From 1 March this year, all dogs intended for sale by pet businesses must be licensed before they are sold. This is a step towards enhancing animal welfare and safeguarding animal health in Singapore.
When a dog is sold, pet businesses are required to transfer the ownership of the dog to the new owner. This can be done via AVA’s online licensing platform — Pet Animal Licensing System (PALS) at https://pals.ava.gov.sg.
Individual dog licensees who sell or give away their dogs are to inform AVA that they are no longer keeping the animals. They are required to provide AVA with the particulars of the dog’s new owner, which can also be done via PALS.
These revisions to the Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules will improve the traceability of pet dogs in Singapore, especially in the event of a disease outbreak such as rabies. The revisions will also discourage pet abandonment and will help AVA to reunite lost dogs with their owners.
To make it more convenient for pet businesses to comply with the new licensing requirements, AVA will allow multiple dogs intended for sale to be registered under a single ‘Group’ license. The licensing fees will be tiered according to the maximum number of dogs intended for sale.
Working with the Industry
The revisions took into consideration feedback from pet businesses and will improve the traceability of all pet dogs.
AVA has been working with pet businesses to prepare them for the revision since November 2016.
“Our stakeholders are receptive to and are ready for the revisions. Some of the businesses have said that the revision will help to reduce paperwork and help them to keep track of their sources, which is important for disease control,” said Ms Jessica Kwok, Group Director for Animal Management, AVA.
Please read AVA’s press release for more information.