SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) will amend dog licensing rules in early 2017 such that all dogs intended for sale by pet businesses must be licensed before they are sold, it said in a press release on Monday (Nov 7).
Currently, dogs intended for sale by pet businesses are not required to be licensed to the pet businesses. Under the new rules, when a dog is sold, pet businesses will be required to transfer the ownership of the dog to the new owner via AVA’s online portal for pet licensing – the Pet Animal Licensing System (PALS).
To make it more convenient for dog farms and pet shops to comply with the revised licensing requirements, they will be able to register multiple dogs intended for sale under a single “Group” licence. The licensing fees will be tiered according to the maximum number of dogs intended for sale, AVA stated.
The revisions will improve the traceability of pet dogs in event of a disease outbreak such as rabies, and help AVA reunite lost dogs with their owners, the authority said.
“The revisions will also strengthen the accountability of pet businesses and dog owners for their dogs, further safeguarding them against abandonment,” said AVA CEO Tan Poh Hong. “AVA is working closely with affected pet businesses to prepare them for the changes, and address any issues encountered, to ensure a smooth rollout of these revisions. They will be given sufficient time to adjust their processes to comply with the new requirements,” she added.
