Anti-Pet Rules Dog Singaporeans

The woman’s voice broke when she answered a phone call about a newspaper ad offering her family’s 3-year-old German shepherd to a good home.

“We love our dog so much, but neighbors reported on us and we must give it away,” said Anlita, a working mother of three. “The kids are terribly upset. But we have no other choice.”

It was a classic case of civil disobedience gone bad, Singapore-style. By keeping a large dog, the family was breaking the law.

This small Southeast Asian island state is one of the world’s 10 richest nations, but official statistics say only 4% of its households have dogs, making a walk in the park with Fido a rare sight.

The reason is that restrictions on pets are just as tight, if not tighter, than Singapore’s better-known bans on littering, spraying graffiti, chewing gum, jaywalking, spitting on the sidewalk or even failing to flush public toilets.

Hit especially hard are residents of the government-subsidized apartment complexes that are home to almost 80% of Singapore’s 3 million people, including Anlita’s family.

The whole cat species is forbidden to tenants of such housing, although a number of stubby-tailed strays live on the streets, meowing for handouts and scavenging in plastic trash bags outside restaurants.

Only “toy” breeds of dogs are allowed, and no more than one per apartment. They must not bark excessively and always must be leashed when outside. Fines for keeping an unlicensed dog or letting it run free can cost hundreds of dollars.

Cats are totally forbidden because of their inclination to get outside and roam about, officials say. Parts of apartments, such as storage rooms or even kitchens, generally do not have closed windows, so it is almost impossible to keep a cat inside.

The few Singaporeans who live in private homes can keep larger dogs. But for some breeds, such as mastiffs or bulldogs, owners must take out a 100,000 Singapore dollars ($67,000) liability insurance policy against any potential damage to people or property.

Officials say the pet laws prevent uncontrolled breeding and help keep the city clean.

Deirdra Moss of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the law reflects Singapore’s “highly organized” society.

“Even many people who love animals don’t keep them,” she said. “And that is a pity, because pets are great stress relievers.”

James Tan, a property agent, would like to keep a cat, but he and his girlfriend live in a subsidized apartment.

“The Singapore authorities have no heart for cats and dogs,” he said. “It’s a cruel policy.”

“We need public pressure to change that,” Tan added. “There are many cat lovers in Singapore, but very few will stand up and fight for animals’ rights.”

But it seems that some Singaporeans, known for their respect of the law, have found one they like to neglect--although most people interviewed for this story asked to be identified only by their first names for fear of getting in trouble.

Young people crammed into Joy Doggy’s, one of the few shops that sells puppies, rubber balls and other canine paraphernalia, on a recent afternoon. Most puppies were toy breeds, and tiny but temperamental Jack Russell terriers seemed especially popular.

Donovan, a business student, was about to buy another Jack Russell. He already has one at home--unregistered, he said, because he didn’t know about the law.

Anlita, owner of the soon-to-be-evicted German shepherd, chose to disregard the rule that permits only toy breeds.

“Maybe one day we’ll get a smaller dog,” she said wistfully.