Govt to build rental facilities for pet farms, animal shelters at Sungei Tengah

SINGAPORE — New facilities will be built in Sungei Tengah by the end of next year, offering space for rent by operators of animal shelters and pet farms at Loyang and Seletar, most of whose leases expire by then, said the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Monday (Nov 21).

With the new facilities, which will be along Sungei Tengah Road and opposite Farmart, operators would not have to raise a lump sum to buy land and construct their own facilities, as is common now.

The design specifications of the new space is still being worked out, but to maximise the use of land, the buildings will be two storeys tall — the current premises at Loyang and Seletar are one-storey. Common facilities, such as dog runs, could also be built for tenants to further optimise land use.

The AVA, which will manage the new facilities, said there will be sufficient space for between 6,000 and 7,000 animals currently housed by the affected operators in Seletar and Loyang. There are nine animal welfare groups, 29 pet farms and several independent shelters there.

Most of their leases expire at the end of next year because the land they are sitting on has been earmarked for redevelopment, but specific plans have not been announced yet.

In response to queries, a spokesperson from AVA said: “The priority is to house the existing animals in Loyang and Seletar. We can consider leasing to other animal welfare groups and pet farms in other areas in future if there is sufficient space left over.” Asked about rental prices, the spokesperson said it will be pegged to recovering the cost of land, construction, maintenance, facilities management and other costs.

For animal welfare groups and independent shelters, a “rough ballpark we have now is about S$13 per sqm per month”. The cost will depend on the final design and contractor’s tender prices, added the AVA spokesperson.

Pet farm operators will have to tender for the units and their rentals will be based on their bids. While they were happy to hear of the relocation option, some of the affected animal welfare groups and pet farms raised concerns about space for the animals.

Mr Mohan Div, co-founder of Animal Lovers League shelter, which houses about 500 dogs and cats at Pasir Ris Farmway 3, said it would take time for the animals to adjust, as they are used to roaming freely in the open space at their current premises.

“It’s the light at the end of the tunnel with (this) and a real blessing financially ... (but) we do prefer an open-farm concept ... where animals get to walk around and mingle (with visitors),” he said.

Previously, he considered tendering for a piece of land with some other groups but acknowledged that cost would be a concern.

Another operator of a pet farm, which houses about 1,000 animals, wanted to know about the tenancy terms and the space available before he makes a decision. The operator, who declined to be named, said that with animals housed in closed quarters, it could be a problem if there was an outbreak of a disease.

Ms Elaine Tan, a boarder at Ericsson Pet Farm, wondered if there would be flexibility in customising space for animals.

Voices for Animals president Derrick Tan said he was happy that the authorities were stepping in to provide an option for operators who would otherwise have to find new premises themselves.

“We were worried about (finding where) to house these animals ... (especially) with land being very expensive in Singapore,” he added.