SINGAPORE – The National Parks Board (NParks) will capture and rehome four stray dogs inhabiting the forested area near Bidadari Park along Bidadari Park Drive after assessing that leaving them to roam freely is no longer an option.
While NParks initially planned to leave the dogs in their original environment, it has since become a “matter of public safety”, Dr Lin Anhui, director for Community Animal Management Operations at Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) said.
AVS is a cluster within NParks that serves as the main touch-point on animal and veterinary matters in Singapore.
This decision came after NParks received over 60 complaints regarding the aggressive and territorial behaviour of the dogs – of which 20 involved chasing incidents. In the most recent, a young girl fell and almost struck her head against a rock, said AVS.
The agency added that it has no plans to cull the dogs but will do so on “grounds of health or welfare”, referring to situations where sustaining the lives of the dogs would pose a major compromise to their quality of life.
At a media briefing by AVS on Feb 13, Dr Lin showcased a corral that was set up on Feb 11. The octagonal playpen-like structure, which is made up of eight panels, each 1.5m long, will be used to trap the mongrels.
She said this method of trapping is recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health, and is adopted by many animal welfare organisations.
The corral that will be used to trap the mongrels.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Corral trapping involves first getting the dogs used to the presence of the structure in their environment, and then comfortable feeding inside the corral itself before a contractor closes the door remotely, so as not to startle the animal.
The corral was put up under a bridge opposite Block 206A Woodleigh Link, as regular feeding by community caregivers has made the dogs associate that particular area with getting food, said Dr Lin.
With round-the-clock surveillance, contractors will be deployed to attend to the trapped dogs within hours, and transport them to the AVS Animal Management Centre at Sungei Tengah for a thorough physical examination. They will then be rehomed to shelters or foster homes using the Trap-Neuter-Release/Rehome-Manage (TNRM) programme.
The dogs were first captured, sterilised, microchipped and released back into their current site in 2017, when Bidadari Park was just forest and a columbarium, and the dogs could roam around without encountering much human traffic.
A landscape maintenance employee at Bidadari Park, Mr Chan Tuck Hon, said this move by NParks would create a safer environment for park goers.
“I am happy if the park goers are happy,” the 57 year-old said.
“People wouldn’t understand unless they stay or work in the area. It’s really quite scary when they leap out… babies can get frightened to death. I also respect the lives of the dogs and don’t want them to get hurt, but they seem dangerous,” he added.
Inside the corral are bags of kibble and a container of water that are both changed daily, to prevent pests from infesting and mosquitos from breeding.
Inside the corral are bags of kibble and a container of water that are both changed daily, to prevent pests from infesting and mosquitos from breeding.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
On the plastic bags potentially being a choking hazard, Dr Lin shared that the dogs are smart enough to tear the bags up to release the food and will not ingest the plastic.
The process of conditioning the dogs can take weeks to months as wild dogs are more cautious, she said, as she urged the public to remain patient while AVS works towards mitigating this as quickly as possible.
The authority also hopes that people will not disrupt AVS’ operations by removing the food or tampering with the corral.
While she is heartened by community caregivers who have actively been feeding the dogs, she said some people may be feeding them irresponsibly too, pointing to empty packets of spicy chicken feet snacks that were left near their usual feeding spot.
“It is not healthy and can actually be dangerous if it contains ingredients like garlic and onion, which are toxic to dogs,” she said.
“Although it stems from good intentions, we want to educate the public to feed responsibly. Be mindful of litter and the consequences it poses to the dogs.”
Empty packets of spicy chicken feet snacks that were left near the dogs’ usual feeding spot.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Despite NParks’ attempt to explain their humane capture-and-rehome process, creator of the Let The Bidadari Dogs Continue To Live petition Jermaine Chua maintains that the dogs should not be moved.
She said: “If we are removing the dogs because of perceived fear, and because we cannot wait till something happens, then there are so many things in life that needs to be removed.”
“Given their age, possible health conditions and skittish nature, do you think they have a high chance of being rehomed?” she added.
Dr Lin also denied an allegation posed by members of the petition, which said that the dogs had been enclosed and left to starve behind a 400m-long tarpaulin set up along the parameter of the forest they frequent.
Showing ST a map with the boundaries of the hoarding, she said the tarp was applied in a U-shape to ensure the dogs had an opening to leave the area and that it was never meant to act as an enclosure, but a visual barrier.
“If you have a dog at home and guests come to visit, they might bark – because that’s what they do, they are defending you, your territory. But if you put a visual barrier, like if you close the door, the dog is less likely to bark,” she said.
She also pointed out that the tarps do not offer a complete seal, and that the dogs are still able to crawl out under the tarp.
The tarp was never meant to act as an enclosure, but a visual barrier, said Dr Lin Anhui, director for Community Animal Management Operations at AVS.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
While there has been no incidents involving encounters with pet dogs, she urged the public to stay vigilant and leash their pets when passing by the location.
When encountering a dog, refrain from staring, running or baring your teeth, as these are seen as threatening to them, she advised. Instead, stay calm and go about as normal.
Signs were put up in January 2025, warning passers-by on what to do when encountering a free-roaming dog. A first round of capture with a long net attempted on Feb 6 was unsuccessful.
NParks assured the public that the four dogs are still alive and well, with two of them spotted on Feb 12.
“We really encourage people to step up. If you are considering getting a pet, think about adoption because there are many dogs and especially cats in need of homes,” Dr Lin said.
For more information on fostering animals, visit https://www.nparks.gov.sg/avs/animals/animal-management/living-with-community-animals-in-your-neighbourhood/meeting-free-roaming-dogs
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