Channel NewsAsia 5 Sep 12;
SINGAPORE: The Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee (AWLRC) is launching an e-consultation on the Singapore government's REACH portal from Wednesday to October 5, 2012.
The aim is to seek views from the public on strengthening Singapore's animal welfare legislation.
The AWLRC was set up to review the current legislations on animal welfare, recommend to the government amendments to strengthen the legislations on animal welfare, and recommend approaches to enhance stakeholders' collaboration on animal welfare.
The AWLRC is chaired by Yeo Guat Kwang, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC and member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for National Development.
The AWLRC comprises MPs Gan Thiam Poh and Alex Yam, as well as community grassroots leaders, and representatives from the animal welfare groups, pet industry, and the veterinary profession.
As part of the review, the AWLRC initiated a consultation process to take into consideration Singapore society's expectations for animal welfare, the diverse views of the various stakeholders, and strike a balance between animal welfare, safeguarding of public safety, and other competing interests.
The AWLRC has held six consultation sessions from May to July 2012 involving more than 170 participants from the industry, grassroots leaders, veterinarians, and animal welfare groups and activists to seek views from these stakeholder groups.
Members of the public can access the e-consultation via www.reach.gov.sg.
- CNA/cc
Give your views on animal welfare law
Straits Times 6 Sep 12;
MEMBERS of the public can now have their say on whether animal welfare legislation should be strengthened.
The Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee has launched a month-long online consultation forum to obtain feedback on the issue.
The public can visit the Government's Reach portal - www.reach.gov.sg - to share their views on animal welfare legislation from now until Oct 5.
Member of Parliament Yeo Guat Kwang, who heads the committee, said last month the majority of 170 people consulted by the committee were in favour of tougher penalties.
Those whose opinions were sought included vets, pet-shop operators and members of animal welfare groups. But some of them advocated educating wrongdoers instead.
It was suggested that those who are ignorant of proper animal care could do community service with animal welfare groups.
Animal abusers can now be fined up to $10,000 and be jailed for a year. The calls for tougher penalties follow a rise in the number of cases of animal cruelty.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it received 1,027 reports of animal cruelty from the public last year - a 10 per cent increase from the previous year.
The Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee, which was formed this year and comes under the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development, will present its recommendations on legislation to the Government by the end of the year.
AMELIA TAN
