Be a responsible pet owner, take a stand against animal smuggling

You may have seen cute puppies and kittens frolicking in their cages in pet shops overseas or on social media platforms such as Facebook, Telegram and Chinese app Xiaohongshu.

The animals are small and adorable, and cost less than what they do in Singapore. Some may also think that they would make a great gift for Christmas. When an inquiry is made, the seller says the dog can be sent over within one to two weeks.  

The process seems fuss-free, but buyers may not be aware that the animals they have ordered are being smuggled into Singapore. Many buyers also make transactions over social media without ever having visited the pet shop in person. 

Pet smuggling is a hidden but growing problem globally. It is driven by demand for certain breeds, attractive prices and quick profits for sellers.

Sellers bypass the Animal and Veterinary Service’s (AVS) strict requirements and hide animals in modified vehicles to escape detection at Singapore’s borders.

These animals that enter the country have a dubious health history and come from unknown sources without an AVS import licence. Smuggled animals include kittens, puppies, rare songbirds and exotic animals. 

Harsh reality of animal smuggling

At the heart of animal smuggling lie acts of cruelty, underpinned by profit. Smuggled animals are often bred in inhumane conditions. In some cases, animals used for breeding may be kept in stressful, overcrowded conditions with little regard for proper care or socialisation. 

To escape detection at the borders, animals are often sedated and concealed in small cavities, such as in luggage or modified compartments of vehicles.

Birds may be squeezed into constrictive containers, such as narrow and long plastic pipes, to prevent them from flapping their wings.

Exotic wildlife are subject to similar forms of concealment.

As sellers wish to maximise their profits, they pack as many animals as they can into a small space with limited ventilation, with little care that it is inhumane and unacceptable to transport animals that way.

The animals that survive the initial journey may still suffer the effects of the ordeal and die within the following few days. 

Many smuggled animals may also be infected with infectious and contagious diseases, likely contracted from their place of origin or having caught the disease from one of the other animals they were in close contact with during transit.

An example is canine parvovirus. This is a highly contagious, often fatal viral disease that primarily affects young, unvaccinated dogs and causes severe vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration by damaging their intestines and immune system. As these smuggled puppies are unlikely to be vaccinated in the first place, many of them succumb to the disease and die.  

Another disease of concern is rabies, a zoonotic disease that also affects humans and is 100 per cent fatal once symptoms appear. Singapore has been free from rabies since 1953, a status maintained through strict import requirements and strategic ongoing vaccination programmes. 

Smuggled birds may also introduce high pathogenicity avian influenza to Singapore, commonly known as bird flu. It is a viral disease primarily affecting birds but, similar to rabies, is also zoonotic and can affect humans.

Keeping Singapore disease-free takes a lot of effort. The threat remains real as rabies and bird flu can be found in many neighbouring countries.

Animals that bypass Singapore’s import requirements pose a significant biosecurity risk. It is necessary for us to be vigilant to prevent any reintroduction of the virus. 

Source your pet responsibly

Being a responsible pet owner involves sourcing your pets from legal and reputable sources or animal welfare groups that prioritise proper socialisation and health screening.

Avoid impulsive pet purchases, especially during this festive season. 

If you are thinking about bringing a new four-legged friend into your life, take a moment to ask the right questions. Where did the animal come from? Are the papers in order? Is the seller reputable?

At the end of the day, people just want a happy, healthy pet – not a sick animal that had been confined to a small, stuffy space when it was transported across borders.

If you have information or evidence about suspected smuggling or illegal trade of animals, report it to AVS via

www.avs.gov.sg/feedback

,

 or call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

All forms of evidence are crucial to the process, and photographic and/or videographic evidence provided will be helpful in supporting investigations. 

Together, we can help put an end to this cruel trade.