Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) officers routinely check on cases of dog owners who have failed to renew their dog licences. Keeping a dog without a valid licence is an offence. The maximum fine upon conviction is $5,000.

Dog licences are valid for a year. Dog owners are responsible for ensuring that their licences are renewed annually. AVA sends renewal notices to dog licensees prior to the expiry of the licences to remind them to renew their licences on time. As there are more than 50,000 licensed dogs in Singapore, it is not cost-effective for repeated reminders to be sent.

Our records show that a renewal notice was sent to Ms Chua on May 21 last year, prior to the expiry of her licence on June 7. We regret that she did not receive the notice. However, as this is the first time that Ms Chua has failed to renew her dog licence, we are prepared to compound the offence and offer a composition sum of $100.

Arising from revisions to the Dog Licensing Rules which came into effect on Sept 1, a dog licence which is not renewed by the due date would be deemed to have expired. Owners with expired dog licences will have to apply for a new licence.

In line with the revised regulations, all newly licensed dogs have to be microchipped. Dog owners were informed of these changes by mail in early August last year. As Mr Poh's case fell within this category, he was compounded $20 as he applied for a new licence shortly after the expiry of his dog's licence.

We thank the writers for their feedback.

Goh Shih Yong

Assistant Director

Corporate Communications

for Chief Executive Officer

Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority