People-centric approach needed for effective urban planning, says expert

LAURA ELIZABETH PHILOMIN Today Online 9 Jul 15;

SINGAPORE — When the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail terminal in Jurong is ready, it could bring about a much bigger transient commuter population in the area, and with it, implications on how to manage emergencies involving a crowd that includes travellers and workers who may be entering Singapore for the first time.

Such a scenario is one example of how urban planners must take a people-centric approach, and understand how the same built environment can impact different groups of people differently, or impact people differently over time. This is one way of ensuring that urban planning is effective, said Professor David Chan, director of the Behavioural Sciences Institute at Singapore Management University.

Elaborating on the Jurong example, Prof Chan said: “They are less familiar with the physical surroundings of the station than the regular commuter living in Singapore. So, the physical layout and urban forms in the surrounding area must be aligned with contingency plans for incident management during train disruptions.”

Emphasising that research and development should go beyond technical solutions and include social and behavioural sciences, Prof Chan, speaking at the Urban Sustainability R&D Congress today (July 9), said liveability is about people’s evaluations, experiences and encounters when they interact with their physical and social environments.

“That is why we need to better understand how people think, feel and act in different settings, and how these thoughts, emotions or behaviours may differ between groups or change over time. This means having social and behavioural scientists working alongside urban planners, architects, engineers and physical scientists to enhance people’s well-being and quality of life in urban settings,” he said.

There is also the need to anticipate how needs and wants may change over time and across demographic groups. “So, as we go around with our housing planning, (planting) of trees, don’t just take needs and wants reported in surveys as given. Think about how it can change, the different demographics, and how environmental change can actually influence people’s expectations,” he said.

For instance, the idea of living underground may meet some resistance as a result of Chinese superstitions, but a population can change in their beliefs with each successive generation, he said.

“You should ask the question, no matter how technical your study (or) project is: Can (I) actually make people have a more positive attitude about their life and living, as well as the experiences that they encounter?” he said.

While people can move between cities in a country, Prof Chan said Singapore is in a unique position where people who want a change of living environment would have to leave the country.

“Whether it is NParks, HDB or URA, what we can do better now is to create more emotional attachment and rootedness to the country for both citizens and non-citizens,” he said.

The two-day Urban Sustainability R&D Congress continues tomorrow.

Urbanisation specialist lists what it takes for S'pore to grow
Nikita Mathur The Business Times AsiaOne 10 Jul 15;

SINGAPORE - Singapore has done well to invest in its infrastructure and plan its land use, and may wish to look to other global cities for ideas on how to map its path for future growth, a senior fellow at Urban Land Institute (ULI) Europe said on Wednesday.

Mr Greg Clark said that, even as Singapore evolved into a model for urban development, urbanisation - the growth of populations in urban areas, away from rural ones - was taking place across the world.

Today, there are widespread concerns over how problems in growing cities can be tackled, he said, listing those Singapore will need to confront in order to continue growing.

Among those he listed were affordability (a by-product of success) and the polarisation of incomes.

Singapore will also have to address issues of crowding and rising expectations, along with the raising of investment rates and diversifying sources of capital.

Other areas that will need tending are the role of non-governmental partners, the calibre and reputations of the country's knowledge institutions, and the establishing of an innovation economy, as well as Singapore's role within urbanisation in Asia and the emerging Asian system of cities.

Mr Clark, an economist, social and political scientist who is a published author on city development and business investment issues, was speaking at an engagement session hosted by ULI, an independent, global, non-profit group that advocates responsible land use and the creation of thriving, sustainable communities worldwide.

On the issue of "densification" of cities, he noted that Singapore has taken forward the idea of a decentralisation by creating secondary centres outside the city centre "while retaining the DNA of the city".

He also noted that Singapore was very diversified, in that it is a centre for knowledge creation, science and R&D, but is also a corporate hub, a banking and financing centre and a visitor economy.

"For all cities, the thing is to match population size with the infrastructure platform that you have, so that people can live well and at the same time, to have the right population for the activities you want to perform internationally," he said.

