Couple find abandoned terrapin and fish in Sengkang with a note saying they are 'free'

A couple stumbled upon some fish and a terrapin that were abandoned at Block 406C Fernvale Road in Sengkang on Sept 21.

Stomper Phin told Stomp that she was on her way home from her boyfriend's place when she found a plastic container containing two plastic bags.

"They were tied with a dead knot," she said.

"One of the plastic bags had a terrapin in it and the other had three small fish," she said.

"The terrapin was almost flipped over and looked very weak as it was running out of oxygen.

"I passed the fish to my boyfriend and brought the terrapin home."

In a photo shared by the Stomper, a container of 'turtle food' and a note saying 'free' were pasted onto the plastic container.

Phin added that her boyfriend will keep and care for the fish but is still considering whether she should keep the terrapin.

"I suffer from a chronic condition and get hospitalised often so I'm not sure if keeping it is a good decision for myself," she said.

"I think it is very irresponsible to abandon pets, especially just below the HDB block on a rainy day.

"What if nobody walked by or discovered the container?"

Abandonment is a serious offence under the Animals and Birds Act and those found guilty of pet abandonment can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

Pet guardians can responsibly rehome their pets using Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' (SPCA) rehoming noticeboard at https://spca.org.sg/services/rehoming.