Platinium Dogs Club saga: Anyone who has engaged in illegal acts will face the consequences, says Shanmugam

SINGAPORE - Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam has weighed in on the saga involving alleged animal abuse at pet boarding facility Platinium Dogs Club.

Mr Shanmugam noted on his Facebook page on Saturday (Jan 5) that several serious allegations had been made against the facility and that the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the police have been actively investigating.

"Singaporeans can rest assured: there will be thorough investigations and there will be due process. Anyone who has engaged in illegal acts will face the consequences," he said.

He also said that police are investigating the allegations that some people had acted wrongly in response and taken the law into their own hands.

On Dec 29, the pet boarding house in Bukit Panjang was raided by the authorities following complaints that pets in its care were allegedly mistreated.

AVA later took temporary custody of animals found on the premises.

On Thursday, a group of angry dog owners demanding information on a missing dog gathered outside the gates of the pet boarding house in Bukit Panjang.

The group's leader, a woman in her 30s who gave her name as Ms Mao, claimed she and her friends were trying to ask the owner of the premises about the whereabouts of her 7½-year-old shetland sheepdog.

According to Ms Mao, the owner did not respond.

Police officers arrived on the scene soon after and urged them to step away from the house's gates so that the woman and her male companion could exit in their car.

But, Ms Mao said, just as they were backing away, the car reversed suddenly and hit one of her friends.

Police said at the time that the 33-year-old driver, and the group of seven women and four men were assisting with investigations.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/k.shanmugam.page/posts/2035907416455778[/embed]

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.