ULI is supported by members representing the entire spectrum of real estate development and land use disciplines.

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S$6m awarded to four research programmes on energy efficiency

The projects focus on air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems and will take around two to three years to complete.
Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 9 Jul 15;

SINGAPORE: The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be awarding S$6 million to four research projects on improving the energy efficiency of buildings, announced Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee at the Urban Sustainability R&D Congress on Thursday (Jul 9).

The projects focus on air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems, which account for a major part of a building's energy consumption, and will take around two to three years to complete.

The amount was awarded under the authority's second grant call for the Energy Innovation Research Programme for Building Energy Efficiency.

BCA will also be launching the inaugural smart building technology research and development call, which aims to develop solutions for smart, green and healthy buildings. The call for proposals is open to the research community, including researchers in universities and Singapore-based companies.

It comes under the authority's Green Buildings Innovation Cluster programme, launched in September 2014, which has up to S$18 million allocated for research and development grant calls and collaboration projects.

The research community can also apply for the second call for proposals under the Land and Liveability National Innovation Challenge, which offers up to S$10 million for each project.

The challenge was launched by the Ministry of National Development and National Research Foundation in 2013. It seeks innovative solutions to improve the cost-effectiveness of underground developments, and the comfort and well-being of residents, such as those to reduce ambient temperature and noise levels of housing estates.

"Research and development has helped us overcome many challenges of the past, but more can and needs to be done, as we continue to face new challenges as we develop and grow," said Mr Lee. "For a small city-state like ours, this is especially key as no other country will face the pressures of urbanisation and scarcity of resources as keenly as we do."

"Smart building systems, according to some studies, can save as much as 20 per cent of the energy that is consumed in our buildings, and of course smart building systems can also help to make our buildings healthier and occupants more productive," added Mr Tan Tian Chong, group director for research at Building and Construction Authority.

REDUCING ENERGY NEEDED BY AIRCONDITIONERS

One of the four winning projects of the Minister for National Development's Research and Development Award was a system that could reduce energy needed by airconditioners by up to 35 per cent.

In the prototype, air is passed through membranes, where moisture is removed. The device also passes the air through a water-based cooling system that does not contain chemicals harmful to the environment.

Assistant Professor Ernest Chua, from National University of Singapore's Faculty of Engineering, explained: "If the indoor air is really humid, then the chilling system, the air-con system so to speak, has to take up a lot of energy to remove that moisture.

"But with this system, it basically de-couples the moisture-removal process and the cooling process, so the cooling system now is much more efficient because it does not have to remove the moisture from the air."

Asst Prof Chua also said care was taken to ensure the materials used are cost-efficient.

"This is a very low-cost manufactured membrane, so if you want to manufacture in terms of a couple of thousand pieces, we do not anticipate that the costs are going to be heavy," he said.

He added that large-scale testing is being carried out now and the system is expected to be available in the market in one to two years' time.

More than 700 people are expected to attend the two-day congress, including researchers, industry professionals and public agencies.

- CNA/ek/xq

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Indonesia: Javan rhino population declines in TNUK

The Jakarta Post 8 Jul 15;

The population of the Javan rhinoceros, which was earlier estimated at 60 rhinos, has declined as four rhinos had died in the period between 2011 and 2014, says Ujung Kulon National Park (TNUK) center head Mohammad Haryono in Serang, Banten, on Tuesday.

Based on monitoring conducted by TNUK by using 100 video camera traps from January until December, 2014, the current population of the Javan rhino is around 57, consisting of 31 males and 26 females, Antara news agency reported on Tuesday.

“This is not an ideal composition, which should be one male for every four females. This has caused slow population growth,” Haryono said in a public meeting about the Javan rhinoceros population monitoring result in 2014 organized by the TNUK center and attended by acting Banten Governor Rano Karno at the Banten gubernatorial office in Serang.

