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Woman who abandoned 2 noisy and hyperactive kittens fined $4,000

Abandoned kittens Panda and Milky. (PHOTO: National Parks)
Abandoned kittens Panda and Milky. (PHOTO: National Parks)

SINGAPORE — A woman who abandoned two three-month-old kittens on a grass patch near her home was fined $4,000 on Wednesday (27 October).

Natalie Lau Sze Yuin, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of abandonment, while another count was considered for her sentencing. She is also banned from owning pets for a year.

Lau adopted the two kittens named Milky and Panda from a woman in early August last year and kept them in her flat in Sims Place. But she soon felt stressed from the kittens' noises and hyperactivity, especially at night.

Lau claimed she tried to give up the kittens for adoption to friends, family and animal welfare groups, but was unsuccessful.

On 19 August last year, Lau placed the kittens in a pet carrier and walked across her block. She placed the carrier on a grass patch, opened the carrier door and let the two kittens out.

She did not leave any food and water or return to check on the kittens.

From 19 August until 28 August 2020, Lau gave the original owner of the kittens an impression that she was caring for them. Lau lied that she had vaccinated them. She also sent a video of the kittens to the owner.

The owner later came across a Facebook post of the two kittens being seen abandoned, and managed to recover Panda. Milky, however, went missing.

Shortly after abandoning the two kittens, Lau adopted another two cats, which were later rehomed.

Lau could have been jailed up to a year and/or fined up to $10,000 for pet abandonment.

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