Dog owner strangled pet out of fear for her own life
TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Fearing that airplanes would “drop bombs” on her if her dog keeps barking, she sat on her eight-year-old West Highland terrier and strangled it.
Wang Jun, a 25-year-old part-time cleaner, on Wednesday (Nov 30) pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treating the dog that she named Junior, causing his death.
The court heard that on August 30 in the late morning, Wang — a permanent resident who lives with her Singaporean husband and his family at a flat in Tiong Bahru — walked towards Junior’s playpen armed with an umbrella.
In her attempt to keep the dog from barking, she sat on it, covered its mouth and strangled it with one hand while using her other hand to hit its neck.
She released the dog only after it began foaming at its mouth. By then, it had died.
The court heard that Wang’s mother-in-law Lai Suet Meng, 61, filmed the incident because she found Wang’s actions “unusual”. Madam Lai also called the police on the same day.
The police arrived to find Wang in a daze. When questioned, she could not account for her actions and made strange remarks, the court was told.
For instance, she claimed that she heard airplanes in the sky and feared that they would “drop bombs” on her, and that was why she wanted to silence the dog.
The Institute of Mental Health assessed that Wang was suffering from brief psychotic disorder when she committed the offence.
Prosecutors from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority sought a mandatory treatment order, which is a community sentencing option for offenders suffering from mental conditions that have contributed to their committing the offence.
The district judge called for a pre-sentencing report and the case is adjourned to Dec 29.
If found guilty, Wang could be jailed up to 18 months and/or fined up to S$15,000.
