61 incidents of cats and dogs allegedly falling from height reported in a year

NParks took action against pet owners in 21 cases; none involved cruelty

- Chin Hui Shan

Rules implemented from Sept 1, 2024 require pet owners to take reasonable steps to protect their cat or dog by preventing the animal from being in any place which exposes it to the risk of falling from a height, whether within the residence or elsewhere. Actions taken against the owners may include issuing advisories, warning letters, fines or prosecution. So far, no owner has been prosecuted or issued composition fines.

(ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG)

A total of 61 incidents involving cats and dogs allegedly falling from heights were reported between Sept 1, 2024 and Aug 31, 2025, the National Parks Board (NParks) said on Oct 15.

Of these cases, 55 involved cats, while the rest involved dogs. “All these 61 cases, especially if it involves pet cats, could have been prevented,” said NParks group director Jessica Kwok.

She was giving an update on the number of cases of animals falling from a height, following new rules implemented on pet owners from Sept 1, 2024.

These rules, set out under the Animals and Birds Act (Licensing and Control of Cats and Dogs) Rules 2024, require pet owners to take reasonable steps to protect their cat or dog by preventing the animal from being in any place which exposes it to the risk of falling from a height, whether within the residence or elsewhere.

The 61 cases recorded over the past year involved both pet animals and community cats, NParks said.

Community cats are particularly vulnerable, as they live in the open and roam freely, it added.

Among the 61 cases, 29 of them did not flout the Animals and Birds Act (Licensing and Control of Cats and Dogs) Rules 2024.