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Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS)

Buying from a pet shop

How to buy from a reputable pet shop and what animals are allowed for sale in Singapore

Last updated 17 December 2025

Buying a pet 

Do your research and check on the reputation of the pet shop that you are intending to buy the pet from by reading their reviews. Ensure that you get a healthy pet through legal means from licensed pet shops. A full list of the licensed pet shops is accessible for the public here. 

Only patronise responsible pet shops which comply with the necessary welfare conditions. 

A healthy pet should be in good physical condition. Here are some signs of a healthy pet: 

  • The animal stands and moves naturally and comfortably. 

  • The animal's eyes, ears, and nose are free from excessive discharge. 

  • The animal's coat appears clean, and there is no obvious hair loss. 

  • The animal does not scratch or chew on itself excessively. 

  • The animal is free from external parasites such as fleas and ticks. 

Potential pet owners must be assessed by pet retailers on their suitability to care for a pet. This is done through a pre-sale screening process where both buyer and retailer complete the Pet Purchase Declaration (PPD) form [PDF, 83KB].  

Those buying a dog or cat will have to complete the online PPD via the Pet Animal Licensing System (PALS) at pals.avs.gov.sg when the retailer transfers ownership of the dog or cat upon completion of the sale.  

Animals allowed for sale 

The following animals are allowed for sale in pet shops:

Companion animals

  • Dogs 

  • Cats 

  • Rabbits 

  • Guinea pigs 

  • Hamsters 

  • Gerbils 

  • Mice 

  • Chinchillas 

Under the Wildlife Act, a person must not offer for sale or sell any wildlife except with the Director-General, Wildlife Management’s written approval to do so. Subject to the conditions listed below, the following wildlife species are approved by the Director-General to be sold or offered for sale: 

Wildlife

  1. Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)  

  1. All birds except house crow (Corvus splendens), white-vented or Javan myna (Acridotheres javanicus), common myna (Acridotheres tristis), feral pigeon (Columba livia), and birds which are prescribed as protected wildlife species  

  1. All fish except piranhas and fish which are prescribed as protected wildlife species  

  1. Land hermit crabs (Coenobita rugosus)  

  1. Moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)  

  1. Green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea)  

  1. American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus)  

  1. Crab-eating frogs (Fejervarya cancrivora)  

  1. Malayan box turtles (Cuora amboiensis)  

  1. Tubifex worms (Tubifex tubifex)  

  1. Blood worms (Chironomidae and Glycera spp.)  

  1. Daphnia (Daphnia spp. and Monia spp.)  

  1. Sea monkeys (Artermia spp.)  

  1. House crickets (Acheta domesticus)  

  1. Mediterranean two-spot crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus)  

  1. Mealworms and superworms (Tenebrio molitor and Zohobas moria)  

  1. Black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens)  

  1. Earthworms  

  1. Sarong worms (Diopatra neapolitana)  

  1. Microworms (Panagrellus spp.)  

  1. Camponotus irritans  

  1. Meranoplus bicolor  

  1. Odontoponera denticulata  

  1. Odontomachus simillimus  

  1. Tetraponera rufonigra 

Conditions for wildlife species 1 to 9

  • These species can only be sold by a pet shop or farm (as defined under the Animals and Birds (Pet Shop and Exhibition) Rules and Animals and Birds (Licensing of Farms) Rules respectively), or a licenced importer under the Animals and Birds Act. 

  • The pet shop, farm, or importer must hold a valid pet shop, farm or import licence (as the case may be) under the Animals and Birds Act and comply with all conditions of the respective licence. 

  • The pet shop, farm, or importer must have a CITES permit or Certificate of Origin in respect of the wildlife which is listed in the CITES Appendices.