Sally Chow wants you to read this story

[Guest guest]

Your friend Sally Chow, wants you to read this story.

 

HUNT ON FOR HOME-KEPT TIGER, BEAR

 

Tuesday November 9, 2004

 

Eveline Gan

eveline

 

SOMEWHERE in Singapore, two private-estate owners are keeping a tiger and

a bear as pets. And the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society

(Acres) is determined to hunt them down.

 

The society has received four tip-offs about a full-grown tiger being kept

in the basement of a house in the vicinity of Sixth Avenue and a caged

Malayan sun bear in a house around the Mandai area.

 

Now, Acres is offering a $1,000 cash reward for information leading to the

successful confiscation of either animal.

 

The people who tipped Acres off were the owners' friends who have " seen

the animals around " .

 

" But they are unwilling to give us the exact address as they do not want

their friends to get into trouble, " said president of Acres Louis Ng.

 

The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said it had also heard from a

few sources about someone who has been keeping a tiger for 10 years, but

was unable to proceed with investigations without specific information.

 

AVA views the illegal keeping of dangerous wild animals seriously and

urges anyone with information to contact AVA immediately, as these wild

animals may endanger their owners, neighbours and the public.

 

" They may attack and kill humans even without provocation. They are wild

and not suitable to be kept as pets, " said the head of AVA's Wildlife

Regulatory Branch, Ms Lye Fong Keng.

 

Acres is also concerned about the welfare of the tiger and sun bear as it

is impossible to house wild animals in optimal conditions in captivity.

 

" The guy who tipped us off said his friend's bear was well-kept in a cage.

It can't possibly be well-kept because these Malayan sun bears, being good

climbers, are supposed to be sleeping in trees, " said Mr Ng.

 

A person found to possess an illegal Cites specimen may be fined up to

$5,000 ($10,000 for a repeat offender) and/or jailed up to a year.

 

A person who keeps a wild animal without a licence from AVA can also be

charged under the Wild Animals and Birds Act, which carries a maximum

penalty of $1,000 per animal.

 

Anyone with information can call the Acres Wildlife Crime Hotline at 9783

7782 or AVA at 6227 0670.

 

 

 

Visit TODAYonline website at http://www.todayonline.com

 

 

THIS DOCUMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS PROGRAM ARE

FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.The information type should not be

interpreted to be a commitment on the part of MediaCorp Press Ltd and

MediaCorp Press Ltd cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information

presented after the date of publication. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS

DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. The user

assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.

TODAYonline newsletter e-mail may be copied and distributed subject to the

following conditions:

1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be

included

2. All copies must contain MediaCorp Press Ltd's copyright notice and any

other notices provided therein

3. This document may not be distributed for profit