Proposal for New Committee to Study Enthanasia of Healthy Pet Dogs

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang 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.

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