Regarding the causes of death, Haryono said they had likely died of diseases, other natural factors or by being killed by animals of prey, such as jungle dogs.

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UN Report Makes Economic Case for Conservation of Indonesia’s Forests

Daniel Waldroop Jakarta Globe 9 Jul 15;

Jakarta. The United Nations Office for REDD+ Coordination in Indonesia, or UNORCID, published a new study on the value of Indonesia’s forests this week, advocating that greater conservation was crucial to Indonesia’s economic success.

The report, “Forest Ecosystem Valuation Study,” was formally presented at a press conference on Wednesday to Nur Masripatin, director general for climate change control, on behalf of the minister of the environment and forestry.

Pavan Sukhdev, a UN Environmental Program goodwill ambassador who led the study, described the report as a “snapshot” of Indonesia’s forests.

“The report itself is not the goal of our work. The report documents what we have done to understand the value of ecosystem services across five provinces in Indonesia,” he said.

It also serves as an attempt to bring quantitative economic analysis to a subject that often puts its stock in the ideals of environmentalism rather than hard numbers.

“In addition to their ecological, cultural and spiritual value, forests play a critical role in sustaining national economies and supporting livelihoods through the ecosystem services and employment opportunities they provide,” said Achim Steiner, a UN under-secretary-general and executive director of the UNEP.

Compiled from a number of pre-existing papers as well as original research, the report focuses on the contribution of Indonesia’s forests to three areas: poverty alleviation, food security, and the transition to the green economy.

UNORCID estimates that 1.5 percent of Indonesia’s GDP comes directly from its forests, but emphasizes that the true value is even greater.

The report found that Indonesia’s rural poor, a group that has been stubbornly cut off from the nation’s average GDP growth of more than 5 percent over the last 15 years, remain highly dependent on forest ecosystems. Almost 80 percent of the incomes for the rural poor can be attributed directly to forest services, according to the study.

The logic of conservation, the report claims, is tied to economic growth as much as environmental values.

But not all were convinced. An audience member at Wednesday’s press conference disputed whether the conservation of Indonesia’s forests was as beneficial to Indonesia as it was to the rest of the world.

“We’ll help the world – if it also helps us,” he argued.

Sukhdev responded that his “objective is to change our understanding of what constitutes development.”

“To me, a reduction in income in the hands of farmers because the forest level has gone down and the fresh water level has gone down is not development,” he said.

The importance of the economic power of Indonesia’s forest resources was echoed by Nur of the Environment and Forestry Ministry.

“It is our hope that the results of this study will help Indonesia to achieve its green goals, through REDD+ implementation, by increasing awareness among politicians, at the national and subnational level,” she said.

But it will take more than awareness for Indonesia to maintain its forests. The report estimates that $600 million is needed to preserve the more than 160 million hectares of forest cover.

Satya Tripathi, the director of UNORCID, argued that it was well worth the cost.

“The cost of depleting the country’s natural resources has not only damaged the long-term prospects of economic growth, but the economic growth that Indonesia has now is at serious risk until we all work together,” he said.

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Global trends show seabird populations dropped 70 percent since 1950s

UBC research shows world's monitored seabird populations have dropped 70 percent since the 1950s, a stark indication that marine ecosystems are not doing well.
University of British Columbia ScienceDaily 9 Jul 15;

Michelle Paleczny, a UBC master's student and researcher with the Sea Around Us project, and co-authors compiled information on more than 500 seabird populations from around the world, representing 19 per cent of the global seabird population. They found overall populations had declined by 69.6 per cent, equivalent to a loss of about 230 million birds in 60 years.

"Seabirds are particularly good indicators of the health of marine ecosystems," said Paleczny. "When we see this magnitude of seabird decline, we can see there is something wrong with marine ecosystems. It gives us an idea of the overall impact we're having."

The dramatic decline is caused by a variety of factors including overfishing of the fish seabirds rely on for food, birds getting tangled in fishing gear, plastic and oil pollution, introduction of non-native predators to seabird colonies, destruction and changes to seabird habitat, and environmental and ecological changes caused by climate change.

