(L) Two pigeons. For illustrative purposes only. Photo by kalpesh patel on Unsplash. (R) One of the pigeons shot in Singapore. Photo from ACRES: Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Singapore) Facebook page.
Seriously, what do people get out of torturing animals? Even with laws and entire organisations warning against it, apparently, some people still think it’s totally fine to hurt them.In Singapore, two rock pigeons were recently found with darts lodged into their bodies. Wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) posted photos of the birds on Facebook after filing a police report on the incident.According to the organisation, the pigeons were hit with blowgun darts that were about 10 centimetres long."We suspect that some individual/s has access to a blowpipe or a dart gun in this location or the surrounding area and has used it on these birds," ACRES wrote.A resident alerted ACRES on Friday, February 28, after rescuing a pigeon struck by a dart at Jurong West Street. By the time the rescue group arrived at the scene, they found another pigeon with two darts stabbing its chest and the part under its wing.One of the birds flew away but one was rescued and will undergo a procedure to remove the dart safely.ACRES is now looking for those responsible for the act, asking netizens for information should they have any."It is not only an act of cruelty and violence to put the innocent birds through pain and suffering, but possession of such weapons or sale of such items online should be strictly regulated considering the pain they can cause to any animal or human on whom it is targeted at,” ACRES said.The photos of the injured pigeons have since gone viral, receiving 1,700 reactions, 2,000 shares, and 185 comments, with many calling for justice.“Animal cruelty is the manifestation of serious emotional and psychological damage. This person can easily escalate to greater violence and 'progress' to hurt human beings. Hope they find this bugger and treat him/her immediately,” one user said.“Whoever did this must be dealt with severely,” said another.According to the Animal and Veterinary Service in Singapore, the amount of reports relating to animal cruelty and welfare in the country has risen from 840 in 2015 to 2,490 in 2018.Those found guilty of animal cruelty, face a fine of up to SG$15,000 (US$10,771.35), and/or imprisonment for up to 18 months. The offender faces a fine of up to SG$30,000 (US$ 21542.70) and/or imprisonment of up to 3 years for subsequent offences.Find Lia on Twitter and Instagram.
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