SPCA and Acres call for stronger legislation, greater animal welfare education in new White Paper

Acres and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) are calling for enhanced animal welfare education and stricter legislation against animal cruelty in a joint White Paper released on Tuesday (Aug 26).

Amid the increase in animal cruelty cases reported annually, the two non-profit organisations have set out 15 recommendations across four areas of focus to strengthen protections for animal welfare.

According to SPCA's Animal Cruelty & Welfare Report, animal cruelty cases hit a 12-year high in 2024, with 961 confirmed incidents, up from 915 in 2023 and 511 in 2022.

The White Paper, uploaded to both SPCA and Acres' respective websites, features recommendations "informed by an extensive and comprehensive study of the animal welfare landscape" that were guided by public feedback through various platforms in 2024.

Kalai Vanan, CEO of Acres, said: "Progress must go hand in hand with compassion, and this responsibility lies with all of us — from government agencies to NGOs, and every member of the community.”

4 focus areas

The milestone White Paper focuses on four areas to enhance animal welfare protection in Singapore: improving understanding of animal welfare, improving legislation and policies for animal welfare, introducing measures to enhance protection for companion animals, and enhancing protection for wildlife in Singapore.

Notable recommendations among the 15 include strengthening the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) curriculum to include animal welfare as part of the Character and Citizenship Education lesson plans and imposing a minimum age requirement of 16 years old to purchase all pets.

The White Paper also recommends increasing penalties for offences under the Animals and Birds Act on neglect of and cruelty to animals, while also recommending long-term rehabilitation plans to provide alternative sentencing options where increased penalties alone may not effectively deter animal abuse and cruelty.

Under current legislation, first-time offenders who illegally import animals face a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or a jail term not exceeding 12 months.

The White Paper recommends increasing the fine to a maximum of $50,000 per animal, and raising the jail term to a maximum of four years, citing "the suffering inflicted on the animals and the potential costs to society".

"Animal welfare is not just a policy issue, it’s a shared responsibility and a reflection of who we are as a society," Walter Leong, executive director of SPCA said, adding that animal welfare groups need enhanced support from the Government to supplement their groundwork.

Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan also responded to the White Paper on Tuesday morning, saying that he had a "good discussion" with Acres and SPCA last month regarding recommendations in their White Paper.

"We appreciate their thoughtful suggestions on how we can further strengthen animal welfare in Singapore, and are studying the White Paper's recommendations as part of our ongoing review of the Animals and Birds Act," he said, adding that while there are some recommendations that can be adopted, others will require more time for deeper evaluation before implementation.

[[nid:718114]]

dana.leong@asiaone.com