Dr Janil Puthucheary asked the Minister for National Development (a) how effective are the control measures taken by his Ministry on stray dogs; (b) how is the effectiveness of these measures measured; (c) what are the factors that affect the effectiveness of these measures; (d) what other methods apart from culling can be taken to control the population of these dogs; and (e) whether changes to existing practices will be implemented to prevent attacks of stray dogs.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The objective of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA)'s control measures on stray dogs is to keep the stray dog population in check, with a view to ensure public health and safety. Stray dogs are potential carriers of rabies and they can also pose a threat to public safety, especially when they are in a pack.

Upon public feedback, AVA will round up and impound the stray dogs. AVA works with the animal welfare groups, such as the Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to sterilise and re-home stray dogs which are suitable for adoption. As there are more strays than potential adoption homes, an inevitable control measure is to put the strays down humanely.

In recent years, the total number of stray dog-related complaints has decreased from 1,722 in 2006 to 1,400 in 2011. The number of stray dogs impounded has dropped from 4,173 in 2001 to 1,523 in 2011.

AVA alone cannot fully address the stray dog problem. We intend to explore further with concerned stakeholders how best to improve the re-homing process. We also hope to tackle the issue upstream at source. We believe that responsible pet ownership by the community is key. Pet owners must be responsible and must not abandon their pet dogs, leading to more strays. Feeding of strays is also not encouraged as this can lead to uncontrolled population growth if the strays are not sterilised.

There will be a number of initiatives that we would be exploring this year. I intend to build on existing outreach and explore new ways to manage this space effectively.

Written Answers to Questions

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