SINGAPORE: A pet groomer was charged on Wednesday (Dec 11) over the death of a dog she had allegedly left unattended on a grooming table.
Vanessa Chiu Yan Er, 29, was charged with one count of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to a corgi named Fendi at Pawkins SG, a pet groomer located in Serangoon Central.
The incident occurred at about 1.45pm on Jul 24, according to the charge sheet.
Chiu allegedly failed to secure Fendi with a double-arm lock and left it unattended on a grooming table. As a result, the dog slipped off the grooming table and was left hanging by its neck from a leash for an extended period, leading to its death.
The case is set to be heard in court again on Jan 15, 2025.
For a first offence, anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal can be jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$40,000 (US$29,700), or both.
The case made headlines in July after a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage shared on social media showed an unattended corgi pacing around on a grooming table at Pawkins SG.
The dog had a leash around its neck that was attached to a grooming arm meant to hold it in place. The corgi later fell off the table and was hanged by the neck until it died.
The video, which was timestamped, showed a staff member entering the room more than 30 minutes later, before discovering the dog's body.
The National Parks Board (NParks) had said it was investigating the case of a dog that died while under the care of a pet groomer.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) also weighed in on the death of the dog, calling for "stronger legislation" in animal welfare.
Fendi's owner, Ms Sonia, had told CNA that she had previously used Pawkins' services but was "completely unaware" of the method used to secure dogs before grooming.
She said one of Pawkins' owners had informed her of the death of her dog at 3.14pm - about 1.5 hours after the corgi was no longer seen writhing in the CCTV footage - and that she had reported the case to NParks.
Pawkins SG had said it was "distraught over the most unfortunate incident involving Fendi the corgi".