SINGAPORE - Pet owners whose animal companions are in need of a trim will be able to do so from June 2, although aspiring pet owners wishing to buy new furry friends will have to wait.
The National Parks Board (NParks) released more information about pet-related services that are allowed to resume next month on Wednesday (May 20), a day after the Government outlined a road map for Singapore's transition out of the circuit breaker measures currently in place.
Basic grooming services, such as the maintenance of skin and fur, teeth brushing for dental hygiene, the emptying of anal glands and medicated baths can be offered again, although the cosmetic styling of pets' fur and spa baths remain prohibited.
Pets will also be allowed to go for physiotherapy or rehabilitation sessions, although owners will need a referral from a veterinarian to certify that the treatment is necessary, either for the management of chronic joint and muscle conditions or as part of post-surgery recovery.
Non-essential services like pet sitting, daycare for animals, walking, boarding and the sale of pets are still not allowed.
Despite such continued restrictions, owners of pet establishments are still relieved that there is some easing, saying that they are particularly worried that pet grooming has been neglected by owners in the last two months.
Ms Lauren Shen, manager of Art of Pets Grooming School, said grooming is about the health and hygiene of the animals rather than how they look.
"Singapore is hot and humid. Dogs here do require more grooming than in colder climates... Not grooming them frequently enough affects their health and hygiene and is actually a form of neglect and abuse."
She said dogs, for instance, require basic grooming preferably every two weeks. In the past month, the 38-year-old said she had been giving her customers advice on how best to cope without professional grooming.
"We have advised them not to cut (their dogs' fur) but instead brush them and keep them unmatted. Some customers require their dogs have skin treatments weekly to maintain healthy skin. Some dogs are too aggressive to be handled by the owner," said Ms Shen.
Ms Maeve Suar and Mr Desmond Chan, founders of Bubbly Petz and Hey Good Cat, said they are looking forward to re-opening because business has been drastically affected due to revenue coming mostly from grooming services.
They too have been fielding questions from pet owners about grooming in recent weeks, and have conducted live question and answer sessions online and made grooming video tutorials.
"We will be implementing a slew of measures, such as having our groomers wear face guards, temperature taking for all, and limiting the number of people at any one time (in the grooming studios). These require the cooperation from anyone coming into our premises," they said.
With Singapore seeking to gradually reopen the economy without a resurgence of coronavirus cases, NParks reiterated that measures in place now need to be eased in a "careful and calibrated manner".
Pet establishments do not need to apply for exemption to reopen but must put in place safe management measures, such as staggered appointments and split-team arrangements for staff, to minimise crowding and ensure proper hygiene.
