Debated in Parliament on 9 Sep 2024.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in the past year, how many requests for enforcement action has NEA received for (i) pet defecation and (ii) pet urination in common areas of HDB estates; (b) how many times has NEA taken enforcement action against pet owners who fail to clean up after their pets in such areas; (c) whether there are any regulations that require owners to clean up pet urination; and (d) if not, whether the Ministry will consider introducing such regulations.
Not cleaning up after one's pet is an irresponsible behaviour that impacts public hygiene. Members of the public who fail to clean up after their pets defecate in public areas, can be fined under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations.
In 2023, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received about 670 cases of feedback on pet defecation and urination in HDB estates. For feedback received, public education efforts were conducted, including putting up standees at prominent locations to remind pet owners to clean up after their pets. Due to the transient nature of the offence, enforcement is challenging. Over the same period, NEA took one enforcement action against a pet owner who failed to remove and dispose of faecal matter deposited by the pet.
My Ministry regularly reviews the regulations and there are currently no plans to require pet owners to clean up pet urination. The main approach to tackling the issue of pet defecation and urination has been to foster a culture of responsible pet ownership. NEA and the National Parks Board work with community leaders and Town Councils to educate pet owners on the "do's and don'ts" of being a responsible pet owner. I urge all pet owners to be considerate and exercise care when walking their pets, so that we can keep our environment clean and hygienic.
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