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SINGAPORE – Pet owners in Singapore will benefit from a new set of vaccination guidelines to help keep their cats and dogs healthy.
The 2020 Singapore vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats were unveiled by Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How in a Facebook message on Wednesday (November 18).
Tan said that pets need to be vaccinated, adding: “(The new guidelines) are backed by strong scientific evidence and show the importance of vaccination for our companion animals to help them gain immunity to fight or defend against the vaccine. preventable diseases “.
Produced jointly by the National Parks Board (NParks) Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) and the Singapore Veterinary Association, the guidelines aim to raise standards of medical care for cats and dogs, in the face of increasing numbers of owners of pets and increased movement of pets. across borders.
According to statistics published in the guidelines, Singapore’s pet population has increased over the years, and the number of licensed dogs increased by almost 20%, from 59,000 in 2011 to approximately 70,000 in 2019. Some were imported. 2,000 pets in 2018.
The guidelines come at a time when concerns about animal-to-human disease transmission are high due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which originated in animal vectors before jumping to humans.
“It is also important to recognize that animal health is closely related to public health, and that prevention of zoonotic diseases in animals will greatly reduce the risk of disease spread to humans,” said Dr. Yap Him Hoo, CEO of NParks AVS. , on Wednesday.
Veterinarians say the launch will help better inform the public about vaccines, which is crucial given an increasing number of pet owners oppose vaccines. These people are known as anti-vaccines.
“In the last three or four years, I have had to deal more and more with clients who are anti-vaccine. Instead of referring to sources they are not familiar with, I can now cite an authority that the public respects,” said the Dr. Arman. Chen, a 36-year-old vet and practice manager at Gaia Veterinary Center.
Veterinarians also say that the new rules will have a concrete impact on the welfare of animals in shelters, where many animals are in close contact and disease can easily spread.
Dr. Chow Haoting, 31, a substitute veterinarian for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said: “In recent years, we have had some outbreaks of disease in various shelters that a proper vaccination schedule could have avoided “.
While welcoming the new guidelines, Dr. Chen recommended that measures for the euthanasia of pets be introduced as well.
He said clear guidelines will help minimize disputes with the public like those that happened with the controversial euthanasia of Loki, a dog whose death on April 20 sparked public outrage and a four-month investigation by the AVS.
“The guidelines for this controversial area will show the layman how we make our decisions,” said Dr. Chen.
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