SINGAPORE, July 26 — A 50-year-old Singaporean woman has been charged with multiple animal-related offences after she allegedly kept 79 dogs — mostly miniature poodles — in a private Sembawang property without the necessary licences and failed to microchip them.
According to The New Paper, Julia Moss is facing 82 charges in total, most of which are for owning unlicensed dogs.
She is accused of housing the dogs at a property along Wak Hassan Drive on August 28, 2024 — far exceeding Singapore’s legal cap of three dogs per private premises.
Moss also allegedly did not comply with a requirement issued by the Director-General of Animal Health and Welfare on May 29, 2023, which gave her until August 27 last year to microchip the animals. One day after the deadline, she was found to still be in breach of the directive.
In addition, The New Paper reported that Moss failed to inform authorities of her plans to move the dogs on January 25 this year. The address listed in the charge was for another house along the same street. She is also accused of not providing the new address to the director-general, which violates the Animals and Birds Act.
The case has been adjourned to give Moss time to engage legal representation. She is due to return to court on August 20.
Animal welfare group Voices For Animals told The New Paper that 37 of the 79 dogs have since been rehomed.
Under Singapore law, keeping more than three dogs in a private property without a licence carries a fine of up to S$5,000 (RM16,500). Failing to microchip the animals, as directed, is punishable by a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to a year, or both. Each count of owning an unlicensed dog also comes with a potential fine of up to S$5,000.
Not informing the authorities before relocating animals may result in a jail term of up to six months, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
