No person shall use any premises for the display, sale, distribution or export of pets without a valid licence from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) issued in accordance with the Animals and Birds (Pet Shop and Exhibition) Rules 2004.
In general, the following types of animals can be approved for sale in pet shops:
- Dog
- Cat
- Rabbit
- Guinea pig
- Hamster
- Gerbil
- Mouse
- Chinchilla
- Red-eared slider (a terrapin)
- Birds [Birds listed in the CITES Appendices must have papers]
- Fish [Fish listed in the CITES Appendices must have papers]
- Land hermit crab (Coenobita rugosus)
- Green tree frog (Litoria caerulea)
- Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) CITES Appendix II
The types of animals each pet shop can sell are listed on the shop's Pet Shop Licence.
All local aquarium shops/ fish farms holding a valid pet shop/ fish farm licence from AVA are allowed to sell captive-bred, second generation and beyond Dragon Fish, also known as Asian Arowana (Scleropages fomosus). In order to display and sell Dragon Fish, pet shops should comply with Condition 10 of the Pet Shop Licensing Conditions (5) - Display and Sale of Fancy Fish.
Applicants must comply with AVA's Conditions of Licensing. They are also encouraged to adopt the guidelines set out by AVA, which aim to enhance animal welfare and the professional standard of pet shops.
Click below for the detailed Conditions of Licensing.
Application for the Pet Shop Licence can be done on-line through the government's Online Business Licensing Service (OBLS) or it can be done manually by submitting the application and supporting documents to the Centre for Animal Welfare & Control, 75 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118507 (mailto: AVA_CAWC@ava.gov.sg).
| A. Submit documents from relevant authorities |
- URA (Development Control Division)
Required: Grant of Written Permission (for change of use of premises)
Tel: 6221 6666
Fax: 6227 4772
- HDB (Commercial Properties Department) *
Required: Letter of approval or no objection (for use of premises)
Tel: 1800 8663073
Fax: 6490 4848
- ACRA - Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority Singapore (formerly the Registry of Companies and Businesses)
Required: ACRA certificate or company bio-data printout *For HDB premises only
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| B. Provide owner / shop data |
- MEDISAVE statement
- Photocopy of NRIC (front & back)
- Copy of the tenancy / lease agreement for the shop
- Layout plan of the shop (showing layout of cages in the animal display area and location of quarantine area, exercise area, food preparation area, wash area, ventilation system, waste discharge system)
- Design and construction plans of the animal enclosures or cages
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| C. AVA inspection / processing procedure |
Processing will take up to three full working days as follows:
- Documentary evaluation
- Interview
- Inspection of premises
- A letter of approval will be given upon satisfactory evaluation of documents, interview and inspection
- The license will be issued upon the applicant signing a "Letter of Undertaking" to comply with the pet shop conditions and paying the licence fee.
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Notes to applicant:
- A non-refundable application fee of S$90.00 (+ GST S$4.50) is payable upon application
- Acceptance of application does not guarantee final approval
- No animals are to be displayed or sold before final approval
Pet shop licence fee: S$126 / annum
Application fee*: S$94.50
*The application fee is a one-time, non-refundable fee that is payable for all pet shop applications and for updates to pet shop licences requested by the licensee.
Our Contact
Please visit our Contact Info page
Feedback/Enquiries:
Please contact the AVA Contact Centre via 6325 7625 or AVA_Email@ava.gov.sg
Pet shop grading
AVA licenses the keeping and display for sale of pets to safeguard the welfare of animals. To raise the standards of animal welfare and professionalism of pet shops, AVA will grade pet shops according to their compliance with licence conditions and their adoption of best practices. The grading will give the public better assurance that the pet shop they patronise is of a good standard. The grading will also promote responsible pet ownership through better customer education and information dissemination.
Formal structured training for pet retail industry
In 2007, AVA introduced the Pet Shop Grading Scheme to raise standards of animal welfare and professionalism in the pet retail industry. Shops are inspected and given Grade A (the best grade) to D based on whether they comply with licence conditions and adopt best practices. From January 2010, to further enhance pet shop standards and competencies, operators of pet retail outlets will be required to attend compulsory structured training in pet animal management and welfare. The training will be conducted by course providers recognised by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA).
Temasek Polytechnic’s Professional Development Centre is the first course provider recognised to conduct the training. For information about the courses, the course fees and schedules, you may visit
http://www.tp.edu.sg/home/pdc/pdc_executive/exe-petcare-lecture-workshop.htm.
For more information on the courses or for clarification, you may call the Temasek Polytechnic, Professional Development Centre hotline at 6788 1212 or email pdc@tp.edu.sg or Ms Cady Tay at cadytay@tp.edu.sg.
