# Update on review of the Animals and Birds Act

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2025-03-05T08:00:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/update-on-review-of-the-animals-and-birds-act
- **Topics:** Government & Policy

## Featured rationale

Stronger licensing and disease-control requirements could raise compliance considerations for pet businesses, farms and veterinary operators, potentially influencing their premises and operational decisions.

## AI summary

AVS began reviewing the Animals and Birds Act 1965, including penalties, enforcement powers, higher-risk pet-activity licensing, disease controls and veterinary health-product regulation.

## Original article

The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks), has embarked on a review of the Animals and Birds Act 1965 (the Act) as part of its efforts to strengthen safeguards on public health and safety, as well as animal health and welfare.

Background

The Act was last amended in 2014 via a Private Member’s Bill, as part of a review by the Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee (AWLRC). The Act covers legislation pertaining to the following areas:

The prevention of the introduction and spread of diseases among animals, birds, and fish in Singapore.

Measures pertaining to the welfare of and the prevention of cruelty to animals, birds, and fish in Singapore.

The control of movement of animals, birds, and fish.

Areas covered under current review of the Act

The current review of the Act, amongst other areas, includes reviewing the (a) enforcement powers and regulatory levers, and (b) the regulatory framework for the prevention and control of animal disease, as well as the regulation of veterinary health products (VHPs). The two areas that are being reviewed are as follows:

a. Reviewing enforcement powers and regulatory levers for animal welfare and management

Some of the areas under review include the penalty framework under the Act, to ensure that it remains effective in deterring acts of animal cruelty and abuse. For instance, AVS is reviewing the penalties, including fines, imprisonment terms and the disqualification order (DO) regime, as a deterrence for animal cruelty and duty of care offences.In parallel, AVS is reviewing its enforcement powers to better manage cases with animal welfare issues. Enforcement powers under review include powers in seizure and arrest.AVS is also reviewing the licensing regime for higher-risk pet-related activities and the use of animal training devices.

Some of the areas under review include the penalty framework under the Act, to ensure that it remains effective in deterring acts of animal cruelty and abuse.

For instance, AVS is reviewing the penalties, including fines, imprisonment terms and the disqualification order (DO) regime, as a deterrence for animal cruelty and duty of care offences.

In parallel, AVS is reviewing its enforcement powers to better manage cases with animal welfare issues. Enforcement powers under review include powers in seizure and arrest.

AVS is also reviewing the licensing regime for higher-risk pet-related activities and the use of animal training devices.

b. Reviewing the regulatory framework for prevention and control of animal diseases, and ensuring the quality of veterinary health products

Animal disease prevention and controlAVS is currently reviewing disease control measures and upstream measures for disease prevention, to enable more effective prevention and management of the spread of disease, including those that are novel and emerging. This includes the reviewing of the penalties to deter illegal import or transshipment of animals, and veterinary biologics.Veterinary health products (VHPs)Veterinary health products (VHPs) refer to health products that are manufactured and labelled for animal use only, such as veterinary medicines and animal vaccines. AVS is reviewing measures to ensure the quality, traceability and safety of VHPs. These could include establishing a licensing regime and a registry of approved VHPs to regulate the supply chain for VHPs effectively.

Animal disease prevention and control

AVS is currently reviewing disease control measures and upstream measures for disease prevention, to enable more effective prevention and management of the spread of disease, including those that are novel and emerging.

This includes the reviewing of the penalties to deter illegal import or transshipment of animals, and veterinary biologics.

Veterinary health products (VHPs)

Veterinary health products (VHPs) refer to health products that are manufactured and labelled for animal use only, such as veterinary medicines and animal vaccines.

AVS is reviewing measures to ensure the quality, traceability and safety of VHPs. These could include establishing a licensing regime and a registry of approved VHPs to regulate the supply chain for VHPs effectively.

Continued collaborative approach in the review of the Act

AVS is taking a collaborative approach for this review. Since 2022, we have engaged key stakeholders on the areas of review for animal disease prevention and control, including the regulatory framework for veterinary health products. Through a series of small group discussions with various animal sector stakeholders, such as veterinarians, food animal farms, non-food animal farms, pet-related businesses, pharmaceutical companies and relevant agencies, we have gathered a wide range of suggestions and valuable feedback which we are studying for consideration in the review of the Act. Later this year, AVS will further engage stakeholders such as animal welfare groups, pet shops and veterinarians and other representatives from the pet sector to hear their views and insights in terms of reviewing regulatory levers for animal welfare and management.

