Singapore....
 

Keep that dog licensed, leashed and muzzled, or be prepared for penalties with ten-fold more bite.

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From Sept 1, dog owners may be fined up to $5,000, instead of the current maximum of $500, if they do not license their dogs, put a leash on them or — if its a so-called "dangerous breed" such as pit bull, mastiff, Doberman, German shepherd or Rottweiler — muzzle them in public spaces. Repeat offenders of the muzzle rule could be fined up to $10,000.

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The new regulations are being introduced by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to manage the canine population and encourage responsible pet ownership.

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While rules such as compulsory microchipping may cheer animal activists, the enhanced penalties and licensing fees have stirred some disgruntlement.

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"It's prejudiced against certain breeds and not fair to responsible dog owners who train their dogs well to be obedient, and allow them to socialise," said Mr Rajvinder Singh, a financial planner who has kept Dobermans for 20 years. Dogs not required to be muzzled by law, he pointed out, are just as likely to bite.

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"Some smaller dogs, like schnauzers, are aggressive and may bite people if their owners don't control them," he said. "They should just punish irresponsible dog owners."

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The steep fine will keep Mr Ronald Rajan, who has a German shepherd, from flouting the muzzle rule. But he sees no need for it. "Has there been any serious attacks here lately?"

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While the AVA has not noticed an increase in attacks from such dogs, a spokesperson said: "The maximum fine is to deter owners of such dogs from acting irresponsibly."

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All dogs that are licensed from Sept 1 will also have to be implanted with micro! chips, making it easier to track down their owners if they are lost or abandoned.

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This is a move that animal activists have called for to discourage pet dumping. But Action for Singapore Dogs president Ricky Yeo stresses that enforcement is necessary.

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"I would say only one-third of the dogs in Singapore are licensed. Even though the rule is that dogs have to be licensed at the point of sale, pet-shop owners don't usually follow that. Conscientious owners do so on their own," Mr Yeo said.

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A group licence fee will be introduced for those who keep dogs on registered farms for breeding, boarding and training, and the amount will vary between $650 and $3,500, depending on the number of pets.

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Owners who board more than three dogs also have to pay a licence fee of $175 per dog for the fourth and subsequent dogs.

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But what of volunteer-run animal rescue groups that either have their own kennels or board them at commercial farms?

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Mr Yeo hopes such fees will be waived as "we are doing a public service". In response to queries, the AVA said such groups can write in to appeal for a waiver.