A 50-year-old Singaporean woman has been charged with keeping at least 79 dogs in a house, owning them without a licence and failing to microchip all the animals she had.
The woman, Julia Nicole Moss, returned to court on July 23, and the case has been adjourned for her to engage legal counsel. She is expected to return in August.
Most Charges Related to Unlicensed Dogs
She faces a total of 82 charges related to owning animals. Out of the 82 charges, a large number are for allegedly owning unlicensed miniature poodles. In Singapore, every dog must be licensed individually, and Moss is accused of failing to do so for dozens of the animals in her care.
On August 28, 2024, authorities discovered that Moss allegedly failed to microchip the dogs, despite receiving a directive on May 29, 2024, from the Director-General of Animal Health and Welfare instructing her to do so. Microchipping is mandatory for dog identification and helps trace ownership in case of emergencies or abuse.
Moved Dogs Without Informing Authorities
Moss is also accused of relocating all 79 dogs from the original property to another house along Wak Hassan Drive on January 25, 2025, without notifying the authorities.
Under the law, anyone moving such a large number of animals must inform the Director-General beforehand. Moss also allegedly failed to provide the new address where the dogs were taken, another breach of the Act.
Penalties She Could Face
For keeping more than three dogs at her premises, which was not a licensed dog farm or pet shop, she could be fined up to S$5,000.
For failing to comply with the Director-General’s directions to microchip her dogs, she could be jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
For owning a dog without a licence, she could be fined up to S$5,000 per charge.
For failing to inform the Director-General before removing the dogs to a new location, she could be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
