Man fined $10,000 for smuggling puppy

AVA prosecutor Yap Teck Chuan had urged District Judge Eugene Teo to impose the maximum fine to send a strong signal to others that Singapore would not tolerate anyone who may inadvertently bring the dreadful disease into the country. -- PHOTO: ST FILE PHOTO

A MAN who smuggled in a female golden retriever puppy from Malaysia was given the maximum fine of $10,000 on Wednesday.

Eugene Yeo Jie Dong, 29, a scuba diving instructor, pleaded guilty to importing the puppy at Tuas checkpoint on Nov 16 last year (2010).

A court heard that he took the four-month-old puppy to Mount Pleasant Veterinary Clinic for a check-up on Dec 7 (2010) as the puppy was having frequent diarrhoea. When the veterinarian learnt that he had imported the puppy in without a licence, she explained the seriousness of the offence, and that it could cause rabies epidemic.

Dr Boon Chia Yun advised Yeo to own up to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority within a week. She said that if he did not do so, she would report the matter. Dr Boon did so on Dec 17.

AVA prosecutor Yap Teck Chuan had urged District Judge Eugene Teo to impose the maximum fine to send a strong signal to others that Singapore would not tolerate anyone who may inadvertently bring the dreadful disease into the country.

Yeo could have been jailed for up to 12 months.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_637981.html