Louis asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each of the past five years, how many dogs have been euthanised for (i) medical reasons (ii) aggression-related reasons and (iii) non-medical and non-aggression-related reasons; and (b) whether the Ministry will start collecting this data if it is not already doing so.

Mr Lawrence Wong (MND): Currently, NParks does not collect data on the cause of death of dogs, including from euthanasia. NParks will look into this as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure that establishments uphold standards of good practice in animal welfare.  

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis asked the Minister for National Development with regard to people seeking to euthanise their healthy dog or cat (a) whether the Ministry will make it compulsory for them to produce documented proof that they have (i) attempted to rehome the animal and (ii) received certification from an Animal and Veterinary Service-accredited trainer that the animal, if aggressive, is untrainable; and (b) whether it will be made compulsory for veterinarians to wait for a pre-determined length of time before euthanising the animal, during which the animal's details are published on websites of NParks and animal welfare groups to facilitate rehoming.

Mr Lawrence Wong (MND): All veterinarians in Singapore must comply with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians. Under the Code, veterinarians are required to take into account public safety and animal welfare in deciding on the course of treatment for an animal. The Code states that veterinarians must consider other treatment options prior to considering euthanasia. It also allows veterinarians to reject an owner's request for euthanasia, should he or she deem it inappropriate. Failure to comply with the Code can result in enforcement action being taken against the veterinarian.

Mr Ng has raised several suggestions, which we will consider carefully, and in consultation with all stakeholders. In particular, NParks will continue to work with the Singapore Veterinary Association on these matters, and ensure that the Code of Ethics remains up to date with developments in the veterinary industry and international best practices. NParks will also continue to work with its partners to promote awareness of behavioural training options and rehoming avenues amongst pet owners. 

All parties, be it pet owners, animal welfare groups, dog trainers, or veterinarians, have duties and responsibilities regarding the adoption and euthanasia of pets. We will need everyone to do their part, even as we continue to update our regulatory rules and requirements. 

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)

Louis asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether it will set up an independent committee comprising stakeholders such as veterinarians, animal welfare groups, dog trainers, and dog owners to study the issue of euthanasia of physically healthy pet dogs; (b) if so, what is the Ministry's timeline for setting up this committee; and (c) if not, how will the Ministry ensure that the stakeholders are adequately engaged.

Mr Desmond Lee (MND): All parties, including veterinarians, animal welfare groups, dog trainers, and dog owners, have a duty of care to the pets under their charge. In particular, owning a pet comes with important obligations and should not be entered into lightly.

There are safeguards in place regarding euthanasia of pet dogs. The Code of Ethics for Veterinarians states that veterinarians must consider other treatment options prior to considering euthanasia. It also allows for veterinarians to reject an owner’s request for euthanasia, should he or she deem it inappropriate. NParks works closely with the Singapore Veterinary Association to review the Code of Ethics and ensure that it remains up to date with developments in the veterinary industry and international best practices. 

Nonetheless, NParks has received suggestions from various stakeholders and is studying them carefully. NParks will engage relevant stakeholders, as part of the ongoing pet sector review.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)