A Singapore-born veterinarian, Marcus Tan Wei Sheng, was found guilty of unprofessional conduct in South Australia for inappropriate behavior towards animals between August 2019 and September 2020. Among the allegations, Tan admitted to consuming a dog’s semen once but denied other accusations, including inappropriate touching of dogs and performing a vaginal examination on a dog without legitimate medical purpose.
The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) found Tan guilty of unprofessional conduct based on four out of six grounds of complaint. The tribunal concluded that Tan’s actions were “unprofessional conduct” and that there was “proper cause for disciplinary action against the respondent.”
Tan, who was born in Singapore and studied in Australia, engaged in inappropriate acts with animals at the clinic where he worked, which focused on artificial insemination and breeding. On September 10, 2020, a receptionist witnessed Tan consuming a dog’s semen from a green syringe. Tan admitted to the act, stating that he did it out of curiosity about the taste. He also denied doing the same on another occasion, but the tribunal accepted the witness’s statements.
Additionally, Tan was accused of inappropriately touching a Labrador Retriever named YUN after performing artificial insemination. A veterinary nurse, LCO, observed Tan playing with the dog’s private parts in a non-relevant manner. Tan denied the allegations, but the tribunal accepted the nurse’s statement.
Throughout his employment, Tan was found to have inappropriately touched both female and male dogs’ private parts on numerous occasions. A qualified vet nurse, BUI, and another senior veterinary nurse, KUJ, observed Tan’s inappropriate behavior.
Following the hearings, Tan was reprimanded, fined A$5,000 (S$4441), and can only practice under supervision and mentorship for a five-year period starting from January 31, 2024. He was also ordered to pay legal costs of A$27,000 (S$23,986). Before the conditions are lifted, Tan will have to be assessed by a psychiatrist and approved by the board as being “medically fit” to resume practice normally.