This is in line with our continuous efforts in working closely with our stakeholders, to raise standards and better promote the awareness on best practices for animal welfare and to advocate responsible pet ownership amongst the community.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 《动物与鸟类法令》检讨最新情况

国家公园局（NParks）旗下的动物与兽医事务处（AVS）已展开对《1965年动物与鸟类法令》（该法令）的检讨，作为其加强公共卫生与安全以及动物健康与福利保障工作的一部分。

背景

该法令上次于2014年经私人议员法案修订，作为动物福利立法检讨委员会（AWLRC）检讨的一部分。该法令涵盖以下领域的相关立法：

防止动物、鸟类和鱼类疾病在新加坡传入与传播。

有关新加坡动物、鸟类和鱼类福利以及防止虐待的措施。

对动物、鸟类和鱼类流动的管制。

本次法令检讨所涵盖的领域

本次对该法令的检讨，除其他领域外，包括检讨（a）执法权力与监管杠杆，以及（b）预防与控制动物疾病的监管框架，以及兽医健康产品（VHPs）的监管。正在检讨的两个领域如下：

a. 检讨动物福利与管理方面的执法权力与监管杠杆

部分检讨领域包括该法令下的处罚框架，以确保其在遏制虐待与虐待动物行为方面保持有效。例如，动物与兽医事务处正在检讨处罚措施，包括罚款、监禁刑期以及取消资格令（DO）制度，以遏制虐待动物及未尽照护责任相关罪行。与此同时，动物与兽医事务处正在检讨其执法权力，以更好地处理涉及动物福利问题的个案。正在检讨的执法权力包括扣押与逮捕权力。动物与兽医事务处亦在检讨较高风险宠物相关活动的执照制度，以及动物训练装置的使用。

部分检讨领域包括该法令下的处罚框架，以确保其在遏制虐待与虐待动物行为方面保持有效。

例如，动物与兽医事务处正在检讨处罚措施，包括罚款、监禁刑期以及取消资格令（DO）制度，以遏制虐待动物及未尽照护责任相关罪行。

与此同时，动物与兽医事务处正在检讨其执法权力，以更好地处理涉及动物福利问题的个案。正在检讨的执法权力包括扣押与逮捕权力。

动物与兽医事务处亦在检讨较高风险宠物相关活动的执照制度，以及动物训练装置的使用。

b. 检讨预防与控制动物疾病的监管框架，并确保兽医健康产品质量

动物疾病预防与控制动物与兽医事务处目前正检讨疾病控制措施及上游疾病预防措施，以便更有效地预防与管理疾病传播，包括新型与新兴疾病。这包括检讨处罚措施，以遏制非法进口或转运动物及兽用生物制品。兽医健康产品（VHPs）兽医健康产品（VHPs）是指专为动物使用而制造并标注的健康产品，例如兽药及动物疫苗。动物与兽医事务处正检讨措施，以确保兽医健康产品的质量、可追溯性与安全性。这些措施可能包括建立执照制度及获批准兽医健康产品登记册，以有效监管兽医健康产品供应链。

动物疾病预防与控制

动物与兽医事务处目前正检讨疾病控制措施及上游疾病预防措施，以便更有效地预防与管理疾病传播，包括新型与新兴疾病。

这包括检讨处罚措施，以遏制非法进口或转运动物及兽用生物制品。

兽医健康产品（VHPs）

兽医健康产品（VHPs）是指专为动物使用而制造并标注的健康产品，例如兽药及动物疫苗。

动物与兽医事务处正检讨措施，以确保兽医健康产品的质量、可追溯性与安全性。这些措施可能包括建立执照制度及获批准兽医健康产品登记册，以有效监管兽医健康产品供应链。

在法令检讨中持续采取协作方式

动物与兽医事务处在本次检讨中采取协作方式。自2022年以来，我们已就动物疾病预防与控制的检讨领域（包括兽医健康产品的监管框架）与主要利益相关者进行接触。通过与各类动物领域利益相关者（例如兽医、食用动物农场、非食用动物农场、宠物相关企业、制药公司及相关机构）举行一系列小组讨论，我们收集了广泛建议与宝贵反馈，目前正研究并纳入法令检讨考虑。稍后今年，动物与兽医事务处将进一步与动物福利团体、宠物店、兽医及宠物业其他代表等利益相关者接触，听取他们在检讨动物福利与管理监管杠杆方面的意见与见解。

这与我们持续与利益相关者紧密合作的努力一致，以提升标准、更好地推广动物福利最佳实践，并在社群中倡导负责任的宠物饲养。