Frequently Asked Questions
I think a particular pet store is selling dogs from puppy mills. How can I find out?
Almost all pet store puppies in Singapore come from puppy mills¹. As a general rule of thumb, responsible and ethical breeders do not sell their puppies to pet stores. These breeders will usually meet their buyers in person, or at least have some kind of direct contact with them before handing the puppy over. This is to ensure that the puppies go to good homes². You can request for paperwork identifying the puppy’s breeder and origins from the store. If this request is refused, consider this a big red flag. If the paperwork is produced but there is no contact information of the breeder/kennel, it is likely that the puppy came from a puppy mill³.
Do not take information at face value, probe deeper into the origins of the puppy and insist on understanding its background, its parents’ background, and the early socialisation that was provided. If these questions are not answered sufficiently, do not proceed with the purchase.
Isn't it against the law to sell a sick puppy?
While there are guidelines by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) (formerly handled by AVA before 2019), pet stores are often not inspected or persecuted for selling sick animals⁴. In most instances, an investigation will only be conducted when there has been complaints of a particular business breaching licensing conditions. There is a guideline that states “There should be documentation to show that the animal’s parents and grandparents have been tested (where possible) to ensure that they are free of genetic problems”⁵. However, this is often ignored or covered up by providing proof of “health checks”. Most puppy purchasers also neglect to inquire about this important piece of information, and so pet shops happily evade having to explain themselves. (Read more at Puppymills in Singapore on this website)
Most often, businesses will offer the buyer a refund, another puppy, or reimbursement of veterinary bills up to a certain amount. However, many purchasers would focus on saving the animal that they had already fallen in love with. A common and not unfounded fear is that the pet store will simply put the puppy to sleep rather than investing more money to restore its health. Families are also often not willing to accept another puppy from the same store, fearing another heartbreak.
Example: A 3-month old puppy purchased from Ericsson Pet Farm died 8 days later from parvovirus. The business refused to be held responsible, citing the sales agreement signed upon purchase. The purchaser took the farm to court after intensive research about parvovirus. She won the case, receiving $2500 which was the cost of the puppy. It was not persecuted by any governing body and did not receive any fines or disqualification from operating.⁶
You may view the licensing conditions for animal related businesses here:
What about anti-cruelty laws? Don't those affect puppy mills?
Again, although AVS guidelines are intended to prevent neglect and mistreatment of animals, most large-scale breeding facilities and pet stores continue to operate in ways that disregard these rules. In many cases, the dogs and puppies are kept in physically and emotionally damaging conditions under which an individual pet dog would never be allowed to suffer. Investigations and punishment are seldom meted out as long as the dogs have the rudimentary basics of shelter, food, and water. (Read more at Puppymills in Singapore on this website)
Example: A 3-month old puppy purchased from Ericsson Pet Farm died 8 days later from parvovirus. The business refused to be held responsible, citing the sales agreement signed upon purchase. The purchaser took the farm to court after intensive research about parvovirus. She won the case, receiving $2500 which was the cost of the puppy. It was not persecuted by any governing body and did not receive any fines or disqualification from operating.⁶
¹Tuck Wah, Siew, (2018). If everyone detests puppymills, why do they still exist? Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/everyone-finds-puppy-mills-repulsive-why-do-they-still-exist-10314926
² Retrieved from https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-find-responsible-dog-breeder
³Retrieved from https://www.petful.com/pet-health/westminster-dog-show-controversy/
⁴Ming En, Siau (2017). Today Online, 'Pet Farm Owner fined $180,000, disqualified from running animal-related businesses. Retrieved from https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/pet-farm-owner-fined-s180000-disqualified-running-animal-related-business
⁵ Retrieved from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/avs/-/media/avs_-caw-pet-industry-full-(eng).pdf
⁶ https://www.asiaone.com/News/The%2BNew%2BPaper/Story/A1Story20090212-121503.html