Singapore couple jailed and fined for illegal puppy smuggling and sale
A 28-year-old woman and her 34-year-old husband received jail terms and fines after being convicted of importing and selling smuggled puppies at an unlicensed location.
Ng Siew Teng, 28, and her husband Callurn Lim, 34, were detained after a checkpoint inspection uncovered five smuggled two-month-old Pomeranian puppies hidden in a friend’s boot. The couple imported the puppies from Malaysia, housed them at their residence, and promoted the sale on Instagram, conducting viewings in their building’s void deck. Between October and December 2023 they sold 21 puppies, generating roughly S$21,000 in profit, while all animals tested positive for the highly contagious canine parvovirus.
Both pleaded guilty to five counts under the Animals and Birds Act and received identical sentences of 19 weeks and three days’ imprisonment and a S$5,000 fine for operating an unlicensed pet-sale premises. The case follows a previous record-setting conviction for a similar offence, underscoring Singapore’s zero-tolerance policy on animal smuggling.
Why it matters
The case highlights strict enforcement against illegal pet trade and associated animal-health risks in Singapore.
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