Dove tied down with string, NParks responds to concerned netizen

After seeing a dove tied down with a string, a user went to the internet to ask if it was animal abuse.

In a Reddit post uploaded on Friday (June 26), a user posted a video of a dove that had its legs tied with a string attached to an open rattan dish.

The bird was spotted attempting to fly off but was "violently recoiling" after being held down.

"Is this not animal abuse?" the netizen asked.

"Surely a bird trying to fly off but is stuck violently recoiling in place with each attempt is animal cruelty right?"

The netizen said that they had reported to NParks a week ago.

NParks reached out to the user after the post, stating that they had visited the unit and "engaged with the bird owner".

"A Letter of Advice will be issued to the pet owner, emphasising the importance of responsible pet ownership," the agency allegedly told the user.

"The owner was also reminded to ensure proper care and improve the living conditions of their pets."

Netizens in the comments pointed out the danger behind this situation, adding that the dove can easily fall prey to other predatory birds due to its inability to fly.

Others said that the bird's distress may have been caused by the user's camera, but agreed that such living situations are still not desirable.

AsiaOne reached out to the Reddit user, who said the bird is located at a lift lobby in an HDB block at Bukit Merah View.

"I genuinely felt awful to see such cruelty. My wife and I are pet owners for years - cats, hamsters and now rabbits. All of them had free-roaming privileges because we do not believe in caging any animal. I wanted to cut it free but I had to confirm if it's legal to keep the bird tied down as is," the user told us.

The bird was still there in the open rattan dish as of Saturday evening, the user added.

AsiaOne has reached out to NParks for more information.

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daoen.wong@asiaone.com