Speech by SPS Sun Xueling at Pets’ Day Out 2019

Aug 17, 2019

Good morning everyone. I am very delighted to be here this morning. When I came in, I saw many of our AWGs here with us, and I am very happy to be here to see our many partners and friends who have been very supportive of our NParks and AVS colleagues. 

Indeed, animals are playing a more prominent role in our daily lives.  More Singaporeans have pets, or regularly come into contact with pets and community animals. And the health and welfare of these animals is very important to us. 

In this regard, we have been steadily progressing over the past few years. For example, then-AVA introduced the Code of Animal Welfare for the Pet Industry and the Code of Animal Welfare for Pet Owners in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The Codes specify the minimum standards for animal housing, management and care which pet businesses and pet owners are expected to comply with. Just last year, then-AVA, in partnership with our 11 AWGs, launched the Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) programme in an effort to sustainably manage the stray dog population in Singapore. These initiatives would not have been possible without our close collaboration with the various stakeholders – our AWGs and also cooperative members of the public. 

Since taking over the animal-related functions in April this year, NParks has been looking at even more ways to work even more closely with the community. One example is the Pets’ Day Out event we have here today. This is organised in collaboration with our AWGs and pet businesses. 

Let me now briefly share what we hope to achieve with today’s event. First, Pets’ Day Out will provide a rehoming platform for shelter animals. I am heartened that more than 10 AWGs are participating. For those who are here with us today to look for an addition to your family, we hope you will find and adopt a furry friend today. Next, pet owners can learn more about pet care, responsible pet ownership, or simply indulge in some retail therapy for your furry friend. Finally, for those who are still discovering their love for animals, there are many fringe activities that we have here today for all of us to learn more about animals and how to best interact with them.

Through this event, we hope to reach out to a wider community, and on a regular basis. That is why Pets’ Day out is being held alongside the popular Gardeners’ Day Out at HortPark, and this will be a monthly outreach event. Regular visitors to Gardeners’ Day Out will thus have the opportunity to learn about how to interact with animals while pet lovers can, in turn, learn more about gardening and plants. In addition, NParks will also work with our AWGs to use more green spaces for their adoption drives or fund-raisers. This demonstrates how through NParks, we can bring a wider community together to live harmoniously with our flora and fauna. 

Beyond such outreach events, we also want to work with our stakeholders and the wider community to shape solutions and policies related to pet issues. Some of you may remember that earlier in Parliament this year, I had shared that NParks will be undertaking a review of the pet industry and issues relevant to the welfare of pets as well as community animals. Based on preliminary discussions with some stakeholders, NParks has identified some areas that we will be working on. For instance, concerns about the varying standards, and sometimes poor practices, of pet breeders and boarders have come to our attention. Given that these services impact many pets as well as their owners, it is timely for NParks to work with the pet industry to raise the standards of such service providers. There are various ways to do this such as by improving animal handling and care through the training of staff. Accreditation or licensing of such service providers is another option that NParks will carefully consider.

In tandem, NParks is also looking at improving animal traceability. The health of humans and animals is closely linked. Some animal diseases can be transmitted to humans. If left unchecked, they can pose a risk to public health. 

A robust traceability system is thus critical to safeguard public and animal health. In the event a pet is diagnosed with an infectious disease, it is important to be able to trace where the infected animal is and has been, as well as its clinical history. This would enable NParks to respond quickly with the appropriate measures to control the spread of the disease. Better animal traceability obviously has the added benefit of reuniting lost pets with their anxious owners more quickly. I’m sure this is something we can all appreciate.

NParks thus intends to leverage technology to enhance animal traceability. For instance, it is exploring the use of Near Field Communication technology (NFC) in pet microchips. With NFC-enabled “smart” microchips, a smartphone might be all we need to pull up information on an animal. This makes the process of tracing its clinical history, or identifying the rightful owner much faster and more seamless. NParks is also looking to improve the Pet Animal Licensing System (PALS), to make registering the details of your pets more convenient.  

NParks will begin a wider consultation with more stakeholders in the coming months on the best ways forward. Breeders, boarders, pet associations, pet businesses, veterinarians, and AWGs will be invited to participate in these focus group discussions. NParks will also conduct an online public consultation later this year. More details will be shared by NParks when ready.

To truly safeguard animal health and welfare, we must ensure responsibility and a duty of care along the value chain for which our pets and community animals come into contact with. So we need to work with breeders, boarders, pet associations, pet businesses, veterinarians, AWGs, and the public to decide on those common standards to adhere to and to leverage on technology where possible. Your support is crucial in ensuring the health and welfare of our pets and community animals. I encourage you to share your ideas with NParks and help shape the solutions and policies for these issues. 

On this note, I wish you all a very pleasant day ahead. I hope you enjoy the many activities that we have curated here today. Please enjoy the event and activities, and I look forward to coming around and meeting each and every one of you. Thank you.