Seabirds tend to travel the world's oceans foraging for food over their long lifetimes, and return to the same colonies to breed. Colony population numbers provide information to scientists about the health of the oceans the birds call home.

Albatross, an iconic marine bird that lives for several decades, were part of the study and showed substantial declines. Paleczny says these birds live so long and range so far that they encounter many dangers in their travels. A major threat to albatross is getting caught on longline fishing hooks and drowning, a problem that kills hundreds of thousands of seabirds every year.

"Our work demonstrates the strong need for increased seabird conservation effort internationally," said Paleczny. "Loss of seabirds causes a variety of impacts in coastal and marine ecosystems"

Seabirds play an important role in those ecosystems. They eat and are eaten by a variety of other marine species. They also transport nutrients in their waste back to the coastal ecosystems in which they breed, helping to fertilize entire food webs.

The study, published in PLOS ONE, is the first to estimate overall change in available global seabird population data. It is a collaboration between UBC researchers Paleczny, Vasiliki Karpouzi and Daniel Pauly and Edd Hammill, a lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney in Australia.

Journal Reference:

Michelle Paleczny, Edd Hammill, Vasiliki Karpouzi, Daniel Pauly. Population Trend of the World’s Monitored Seabirds, 1950-2010. PLOS ONE, 2015; 10 (6): e0129342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129342

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U.S. forecaster sees El Nino likely into Northern Hemisphere into spring

Chris Prentice PlanetArk 10 Jul 15;

A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday again extended its El Nino outlook, projecting an 80 percent chance that the much-watched conditions will continue into the Northern Hemisphere's early spring of 2016.

The Climate Prediction Center, an agency of the National Weather Service, said in its monthly report that it saw the likelihood that El Nino would last through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2015-16 at more than 90 percent.

There has been a growing consensus among forecasters for a strong El Nino, a weather pattern that can roil crops and commodities prices.

Last month, the CPC said El Nino was likely to last through the winter.

Across the contiguous United States, the effects of El Nino are likely to remain minimal through the summer and increase into the late fall and winter, the CPC said.

To read the full CPC report, click: 1.usa.gov/1ggMcrL

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Lisa Von Ahn)

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Seas could rise 6 meters even if governments curb warming: study

Alister Doyle Reuters 10 Jul 15;

Sea levels could rise by at least six meters (20 feet) in the long term, swamping coasts from Florida to Bangladesh, even if governments achieve their goals for curbing global warming, according to a study published on Thursday.

Tracts of ice in Greenland and Antarctica melted when temperatures were around or slightly higher than today in ancient thaws in the past three million years, a U.S.-led international team wrote in the journal Science.

And the world may be headed for a repeat even if governments cut greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming to a United Nations goal of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times.

"Present temperature targets may commit Earth to at least six meters sea level rise," the authors at the Past Global Changes project wrote. Some greenhouse gases can linger for centuries in the atmosphere.

Such a thaw would threaten cities from Beijing to London, and swamp low-lying tropical island states.

Lead author Andrea Dutton, of the University of Florida, said it could take many centuries for a six-meter rise, despite some ancient evidence that more rapid shifts were possible.

"This is a long-term projection. It's not going to happen the day after tomorrow," she told Reuters.

The United Nations' panel of climate scientists said in 2013 that global warming could push up world sea levels by 26 to 82 cm (10 to 32 inches) by the late 21st century, on top of a 19 cm gain since 1900.

Thursday's study, based on studies of everything from ancient ice to fossil corals, said sea levels rose by between six and nine meters in a warm period about 125,000 years ago when temperatures were similar to those of today.

Ocean levels gained between six and 13 meters 400,000 years ago when temperatures were up to about 1C warmer than present.

And in a warm period three million years ago, sea levels were also at least six meters higher than now. The ancient shifts were probably linked to natural variations in the Earth's orbit around the sun.

