Just because his girlfriend broke up with him, a young man took out all of his anger on two innocent cats. The heartbreaking fate of those small lives left social media outraged
After being dumped by his girlfriend, a young man abused six cats, causing two to die, and was sentenced to 31 months in prison – a record-breaking sentence.
On April 10, Tan Yi Bin Ryan, 27, was sentenced to 31 months in prison for mistreating six cats, resulting in the deaths of two; he was also banned from owning any animals for 12 months after serving his sentence.
According to the National Parks Council (NParks), this is the harshest sentence ever imposed for animal cruelty.
According to the indictment, in July 2024, Tan, a food delivery worker, had just been dumped by his girlfriend and sought out stray cats in the community to play with. When some cats ignored him, and some even scratched him, refusing to be petted, Tan decided to “teach them a lesson.”
He went online to find ways to torture cats in a way that would inflict enough injury without killing them, and also to find out if this act could be criminally prosecuted. Afterward, Tan bought a folding knife and returned to the park for several days to carry out his acts; to avoid detection, he wore a hoodie and a mask. One of the cats harmed was not a stray but belonged to a resident of the apartment building where Tan regularly delivered food.
One of the six cats died after being abused by Tan and thrown from the 34th floor. Photo: CNA
The behavior was captured on surveillance cameras. On October 7, 2024, Tan was arrested at his home, but was released on bail at the end of the month. During this time, he continued to mistreat his sixth cat, causing its death. The animal was taken for treatment, but due to the severity of its injuries, the veterinarian had to euthanize it.
On March 13, 2025, Tan was re-arrested and has been detained ever since. In court, the defendant admitted to three charges of animal abuse; the remaining three charges will be further considered.
In Singapore, the crime of animal cruelty can result in a maximum prison sentence of 18 months and a fine of up to SGD 15,000 (VND 310 million).
