Singapore’s veterinary sector has grown considerably over the past two decades, driven by a rise in pet ownership and increasing expectations from pet owners that their animals receive professional medical care. In fact, one in three households in Singapore owns a pet.
Currently, the existing regulatory framework is administered by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) under the National Parks Board (NParks), which requires veterinarians practising in Singapore to comply with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians and be up-to-date with continuing professional education (CPE). However, there is no dedicated professional regulatory body and standardised disciplinary framework for the profession.
On 8 April 2026, Parliament passed the Veterinary Practice Bill (VPB), which will provide the legal foundation for a Veterinary Council and address gaps in existing legislation by covering professional registration, education and discipline of veterinarians. The new Veterinary Council will stand as a statutory professional regulatory body for veterinarians in order to regulate the profession and raise industry standards.
Before diving into the key features of the VPB, it is important to note that the VPB does not directly address animal welfare laws. The welfare of animals in Singapore continues to be governed by the Animal and Birds Act 1965, which provides for measures pertaining to the general welfare and improvement of animals, the prevention of cruelty to animals, and the control of disease. Separately, the Code of Animal Welfare, administered by AVS, sets out minimum standards for animal housing, management, and care for both pet businesses and pet owners.
This article provides an overview of the VPB, the gaps it addresses in the existing framework, and what it means for key stakeholder groups, such as veterinarians and pet owners.
What are the Key Features of the Veterinary Practice Bill?
Establishment of the Veterinary Council
The most significant feature of the VPB is the establishment of the Veterinary Council as a new statutory professional regulatory body for veterinarians. The Council will replace AVS as the primary regulator of professional conduct for veterinarians and will serve as the central authority for registration, certification, and disciplinary matters. Its responsibilities include:
- Maintaining a register of veterinarians and specialists
- Issuing practising certificates
- Setting CPE requirements, accrediting training programmes, and regulating the standards of conduct and ethics of registered veterinarians
- Refer cases to either the:
- Complaints Assessment Committee to investigate the conduct of the veterinarian
- Disciplinary Committee if the vet has been convicted of an offence involving fraud, dishonesty or implying a defect in character, or
- Interim Orders Committee to review whether to make an interim order against the veterinarian pending inquiry into the case
- To coordinate, supervise, and appoint members of the Complaints Panel, Complaints Assessment Committees, Disciplinary Committees and Interim Orders Committees (the Committees)
Members of the Council will be appointed by the government and may include the Director-General, Animal Health and Welfare or a representative, the president of the Singapore Veterinary Association or a representative, and the Registrar. In addition, at least four fully-registered veterinarians (with at least one having ten or more years of experience as a veterinarian), and two laypeople must be appointed to the Council.
Members of the Committees will in turn be drawn from either a Complaints Panel appointed by the Council, or from both the Complaints Panel and the Council.
New registration framework for veterinarians
Under the VPB, all practising veterinarians must be registered with the Veterinary Council and hold a valid practising certificate. The VPB introduces a three-tier registration framework:
| Registration Tier | Whom it covers | Requirement |
| Full Registration | Most practising veterinarians, including those with widely-recognised overseas veterinary degrees | Must hold a prescribed qualification in veterinary medicine from a recognised university. Generally, veterinary degrees from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States are recognised. |
| Restricted Registration | Veterinarians with other qualifications employed for niche purposes such as zoo or research work | Must be specifically employed in a Council-recognised establishment, under conditions imposed by the Council |
| Specialist Registration | Veterinarians with advanced postgraduate qualifications in a specific branch of veterinary medicine | Must hold an approved postgraduate degree or demonstrate special knowledge and skill in the relevant specialisation |
Existing AVS-licensed veterinarians will be migrated into the new registration framework when the Council is established without disruption to practice.
Regulation of veterinary practice scope
One of the most striking aspects of the VPB is its prohibition on the practice of veterinary medicine by unqualified individuals. Under the VPB, no individual may practise veterinary medicine in Singapore unless they are a registered veterinarian. An individual who contravenes this provision faces a maximum fine of $50,000 or jail time of up to 12 months, or both.
Similarly, an individual who is not a duly qualified veterinarian but who falsely pretends to be one, practises under the title of a veterinarian, or advertises themselves as a veterinarian, will also be guilty of an offence carrying the same penalties.
Importantly, veterinary students and other paraprofessionals (such as veterinary nurses and technicians) are not prohibited from performing limited veterinary functions, provided they act under the supervision of a duly qualified veterinarian and in accordance with any prescribed conditions. In time, the VPB is expected to be extended to regulate veterinary nurses and other animal healthcare professionals, though this has not yet been implemented.
