New Dog Rules

[Rob]

thought this might be of interest to some

SINGAPORE, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Singapore said on Thursday all dogs brought into the city state from May 1 must be implanted with a microchip matching their veterinary papers to cut down on the risk of rabies and other diseases.
  About 5,500 dogs are imported each year, 85 to 90 percent of them puppies for sale as pets and the rest by pet owners, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a statement.
  Some 90 percent of the commercially imported puppies come from Australia.
  "The health documents will have to indicate the microchip identification code of the dog besides certifying that the dog has been vaccinated, examined and found to be healthy and free of various dog diseases," the AVA said.
  "Singapore is free from dog diseases, such as rabies, that can pose a threat to the local dog population and can also infect humans."
  The microchips -- about the size of a grain of rice and implanted under the skin of a dog's neck -- would minimise the introduction of disease by tracing where an infected animal came from so that further imports can be blocked, the AVA said.
  Australia and New Zealand have similar mandatory schemes for imported dogs, while Britain uses microchips to allow properly identified and vaccinated animals to bypass quarantine.
  Rabies, transmitted by the bite of a diseased animal, kills 35,000 to 50,000 people each year, the World Health Organisation estimates. Singapore has been free of rabies since 1953.
  ((John O'Callaghan, Singapore newsroom +65 870 3571, fax +65 776 8112, singapore.newsroom@reuters.com))

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Thursday, 22 February 2001 15:39:01
RTRS [nSIN23841]

[Louie]

Working on the basis that 85 - 90% of 5500 dogs a year are brought in as puppies for sale, that works out roughly as 400 a month.

AVA Centre for Animal Welfare and Control “remove from the streets about 300 dogs per month”
SPCA takes in approx. 400 dogs per month, of which 30-35 are re-homed. The rest are destroyed.

Is the micro-chipping of imported puppies likely to reduce the numbers being brought in? Unlikely… business is business as long as taxes are paid. Meanwhile the number of dogs destroyed each month far exceeds the number imported.  Is this the ultimate in a “disposable society”?

[PhilM]

A ban has been put on imorting or breeding some breeds which are considered as dangerous such as pit Bulls. It is a pity a ban is not also put on the import or breeding of dogs which are totally unsuited for this climate. In our road there are two houses with Huskies, one with a Chow, and another with a Spitz. All are kept outside and spend their entire time panting to try to cool down due to their thick coats.

Walk down Orchard Road and you can see just how much Singapore is into Designer labels, as any newly affluent society tends to be. The problem is some people carry this over into their choice of dog - buy  a husky this month as it is in fashion, then kick it out and buy the next dog which is fashionable in a few months time. Of course this only applies to a certain type of owner, many of my Singaporean friends care of their dogs exceptionally well.

We ExPats are also not without fault. Numerous families come here on a 2 - 3 year posting, and buy a dog. When it is time to go home they baulk at the quarantine, or shipping costs and another so called pet finds it's way to the SPCA. As Louie says the SPCA can only keep a few animals, most are put down within a couple of days of arriving.

So the bottom line is if you are going to buy a dog or any other pet, make sure you are ready for a committment for the pets entire life or don't buy!

[Louie]

The enforcement of microchipping from 1st May will only apply to dogs as the AVA consider them to be a more significant risk category for transmitting disease (rabies in particular) through their potential to bite.

For further information see the "Press Reports" section  http://www.gov.sg/mnd/ppd/