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SINGAPORE: A pet groomer pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Mar 11) over the death of a dog she left unattended on the grooming table in July 2024.

Vanessa Chiu Yan Er, 29, had been accused of failing to secure a corgi with a double-arm lock, resulting in the dog slipping off the grooming table and hanging by its neck from its leash for an extended period, and eventually dying. 

The court heard that on the morning of Jul 24, 2024, Chiu had been grooming the dog named Fendi at her home-based pet grooming salon – Pawkins SG.

At about 1pm, she left for a lunch break with her fiancé and an employee.

Before leaving, Chiu performed some area cleaning but did not secure Fendi with a double-arm lock. She only secured the dog with a short leash.

According to the prosecution, the usual practice is to leave the dog on the floor if unattended. However, if it has to be left on a table, the dog should be secured. 

The three of them went to a coffee shop for lunch, leaving the dogs in the salon unsupervised for 45 minutes. 

At 1.45pm, the dogs started to bark excitedly. Closed-circuit television footage shared on social media showed the corgi with 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.

When Chiu’s employee returned, she found the dog motionless and called for help. 

Chiu checked for a pulse and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Together with her fiancé, Chiu rushed Fendi to a veterinary emergency clinic. But the dog was unresponsive and had no heartbeat.

Seeking a fine of between S$16,000 (US$12,020) and S$20,000 as well as a disqualification period of 12 months, an NParks prosecutor said that Chiu should be held to a higher standard as she is a trained pet groomer and a partner and owner of the grooming salon. 

The prosecution added that general deterrence is needed to educate and deter like-minded offenders.

Citing a Â鶹´«Ã½ article published in Aug 2024, he said the case had caused public disquiet and unease and that there were at least seven other cases of mistreatment of animals making the headlines in 2024. 

In response, the judge said that if the prosecution intends to proceed with the argument that there has been an increase in the prevalence of such cases, raw facts and statistics are needed. 

In seeking a lighter sentence for his client, Mr Alain Abraham Johns agreed that Chiu had failed to secure Fendi in a proper fashion, but she did not intend to cause the dog any harm. 

“This was an innocent mistake with a very tragic consequence,� he said.

“She offers no excuse, it was a mistake. She should have double-arm locked Fendi but because of work and (in her) haste of doing certain things, she omitted to doing so.�

He sought a fine of S$8,000 and a disqualification of nine months.

Mr Johns said that Chiu is an animal lover and cannot forgive herself for making an error which resulted in a loss of life, adding that she is deeply remorseful. 

The case has been adjourned to Apr 8 for mitigation and sentencing. 

Editor's note: This article previously said that the defence was seeking a fine of S$3,000. This is incorrect. We apologise for the error.