Dog trainers suspend pair caught on video mistreating dogs
Dog training firm Xavian and Pack has suspended two of its employees after videos which show the pair pushing and hitting dogs were widely shared on social media.
The videos, which were posted by user monkey_bear2 on Jan 15, showed two individuals donning navy blue tops bearing the company’s name, with a group of six dogs. The caption said that they were arranging the dogs for a “photo op”.
In one of the videos, one of the men in pushes down forcefully on the back of one of the dogs in an attempt to get the animal to sit.
After the dog stands back up, the man can be seen using both his arms to shove the dog down again in order to get it to sit, which it eventually does.
The other employee can be seen dragging another dog, before appearing to hit the dog, on its body and then head, in an attempt to get it to stay in place.
In a statement on his company’s Instagram page posted late on Jan 15, the firm’s owner Xavian Mar said he was aware of the videos, which he said displayed “disgustingly inappropriate behaviour” toward the animals in their care.
The statement said: “This is definitely not what Xavian and Pack stands for and will not condone any of such behaviours. As a dog parent myself, I would definitely not want my dogs to be treated that way.”
Mr Mar also clarified that he was “not present in the video”.
He added that the two employees in the video had been “suspended with immediate effect and will not be part of Xavian and Pack”, and also vowed to conduct a review.
“We will be scrutinising all aspects of our services moving forward to avoid such events from happening,” he said.
Mr Joshua Teoh, director of the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), said that they are aware of the videos and are investigating the matter.
First-time offenders caught abusing an animal may be charged under the Animals and Birds Act, and can be fined up to $15,000, jailed up to 18 months, or both, he added.
Mr Teoh also said that safeguarding animal welfare is a “shared social responsibility” and urged members of the publy to report suspected cases of animal cruelty to AVS via its website at avs.gov.sg/feedback or through its Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600. Information shared with AVS is kept strictly confidential, he said.
The Straits Times has contacted the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for their response.
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