Last year, some scientific studies indicated that parts of West Antarctica's ice sheet had already passed a "tipping point", and were locked in an unstoppable long-term thaw.

"Tipping is not just a theoretical possibility, it is a reality," Ricarda Winkelmann of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research told a science conference in Paris.

(Additional reporting by Laurie Goering in Paris; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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Challenging for Singapore to find alternate energy sources: Shanmugam

Unlike countries like China and the United States, Singapore is unable to build facilities that can generate wind power due to land and space constraints, says Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.
Faris Mokhtar Channel NewsAsia 8 Jul 15;

SINGAPORE: It is a challenge for Singapore to find other alternative energy sources, according to Minister for Law and Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam.

Mr Shanmugam made this point on Wednesday (Jul 8) at the inaugural Asian Undergraduate Summit organised by the National University of Singapore Students' University Scholars Club. The summit brought together undergraduates from leading Asian universities to discuss regional issues.

Currently, Singapore is relying on fossil fuels and its usage exceeds that of other nations.

Mr Shanmugam said Singapore is unable to build facilities that can generate wind power due to land and space constraints. This is unlike other countries like China and the United States, which can cut back on their carbon footprint because they can generate alternative sources.

"For us, it's not a question of being more expensive. We just can't generate anything else. So, if they are internationally-binding norms and we're not exempted, that means a tremendous challenge for us. So, one of the things policy-makers are dealing with is to make sure that our case is heard. We are alternate energy-challenged,” Mr Shanmugam said.

It is also a challenge for ASEAN to have a seamless economic integration, he said, as countries within the region are at different levels of development, in areas such as economy and education. As such, Mr Shanmugam stressed that it is not possible to "immediately look at a complete or an even economic union".

Still, there are economic synergies in the region and benefits in making the flow of goods and services more seamless.

"But at the same time let me ask you, if you want to be completely seamless, are we in Singapore prepared for anyone in ASEAN to come and work here? And you'll know what will happen in that situation because our GDP per capita and our salaries are at such a higher level that we will not be able to cope,” said Mr Shanmugam.

“We still need to protect our sovereignty, identity and capacity. It's limited by those factors. And likewise every other country has areas that it feels it cannot give up yet. So, we are not quite the European Union (EU), we don't look at that kind of connectivity nor are we looking at that sort of movement of people. So, even on the economic front, you've got to be clear it is a modest aim,” he added.

- CNA/dl

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Indonesia: Land, forest fires continue to spread in Sumatra, Kalimantan

Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post 8 Jul 15;

Land and forest fires have continued to spread in Sumatra and Kalimantan over the past several days in the midst of the dry season, prompting local authorities to go all-out to curb the impact of the fires on local people and the environment.

In Jambi, local conservation initiative Muarojambi Bersepakat Movement (GMB) reported on Tuesday that fires had started in Pematang Damar forest in Maro Sebo district, Muarojambi regency, over the past several days, burning some 10 hectares of the forest, which serves as a conservation area for various rare orchid species.

GMB deputy chairman Adi Ismanto said the flames came from a number of areas around the forest, including Jambi Tulo, Mudung and Bakung.

“Pematang Damar forest is surrounded by fire. Unless something is done about it, the forest will be burned to the ground in just a few days,” he said.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Jambi on Tuesday spotted 29 wildfires across the province, 14 of which were detected in Muarojambi, six in East Tanjungjabung regency, five in Tebo regency and four in Sarolangun regency.

“Of the 29 hot spots, 14 have a confidence level of over 70 percent, meaning that they are almost surely on fire,” Jambi BMKG officer Dian Anggaraini said.

In anticipation of haze, East Tanjungjabung Regent Zumi Zola Zulkifli said his administration had prepared 20,000 face masks to be distributed to local residents.

“We have also prepared paramedics,” he said, adding that he had instructed all district chiefs in the regency not to leave their respective jurisdictions and to anticipate land and forest fires.

The dry season normally takes place between April and September. The BMKG, however, recently warned that the dry season could last longer this year as a result of the El Niño weather phenomenon, whose effect will last until November.

