PUBLISHED ONAugust 28, 2026 11:05 AMBYSean LerThe Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) on Friday (Aug 28) launched a set of guidelines for animal shelters — establishing benchmarks and examples of best operational practices — to safeguard animal welfare.
Sharing this on Friday at Paws in the City — AVS' first adoption drive held in the city — the agency said the guidelines were developed with inputs from animal groups, veterinarians, trainers and members of the public.
More than 600 responses were received during the public consultation, AVS added.
Acknowledging that animal groups and shelters have established themselves as key stakeholders in the pet sector, AVS said the 15 animal groups operating shelters in Singapore — known to AVS — play an important role in the care and rehoming of pets.
However, while they have developed their respective welfare practices over the years for the housing, care and rehoming of animals, there are no benchmarks for shelter operational practices in Singapore, AVS noted.
"The new Guidelines for Animal Shelters seek to build on these efforts by providing benchmarks and examples of best operational practices that can be adopted by animal shelters, while taking into account the diverse operating models and circumstances of different shelters," the agency said.
The guidelines covers four key sections: management of animal shelters, animal housing and environment, animal management, and animal healthcare.
Under the management of animal shelters section, the guidelines set out the standards for accountability, record-keeping, staffing, training, security, emergency preparedness, resource management, and other operational considerations.
For animal housing and environment, the guidelines cover the environmental conditions and housekeeping required at shelters.
In terms of animal management, it sets out best practices in diet and feeding, food preparation, activities to promote well-being, and handling and transport of animals.
The last area on animal healthcare covers health checks and recording, disease prevention and access to veterinary attention and treatment.
AVS said that it will conduct briefings and continue engaging shelters to support the adoption of the guidelines, gather feedback, and inform future refinements.
Launched in 2018, the Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) programme for free-roaming dogs, has since seen about 4,500 free-roaming dogs enrolled under the programme as at July this year.
This represents about 80 per cent of free-roaming dogs, exceeding the initial target of 70 per cent.
Of these, more than 65 per cent have been rehomed, fostered or sheltered.
AVS said it has also worked with animal groups to rehome over 2,700 local mixed-breed dogs under the Project for Adoption and Rehoming.
Under the project, dogs that could be rehomed were released at suitable locations where they could continue to be cared for by community caregivers.
The agency said that it will continue to work closely with animal groups, groups, caregivers, and community partners to maintain the high sterilisation rate as the programme now enters its maintenance phase.
It will also support rehoming efforts to ensure that Singapore's free-roaming dog population continues to be managed in a humane and sustainable manner.
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