Owner of pet peacock who attacked 3-year-old girl issued stern warning
The owner of a pet peacock that attacked a three-year-old in 2021 has been issued a stern warning by the police.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the police said that in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, it warned a 59-year-old man on July 3 for an offence of negligence concerning his pet peacock.
“The man has since given his peacock away and had earlier paid compensation to the victim’s family,” it added.
The current whereabouts of the peacock are not known.
Stern warnings do not amount to criminal convictions or a criminal record, but records of warnings are maintained by the police. Should those issued the warning re-offend or commit other criminal offences, they may be charged in court.
On Nov 28, 2021, the girl was on her way home from a playground at Haus Park, in Serangoon Garden, with her brother and father when she stopped outside a house to look at the peacock, her mother, Ms Kris Chan, wrote in a Facebook post then.
The peacock, which neighbours estimated to be about 2m long, is then said to have charged out and attacked the girl.
The girl suffered several cuts to her face and had to be put under general anaesthesia in order for the wound to be stitched up, said Ms Chan, 46.
The housewife also posted four pictures of the cut on her daughter’s face, as well as her blood-stained clothes.
The owners of the pet peacock are believed to have moved out from their Serangoon Gardens house since the incident.
Without disclosing the amount the peacock’s owner paid in settlement, Ms Chan told ST on Monday that her family had to file a civil suit against the owners, for them to pay for their daughter’s medical fees.
Ms Chan said that since the attack, her daughter, now five, has a fear of all animals including dogs, cats and chickens. She declined for her daughter’s name to be published.
Whenever the family visit friends’ homes with dogs, Ms Chan said the dogs have to be muzzled and kept in a separate room.
“She’s gradually getting better. We finally started going to the zoo again only this year,” added Ms Chan.
For being negligent with his peacock in guarding against any probable danger to human life, or any probable danger of grievous hurt, the owner could have been jailed for up to a year, fined up to $5,000, or with both for a first offence.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