In Pekanbaru, Riau, many people in the city were seen donning masks to prevent them from inhaling haze-filled air triggered by forest and land fires from several areas in three neighboring provinces, including Jambi.

“I’m wearing a mask because the air is not fresh as it is polluted with smoke from land fires,” 57-year-old Idral, a local resident, said on Tuesday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Acting Riau governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman has also called on locals to join hands in preventing land and forest fires as the dry season could last until the end of the year.

In Pontianak, West Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. Arief Sulistyanto has instructed local police chiefs to deploy personnel to help local people extinguish land and forest fires that have began to occur in a number of regencies over the past week.

He said that based on his own observation, no district or subdistrict administration agencies were participating in ongoing fire-fighting efforts.

West Kalimantan Provincial Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) data showed that six hot spots had been spotted by Saturday.

The number increased to nine on Sunday, four of which were spotted in Kubu Raya regency. The remainder were in Sambas, Bengkayang, Landak and Melawi regencies.

Agency head Sustyo Iriyono earlier said that, as of Monday, the four fires in Kubu Raya had not been extinguished.

“A plantation company has also asked us to help extinguish fires on its plantation over fears that it would not be able to do so,” he said as quoted by Antara.

Haze blankets parts of Sumatra
Zubaidah Nazeer Straits Times 9 Jul 15;

Forest fires in Sumatra have intensified, with a thick haze enveloping parts of the island, prompting local officials to distribute masks.

"The acrid smell is getting bitter this evening. We feel like the haze is coming stronger on us. It is worse now than hours ago," Pekanbaru resident Didik Herwanto told The Straits Times yesterday evening.

Visibility at the Pekanbaru airport in Riau province yesterday morning was as low as 600m, resulting in one flight being diverted to Batam.

Said Mr Sugarin, head of the meteorological office at the Pekanbaru airport: "A flight was diverted to Batam this morning as we had fog and haze. Visibility at 7am was 600m, but it gradually recovered to 1,500m at 8am, and to 9km at around noon."

The situation seems to have worsened, ahead of a government effort to expand cloud-seeding operations to southern parts of Sumatra today. Cloud-seeding over central parts of Sumatra have been ongoing for over two weeks.

The forest fires come as Indonesia enters its dry season, with concerns that an El Nino phenomenon could worsen this. Rainfall is expected to be minimal in provinces like Riau.

Meteorologists say the wind direction determines whether the haze will be blown to Singapore.

In this case, winds are blowing from south to north, causing Singapore's PSI reading to climb into the moderate range.

While Mr Sugarin notes that the situation in Riau is improving, he blames neighbouring provinces for the haze, saying most of it was due to fires burning in southern provinces like Jambi and South Sumatra.

However, South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin refuted this.

"There is a lot of the blame game going on, but we prefer to tackle the problem and talk less," he said, adding that he would officiate the beginning of cloud-seeding over his province today.

Hot spots in South Sumatra dipped to 27 from 34 a day earlier, though he admits this is no guarantee there will be no fires or haze.

The governor was speaking on the sidelines of an event held in Jakarta, where he announced that he is working with Asia Pulp and Paper to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in South Sumatra.

In Jambi, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency spotted 29 wildfires across the province on Tuesday, reported the Jakarta Post. Local conservation initiative Muarojambi Bersepakat Movement (GMB) said fires had started in Pematang Damar forest in Muarojambi regency, burning some 10ha of land.

The forest serves as a conservation area for various rare orchid species.

"Pematang Damar forest is surrounded by fire. Unless something is done about it, the forest will be burned to the ground in just a few days," GMB deputy chairman Adi Ismanto was quoted as saying.

Dr Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, said the authorities will step up water-bombing operations to help douse fires, as a way of complementing the cloud-seeding efforts.

"Water-bombing operations have been carried out using two helicopters from private plantation companies. We will soon rent helicopters to beef up the operations," he told The Straits Times.

