hours after Benji Pet Kennel found out about Luffie’s death.
In a separate post on 22 December, Kang wrote that a post-mortem on the dog had been conducted and that results would be released five to six weeks later.
While AVA Singapore has not issued Benji Pet Kennel any isolation orders or suspension notices within its facilities, the business said that it has conducted a “thorough cleaning and disinfection of our environment in the unlikely event of viruses that could affect animals within our premises”.
During a call made to Benji Pet Kennel at about 6pm on Friday, Yahoo News Singapore was also told that its boarding services have been terminated until further notice.
“We too, like the rest of the community, are shocked and saddened by this incident. We are committed to seeing through the investigation, and will be providing relevant updates here on our page,” Benji Pet Kennel added in its post.
An AVA spokesman has advised members of the public to refrain from speculation as the investigation is ongoing and to contact AVA at 1800-476-1600 if they have any information on the case.
“All information provided will be kept in strict confidence,” added the spokesman.
Responding to queries from Yahoo News Singapore, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Executive Director Dr Jaipal Singh Gill said, “We urge all pet owners to do their due diligence before leaving their pet with a boarding facility. More details can be found here.”
Earlier this month, Facebook user Elizabeth Ting alleged that her pet poodle was abused during its stay at another pet boarding facility called Dpets Centre. The dog had suffered a joint dislocation on its left hip, according to her Facebook post.
The AVA is currently investigating the case.
More Singapore stories:
Video of alleged dog abuse prompts AVA, SPCA investigation
AVA investigating alleged dog abuse at Bukit Panjang pet boarding facility
