Wild dogs that chased Pasir Ris jogger in viral video to be trapped, AVS advises not staring at them

Wallace Woon
The Straits Times
Nov 7, 2023

A pack of wild dogs in Pasir Ris is being monitored and trapped by the National Parks Board’s (NParks) Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) cluster.

On Monday, Dr Chang Siow Foong told The Straits Times that AVS, a cluster under the National Parks Board, had been alerted to an incident where dogs had chased a jogger at a park connector in Pasir Ris on Saturday evening.

“AVS is aware of this pack of free-roaming dogs… When trapped, these dogs will be managed as part of our ongoing trap-neuter-rehome/release-manage (TNRM) programme,” said Dr Chang, group director of community animal management at AVS.

In a TikTok video widely shared on social media, a man can be seen jogging along a park connector in Pasir Ris Drive 3, near a group of dogs standing on an adjacent grassy slope.

The dogs begin to bark and run down the slope to chase the man, who starts sprinting in what appears to be a bid to escape them.

The video has garnered more than 550,000 views since it was put up on Sunday.

Dr Chang said the TNRM programme involves catching free-roaming dogs and sterilising them, and rehoming “as many… as possible”.

Those that are unable to be rehomed will be released at suitable locations, away from residential estates, to live out their lives naturally, he added.

More than 3,900 free-roaming dogs have been trapped since the programme was launched in 2018, with 60 per cent of the dogs successfully rehomed or fostered.

In September, two dogs believed to have killed dozens of cats and behaved aggressively towards residents in Fernvale, Ang Mo Kio, Jalan Kayu and Serangoon North were captured by AVS.

Dr Chang said: “Dogs are territorial animals and may bark in response to humans or other animals which are within or are approaching their territories. Additionally, they may possess an innate instinct to chase and catch things.

“Although some free-roaming dogs may chase after fast-moving objects, they tend to be wary of humans and usually stay out of their way. They may also approach people, using their sense of smell to gather information about their surroundings.”

The public should avoid staring at free-roaming dogs when encountering them and should speak softly and walk away slowly without making any sudden movements.

Anyone who requires assistance may call the AVS’ Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 or contact them at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback.