New rules on transfer of dog ownership from next month

Stricter licensing requirements for pet dogs will kick in on March 1, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said yesterday.

Under the enhanced regulations, announced in November last year, dog owners who sell or give away their dogs will have to inform AVA that they are no longer keeping the dogs, and provide the particulars of the dog's new owners.

Businesses selling dogs will also have to license them before transferring ownership to the buying customer.

The onus is now on owners to license their dogs, which many fail to do, those in the animal welfare community told The Straits Times.

The regulations, amended yesterday, are aimed at improving the traceability of pet dogs, particularly in the event of a disease outbreak, such as rabies, as well as discouraging pet abandonment and reuniting lost dogs with their owners, the AVA said.

The AVA said it has been working with pet businesses to prepare them for the new rules.

Ownership transferral for both businesses and individual pet owners can be done on AVA's online Pet Animal Licensing System (Pals) portal. - THE STRAITS TIMES