•Additional reporting by Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

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Following ACRES report, AVA conducts probe into local pet shops and farms

In unannounced inspections, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore looked into conditions such as the size and flooring of enclosures, availability of drinking water, and the display of a pet shop grade decal, the agency said on Tuesday (Jul 7).
Channel NewsAsia 7 Jul 15;

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) conducted an investigation into pet shops and farms which allegedly exhibited poor licensing practices, in response to a Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) report in May which highlighted 31 pet farms and pet shops in Singapore that were said to have committed such offences.

AVA’s unannounced inspections took into account licensing conditions such as the size of enclosures or cages, flooring of cages, availability of drinking water, and the display of a pet shop grade decal, the agency said in a press release on Tuesday (Jul 7).

According to ACRES, nine pet shops and 10 pet farms infringed size conditions of enclosures or cages. AVA found one pet farm which failed to satisfy the size requirements and has recorded and issued a warning letter against the licensee, directing him to rectify the non-compliance.

ACRES’ video evidence also showed that two dogs were kept in cages that appeared to be too small for them. However, AVA’s investigation revealed that these cages were not used to display dogs for sale, but used for a short duration before or after their grooming sessions. AVA verified that dogs in another shop were allowed to roam freely in a display area and were only kept in cages for short periods during housekeeping.

ACRES observed that one pet shop and one pet farm did not provide drinking water for the puppies displayed in the enclosures. However, AVA found that both retailers gave water to the puppies at regular intervals, every 30 to 60 minutes.

In addition, AVA inspectors asked these retailers to provide water to random puppies to see if they were thirsty. The inspectors observed that the puppies did not drink the water immediately, suggesting that they were not thirsty or dehydrated.

AVA found that seven of the 13 pet shops identified by ACRES did not display their pet shop grade decal. At the point of AVA’s inspection, the other six pet shops highlighted in ACRES’ report displayed their decals prominently. The seven pet shops which had failed to do so now display their decals, said AVA.

In its press release, AVA thanks ACRES for its report on its discreet observations on the ground, and encourages such groups and the general public to ensure observance of proper standards by pet shops and farms.

“AVA will continue with our regular inspections on pet shops and farms, to ensure that they comply with our licensing conditions. We are exploring working with animal welfare groups to conduct mystery audits on pet retailers,” said AVA.

Any person with feedback to give can reach AVA at 1800-476-1600 if they come across any errant pet shop or farm.

- CNA/eg

AVA inspects 31 pet retailers after ACRES report
CONSTANCE YEO Today Online 8 Jul 15;

SINGAPORE — The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has conducted unannounced inspections of 31 pet shops and farms that allegedly breached or failed to meet licensing conditions, and found that most of them had satisfactory conditions, save for some “minor lapses”.

The inspections were in response to an investigative report by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) in May, following a two-month-long undercover operation. In its report, the society said several pet shops had failed to provide basic animal welfare, such as lacking adequately sized enclosures for dogs and cats, proper flooring conditions and sufficient clean drinking water.

ACRES highlighted nine pet shops and 10 pet farms with enclosures and cages that were too small for pets.

Of these 19 pet retailers, seven complied with size conditions set by the AVA, said the authority.

The other 12 had cages that were slightly smaller than required sizes, but except for one retailer, the rest provided sufficient room for pets to move around comfortably, lie down and stretch, said the AVA in a media release today (July 7).

ACRES had earlier submitted video evidence showing two dogs kept in cages that appeared to be too small for them.

The AVA’s investigation revealed that these dogs had not been not kept in these cages for prolonged periods, but for short durations before or after their grooming sessions. This is similar to the arrangement adopted by owners when transporting their pets in pet carriers.

As for flooring, ACRES had identified 14 retailers that did not provide floor mats as required under the AVA’s licensing conditions for pet cages, which might trap the animal’s feet.

In response, the AVA said it allows some variation with regard to alternative flooring, provided that it is firm and comfortable for the animals without potentially hurting their limbs. Two of the 14 retailers had failed to use acceptable alternative flooring, it said.

