No place for animal abuse, SPCA says as AVS investigates dog trainer filmed kicking corgi

What do you do when Fido doesn't heel?

A dog trainer has come under fire after a video showing her kicking a corgi in order to get it to walk with a pack of dogs went viral online.

The clip, posted on Reddit on Mar 7, showed the trainer taking a pack of 10 dogs out on a group walk. As a corgi broke ahead of the pack, the woman was seen giving it a hard nudge with her foot.

When the corgi failed to heed, she kicked it again, this time hard enough to sweep the corgi's hind legs off the ground.

Dog "trainer" in Singapore kicking a poor doggo to get it in line. ? from r/singapore

Her actions sparked the fury of netizens who slammed the trainer for being needlessly cruel.

In screenshots posted by Mothership, the trainer denied kicking the corgi and explained that she had "sideswiped its hind legs" as "the dog was walking uncontrollably".

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said the trainer's methods was animal abuse, as it involved "correcting" an animal through aversive means which often got increasingly harsh.

"Such methods must end as there is no place for animal abuse in training," SPCA said in a statement on Thursday.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/spcasingapore/posts/10158506821053155[/embed]

"Dog guardians entrust professional with their pets and business operators have a responsibility to ensure the animal's welfare is not compromised."

The case has been brought to the attention of the authorities, they added.

In response to media queries, the Animal and Veterinary Service said they were aware of the video and are currently looking into the matter.

rainercheung@asiaone.com