Woman is first person in Singapore given jail for keeping animals in captivity for sale

In Singapore, a woman has become the first individual to receive a jail sentence for keeping animals in captivity for the purpose of sale at premises without proper licensing. Ng Siew Teng, 28, was handed a 19-week and three-day prison term and a $5,000 fine after pleading guilty to five charges under the Animals and Birds Act. Her husband, Callurn Lim Yuan Jin, 34, was sentenced to one year, nine months, 21 weeks and three days in prison and a $12,000 fine on September 11. He must serve an additional four weeks and 10 days in jail if he cannot pay the fine.

Lim, who was also a member of a Cambodia-based criminal syndicate responsible for over 528 scams of more than $52 million in losses between September 2024 and September 2025, was involved in importing puppies from Malaysia for sale in Singapore. The couple’s accomplice, Bryan Peh Jia Hao, 22, received a 16-week prison sentence in January.

The National Parks Board (NParks) revealed that the couple had aided Peh in smuggling puppies from Malaysia, charging him $250 to $300 per animal. The puppies were kept at the couple's residence and advertised on Instagram, resulting in the sale of 21 puppies and earning around $21,000 in profits. Upon their arrest on December 27, 2023, NParks discovered that the puppies had been transported in cramped and poorly ventilated conditions, inflicting unnecessary suffering.

All five puppies were later found to be infected with canine parvovirus, a highly contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death in dogs.