ACRES had also pointed out one pet shop and one pet farm that did not provide drinking water for puppies displayed in their enclosures. However, the AVA’s inspections found that both retailers had provided water for the puppies at regular intervals.

On the problem of some shops failing to display their grade under the AVA Pet Shop Grading Scheme, six of the 13 retailers identified by ACRES displayed their pet-shop grade decal at the time of the AVA’s inspections. The other seven that failed to do so now display their decals prominently.

Following its probe, the AVA said “one pet shop and two pet farms have been warned to rectify non-compliances that are more significant in nature as they may potentially impact animal welfare”.

In response to TODAY’s queries, ACRES said today that it is heartened that animal welfare in pet shops and farms has improved, and that those who had breached licensing conditions have been warned by the AVA.

ACRES’ chief executive Louis Ng said: “We will continue working closely with AVA ... If further breaches are found in the same pet shops or farms, we hope stronger penalties will be meted out, which will serve as a greater deterrence.”

ACRES will continue with undercover investigations to ensure animal-welfare standards are met, he added.

Animal abuse probed
Foo Jie Ying The New Paper AsiaOne 10 Jul 15;

Animal welfare group Acres’ undercover investigation revealed that some pet shops failed to meet the conditions for basic animal welfare by providing cages that are too small.

Photo: Animal Concerns Research and Education Society

The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) released an explosive report in May detailing infringements in the pet trade here.

The animal welfare group found that 31 out of 41 pet retailers flouted pet shop and farm licence conditions.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) says that the situation is not as dire and it has warned just a pet shop and two pet farms.

1. CAGE SIZE

What Acres found: Nine pet shops and 10 pet farms with enclosures or cages infringed the size conditions.

Under AVA's pet shop licence conditions, the length of the cage must be at least two times the length of the animal.

The width should be at least 1½ times the length of the animal, and the height must allow the animal to comfortably stand upright on its hind legs.

Acres also had video evidence of two dogs kept in cages that looked too small for them.

What AVA found: Out of the 19 pet retailers identified by Acres, 12 had cages "slightly smaller than the required sizes".

A pet farm licensee was served a warning letter as AVA found the cages did not allow the animals to move around and stand comfortably.

As for the video released by Acres, AVA found that the pet shops had only housed the animals for a short period, either before or after their grooming sessions, or during housekeeping.

2. CAGE FLOORING

What Acres found: Five pet shops and nine pet farms failed to provide floor mats for the pet cages as prescribed in the licensing conditions.

AVA requires pet shops to line cages with floor mats that provide firm and comfortable support for the animals.

If the cage floor is made of thin wire, or if the wire mesh has gaps bigger than 1cm by 1cm, the mats must cover at least half the floor.

What AVA found: Only one of the pet shops and one of the pet farms identified by Acres used "unacceptable alternative flooring".

This may potentially impact the welfare of animals, and the licensees involved have been served warning letters, AVA said.

3. HYDRATION

What Acres found: A pet shop and a pet farm did not provide drinking water for the puppies displayed in the enclosures.

An Acres investigator previously told The New Paper that he saw the puppies panting heavily, an indication that they were not given enough clean drinking water.

AVA requires clean drinking water to be provided at all times.

What AVA found: Both the pet shop and pet farm gave water to the puppies at ½-hour to one-hour intervals. When AVA inspectors asked the retailers to provide water to random puppies, they did not drink the water immediately, suggesting that they were not thirsty.

4. PET GRADE DECAL

What Acres found: AVA introduced a Pet Shop Grading Scheme in 2007 to raise standards in the pet retail industry.

Pet shops are graded from A to D based on their compliance with licence conditions and their adoption of best animal welfare practices.

Acres investigators observed that no pet shop decal was displayed in 13 pet shops.

What AVA found: Only seven pet shops out of the 13 that Acres identified did not display their pet shop grade decals. The decals in these pet shops are now displayed.

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