'It desensitises them': Stomper questions why kids were exposed to trapped birds in Punggol, preschool responds
A group of schoolchildren watching birds trapped in an enclosure in Punggol left one observer feeling deeply unsettled.
Stomper Jacky said he was disturbed to see the children and their teachers gathered around the trap.
"The adults accompanying them stood by calmly, seemingly discussing the situation without concern," he said. "The children were seen playing nearby, indifferent to the animals' panic and suffering.
Calling the scene "chilling" and "disturbing" Jacky expressed concern about the message such exposure sends to young, impressionable children.
"It exemplifies what it means to normalise cruelty," he said.
"Exposing children to suffering in this manner risks desensitising them and undermining the very values of empathy and compassion that our society strives to instill.
"This is not simply about a bird. It's about the dangerous message being sent to our future generation - that cruelty is normal, and that fear and suffering are acceptable."
In response to a Stomp query, a spokesperson for the preschool confirmed it became aware of the trap on June 20.
"The trap was located in a public space outside the school premises, and there was no prior notification or information provided about its setup," said the spokesperson.
"On June 25, some of our children briefly observed the birds in the trap during an outdoor activity. Based on their age and developmental understanding, the children did not understand the birds were being trapped and perceived the setup as a bird cage and were unaware that the birds were being trapped.
"There was no intention to use the situation as a learning activity, and our educators did not engage with the trap as part of any planned curriculum with the children.
"We understand how the scene may have been perceived differently by viewers, and we would like to assure the public that our school is firmly committed to fostering empathy, care and respect in our young learners.
"The safety and emotional well-being of our children remain our top priorities."
The Stomper also questioned why bird trapping operations were being carried out in public housing estates like Punggol, when the National Parks Board (NParks) had only publicly mentioned trials in other areas.
The National Parks Board (NParks) said on May 20 that a pigeon control plan was piloted in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tanjong Pagar from July 2024 to March 2025.
In a Facebook post, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said the estimated pigeon population in those areas had dropped by about 50 per cent, with pigeon-related feedback down by roughly 34 per cent than the expected average.
"If successful," he added, "we will scale this up across Singapore to help manage the pigeon population."
Stomp has contacted NParks for more information.
