Woman fined for unlicensed pet farming, dog ownership

ALFRED CHUA Today Online 14 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE — A pet-shop owner was fined S$11,000 on Wednesday (June 14) for operating a pet farm without a licence and keeping unlicensed dogs.

Last month, Lin Xiaoqun, 39, a Singapore permanent resident, was charged with operating a farm without a valid pet-farm licence, given that she was breeding puppies for sale at her pet shop.

She also faced charges of owning dogs without a licence — the prosecution proceeded with five charges, and four others were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Lin is the licensee of Ethans Pet Resort, a pet shop located in Farmart Centre at Sungei Tengah near Choa Chu Kang.

On Feb 3, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) conducted an unannounced inspection of her pet shop and found several dog kennels in a room at the back of the premises.

There were 10 adult dogs, including a female Shiba Inu, and four puppies being kept there. These dogs were not part of the pet shop’s official records, which is a list of all the dogs for sale that pet shops have to maintain, as required by the authority. Nine out of the 10 adult dogs were also not licensed.

Upon questioning, Lin admitted to using the 10 adult dogs for the illegal breeding of puppies for sale on the premises.

She also voluntarily surrendered the 10 dogs and four puppies to the officers.

The authority said in its latest statement yesterday that it had worked with its partners to “successfully rehome” all the dogs and puppies.

A pet-farm licence is required to breed dogs for sale. Anyone found guilty of operating an unlicensed pet farm can be fined up to S$10,000 and/or jailed up to 12 months.

All dogs belonging to owners must be licensed by the AVA. Anyone found guilty of keeping unlicensed dogs can be fined up to S$5,000.


Woman fined S$11,000 for keeping farm, 9 dogs without licence
Lianne Chia Channel NewsAsia 14 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: A 39-year-old woman was fined S$11,000 on Wednesday (Jun 14) for illegally breeding puppies in her pet shop and keeping nine dogs without licences.

Lin Xiaoqun pleaded guilty to one charge of keeping a farm without a licence, and five charges of keeping unlicensed dogs, including a chow chow and shiba inu. Another four charges of keeping unlicensed dogs were taken into consideration in her sentencing.

The dogs were discovered by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) in a routine inspection on Feb 3 at Lin’s shop, Ethans Pet Resort, in Sungei Tengah. While the place was licensed as a pet shop, AVA discovered that Lin had also been using the premises to breed puppies, said AVA prosecutor Yap Teck Chuan.

Nine adult dogs that were unlicensed and used for breeding were found in individual kennels behind the pet shop. The dogs were segregated according to their breed, and there were also four puppies below three months of age in an individual kennel.

In asking for the fine, Mr Yap said it was “fortuitous” that the AVA inspectors had chanced upon the dogs, adding that AVA would not be able to check on the welfare of the dogs if they were not licensed.

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Lin, who was unrepresented in court, asked the judge for a lighter fine. Speaking through an interpreter, she said she was breeding puppies to sell as her business had “run into difficulties” and she had not been able to sell her dogs, but had to provide food for them. She added that she currently has no income.

Anyone found guilty of operating an unlicensed pet farm can be fined up to S$10,000, jailed up to 12 months or both. Those convicted of keeping unlicensed dogs can be fined up to S$5,000.