A 29-year-old pet groomer received a S$10,000 fine on April 8, 2025, after a corgi died while left unattended on a grooming table. Vanessa Chiu Yan Er was also banned from running animal-related businesses for nine months.
The National Parks Board (NParks) stated this is the highest penalty given to a pet groomer in similar cases.
The incident happened on July 24, 2024, at Pawkins SG, a home-based pet grooming salon in Serangoon Central. The corgi, named Fendi, fell off a grooming table and was strangled by its short leash.
Chiu started the business with her fiancé around July 2023. At the time of the incident, she was grooming Fendi and another dog, Hades, both owned by the same person.
Court documents showed Chiu cleaned the area before leaving for lunch with her fiancé and an employee at about 1:30 PM. Six dogs were left without supervision for 45 minutes.
While the employee secured Hades with a “double-arm lock” to prevent falls, Chiu forgot to do the same for Fendi. The corgi was left on the table with a short leash attached to an adjustable ring that tightened around its neck.
CCTV footage captured that around 1:42 PM, the dogs began barking and moving excitedly. Fendi fell off the table and hung by the neck from the leash. The dog’s feet barely touched the ground as it struggled for about a minute before losing consciousness.
When Chiu’s employee returned at approximately 2:17 PM, she found Fendi motionless and called for help. Chiu checked for a pulse and tried cardiopulmonary resuscitation before taking Fendi to a veterinary emergency clinic.
The clinic confirmed the dog had no heartbeat. Fendi’s heart stopped around 3:15 PM.
The dog’s owner, Sonia Tan, was informed of her pet’s death more than an hour after the incident, after confirmation by the veterinarian.
Chiu pleaded guilty to one count under the Animals and Birds Act for causing unnecessary pain and suffering to Fendi while operating an animal-related business.
Prosecutors noted that standard industry practice requires dogs to be placed on the floor when left unattended or properly secured if kept on a grooming table.
Chiu’s lawyer, Alain Abraham Johns, told the court that Chiu had closed her grooming business and refunded clients for unused grooming packages.
She had groomed Fendi 12 times before without problems and accepted full responsibility for her negligence. Chiu paid for the dog’s medical treatment and cremation.
NParks stated that people working in animal-related businesses must maintain higher animal welfare standards as they are trusted with clients’ animals.
Under the Animals and Birds Act, first-time offenders face fines up to S$40,000, jail terms up to two years, or both.
