Under para 3(1) of the Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules, no person can keep a dog over 3 months old without a licence. The licence is issued by the Centre for Animal Welfare and Control (CAWC) under the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority. Each address cannot have more than 3 dogs. Only 1 toy-dog is allowed for HDB residential flats.

Licences have to be renewed yearly and only allow the dog to be kept at the specified address. The CAWC must be informed if:-

1. there is a change in ownership of the dog;
2. there is a change in address where the dog is kept; or
3. if the dog is lost or has died.

CAWC can impose conditions to the licence. The usual one are that:-

1. The licence badge (which is issued when the dog is first registered) must be securely attached by means of a collar to the neck of the dog;
2. The dog must be on a leash and properly controlled in a public place;
3. The dog should not be allowed to stray;
4. Dogs should not be allowed to cause a nuisance eg soiling the environment, excessive barking, harassing passers-by, chasing vehicles, biting etc;
5. Breeds that are considered dangerous or potentially dangerous (generally called Category A and Category B Breeds listed under Parts I and II of the Schedule to the Rules) must also be muzzled and leased in a public place.

Additional conditions may be imposed as circumstances require. A breach of any of the conditions can result in a S$500.00 fine, revocation of the licence or non-renewal of the licence.

The Licence Fees are as follows:-

• for male dogs, whether sterilised or not - S$14 per year
• for sterilised female dogs - S$14 per year
• for non-sterilised female dogs - S$70 per year

Licences can be renewed at CAWC, by post or online using the electronic Dog Licensing System.

Category A Breeds

Category A breeds (under Part I of the Schedule):-

• must have a ear tattoo or other permanent marking (ie a microchip implant);
• must be sterilised if over 6 months old;
• requires the owner to take out a 3rd party insurance cover of not less than $100,000.00;
• requires the owner to give security deposit of cash $5,000.00, which shall be forfeited if the dog is allowed in a public place otherwise than on a leash and securely fitted with a muzzle sufficient to prevent it from biting a person or if the dog is reported lost. The deposit will be refunded when the dog dies or is no longer in Singapore.

Since August 1991, no Category A breeds are allowed to be imported into Singapore.

A list of the Category A Breeds are:-

1. Pit Bull (includes American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog).
2. Akita
3. Neapolitan Mastiff
4. Tosa
5. Crosses of Pit Bull, Akita, Neapolitan Mastiff or Tosa

Category B Breeds

Category B breeds can be imported into Singapore. However in addition to the usual conditions to the licence, they must be muzzled and leased when in a public place.

A list of the Category B Breeds are:-

1. Bull Mastiff
2. Bull Terrier
3. Doberman Pinscher
4. German Shepherd Dog or related Shepherd Dog breeds
5. Rottweiler
6. Perro de Presa Canario

Dogs In HDB Flats

Under the Housing And Development (Animals) Rules, only 1 dog of the specified breed (generally considered as toy-dogs or their crosses) is permitted in HDB residential flats. Under the AVA guidelines, the cross-breeds must stand at 40 cm or less at the shoulders and weighs 10kg or less.

The approved toy-dog breeds are:-