NParks is investigating the alleged abuse of pets by a dog handler at Coney Island Park

The National Parks Board (NParks) has launched an investigation into an incident of alleged animal cruelty at Coney Island Park after a video emerged on social media showing a dog handler kicking a dog.

The five-second clip, uploaded by the Instagram account @sgfollowsall on November 6, two women were captured walking a total of eight leashed dogs. The footage shows one of the women kicking one of the dogs in the face.

The person who filmed the video reported witnessing the event at 10:57 a.m. while walking in the park.

“I was taking a walk along Coney Island at 10:57 this morning and wanted to take a video of these cuties. But you end up witnessing and recording animal cruelty instead. Everyone knows who they are, please ask them to quit their jobs if they are so unhappy,” Sgfollowsall said, quoting what a follower shared.

The clip caused a stir online, prompting responses from the dog handler and authorities.

According to The Straits Times, NParks addresses the concerns of viewers and social media users.

NParks group director of enforcement and investigations Jessica Kwok confirmed that the organization has received feedback on the incident and is investigating the matter.

Kwok stated that NParks “will take action against anyone who has abandoned their pet, failed to provide adequate care for it or committed an act of animal cruelty.”

The incident has also attracted the attention of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). SPCA Executive Director Aarthi Sankar said the organization had received several reports on the matter and had forwarded them to the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a department under NParks, for further investigation.

Social media users identified the dog handlers as employees of Stormwoofers Daycare & Boarding, an animal care agency founded in 2022.

Storm woofers responded via Instagram storiesrevealing that the dog involved in the incident is a shiba inu named Stormi, owned by the company’s founder. The Instagram channel also has limited comments.

The owner explained that she kicked Stormi after noticing the dog chewing on something potentially harmful. Because she had no direct control over Stormi’s leash, which was being held by her co-worker, she said she felt compelled to act quickly by using her foot to restrain the dog.

The owner acknowledged the response, describing her actions as mismanaged and stating that she acted out of concern for Stormi’s health, fearing the dog would ingest a poisonous item.

She later publicly apologized during a conversation with The Street Timeswho describes her decision as hasty.

She explained that Stormi, who she has owned for three years, suffers from a sensitive stomach and has had digestive problems in the past.

The dog handler elaborated on her usual approach to such situations, explaining that she typically instructs Stormi to “drop” or “leave” objects picked up from the ground.

On this occasion, however, she only noticed at the last minute that the dog was chewing something. “One more second and it would have been in her stomach,” she explained, adding that the video’s abrupt ending left out her immediate response to check on Stormi’s well-being and ensure the other dogs were not alarmed.

In response to the incident, the handler expressed her commitment to improving her training skills and stated that she would explore ways to increase her knowledge of pet care and handling.

Under Singapore’s animal welfare laws, the AVS website outlines that individuals found guilty of neglecting the duty of care for their pets could face penalties. First-time offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 and face a jail term of up to 12 months if found guilty of animal cruelty or failure to provide adequate care.