AVS investigating boy filmed stepping on stingrays for an alleged case of animal cruelty

A boy who was seen stepping on stingrays for fun in a video circulating online is being investigated by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) for an alleged case of animal cruelty. 

A 11-second video of the incident was posted on Instagram showing a boy in a blue T-shirt, grey shorts and slippers deliberately stepping on two stingrays, which looked like motoro stingrays last Tuesday (June 7).

When contacted by AsiaOne, Jessica Kwok, group director of AVS at the National Parks Board (NParks), said that they "were concerned when alerted to the alleged case of animal cruelty last Tuesday (June 7) and are investigating the reported case".

The AVS is a cluster within NParks.

"Safeguarding animal welfare is a shared social responsibility," said Kwok.

"While AVS continues to ensure that the necessary enforcement action is taken and raise awareness on animal welfare, members of the public can play a part by promptly reporting suspected cases of animal cruelty to AVS."

In the video, the boy seemed to have used his entire body weight to bear down on the stingrays, dragging them back and forth on the floor with his feet.

Blood could also be seen on the floor beneath one of the stingrays. In the background, two male voices could be heard questioning what the boy was doing.

The video has since garnered 16,920 views at the time of writing. It is unclear where or when the video was taken.

Some netizens who identified what they believed to be the boy's social media account posted that he had a 'kill count' for motoro stingrays.

The video provoked the ire of many netizens, with some saying that the boy's face should be exposed "to help deter more people [from] committing serious crimes [sic]".

Other netizens commented that motoro stingrays are an invasive species that are a threat to the ecosystem but they also condemned the boy's actions.

AVS said that members of the public with information relating to the above case to contact them via their website www.avs.gov.sg/feedback or call them via their Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

As with all investigations, all forms of evidence are critical to the process, and photographic and/or video-graphic evidence provided by the public will help. Information shared with AVS will be kept strictly confidential, the agency said.

Under the Animals and Bird Act, individuals found guilty of animal cruelty may be liable to a fine of up to $15,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 18 months.

According to information on AVS' website, the amount of feedback that they have received relating to animal cruelty and welfare rose from 2,490 to 3,025 cases from year 2018 to 2021.

The agency said that this increase is likely due to the public's greater awareness of animal welfare rather than increased incidence of cruelty.

Their investigations showed that the majority of the feedback received pertained mostly to nuisance caused by pets such as loud noises, unpleasant smell or poor hygiene.

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