Clearer disciplinary and complaints framework
Prior to the VPB, complaints against veterinarians were handled solely through an internal review process administered by AVS, without a formal legislative framework. The AVS handles general animal issues in Singapore and is not a dedicated body that regulates the professional standards of veterinarians in Singapore. For instance, the AVS handles issues on wildlife management, pet licensing, importing and exporting, management of community cats, and animal cruelty.
The VPB now introduces a structured, multi-tiered disciplinary process starting from the filing of complaints, investigation, different outcomes of disciplinary proceedings, to appeals of outcomes. It also implements the establishment of a Veterinary Council that will mainly oversee the regulation of professional standards, registration, conduct and discipline of veterinarians.
Any person may bring a disciplinary case against a registered veterinarian by making a complaint against the veterinarian to the Council. Each disciplinary case must be made in writing, supported by a statutory declaration, and be accompanied by relevant documents.
Investigations of complaints will then be handled by a Disciplinary Committee through a formal inquiry. During the inquiry, the Disciplinary Committee may appoint an independent expert and/or a lawyer to prosecute the disciplinary case or advise on legal matters relating to the case.
The Disciplinary Committee may make the following findings about the veterinarian:
- The veterinarian has previous criminal conviction(s) involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude (for example, being convicted of cheating money)
- The veterinarian has been convicted of an offence implying moral shortcomings that make him or her unfit to practise veterinary medicine (for example, animal abuse)
- The veterinarian has been guilty of professional misconduct
- The veterinarian is guilty of conduct that negatively impacts the reputation of the profession
- The veterinarian’s quality of professional services fell below the standard reasonably expected of a veterinarian (for example, leaving a pet in unsanitary conditions for a period of time that is unacceptable)
- The veterinarian’s fitness to practice veterinary medicine is impaired by his or her physical or mental condition
- The veterinarian has contravened an interim suspension order against him or her. Interim suspension orders are suspensions that may be imposed on a veterinarian for up to 18 months if the Interim Orders Committee is satisfied that it is in the public interest, it is in the interests of animal health or welfare, or it is in the interests of the veterinarian
If so, the Disciplinary Committee may make one or more of the following orders:
- Cancellation of registration
- Suspension of registration for up to 3 years
- Financial penalty of up to $50,000
- A formal reprimand or warning to the veterinarian
- For the veterinarian to give an undertaking that he or she will abstain from the conduct complained of
- Further education or retraining
- Conditions imposed on the veterinarian’s registration
If the accused veterinarian, complainant, or the Council is dissatisfied with the order(s) made by the Disciplinary Committee, they may appeal to the General Division of the High Court within 30 days of service of the notice of the order.
Raising professional standards
The VPB places a strong emphasis on maintaining and raising the professional standards of veterinarians. The Council is empowered to set and update professional standards, codes of conduct and ethics, and CPE requirements. The Council also chooses which veterinary training programmes to accredit to ensure the quality and consistency of veterinary education.
Practising certificates can only be granted or renewed if the veterinarian complies with all prescribed CPE requirements. The Veterinary Council will provide more clarity on these requirements when ready. In other words, if you are a veterinarian who does not meet the CPE requirements set by the Council, you may find your practising certificate refused or cancelled, and you would no longer be permitted to practise.
Safeguards for fairness
To ensure that the outcome of a complaint is fair, certain safeguards have been implemented in the VPB. For example, committee members involved in earlier stages of a disciplinary case must not sit on a subsequent committee for the same case. This helps to mitigate potential conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality in reviewing disciplinary proceedings.
In addition, a Complaints Assessment Committee must include a layperson, and a Disciplinary Committee must include two laypersons (a legal professional and an observer). This is so as to represent public interest and ensure accountability.
What are the Implications of the Veterinary Practice Bill?
For veterinarians
Veterinarians will face greater regulatory oversight and higher compliance obligations. They must register with the Veterinary Council, hold valid practising certificates, and comply with CPE requirements to maintain their licence to practise. Breaches of professional conduct will be subject to formal disciplinary proceedings with clearly defined outcomes, including financial penalties of up to $50,000, suspension, or cancellation of registration.
During the parliamentary debate of the VPB, Members of Parliament also raised concerns about the manpower pipeline for veterinarians. As Singapore does not offer a veterinary degree locally, all of Singapore’s veterinarians are trained overseas. Burnout and long hours are also pushing Singaporean veterinarians to seek work in Australia or the United Kingdom. In view of this, Parliament has stated that AVS and the Council will work with the Ministry of Education and institutes of higher learning to develop veterinary education and training in Singapore.
For pet owners
Pet owners stand to benefit significantly from the new framework. The registry of qualified veterinarians will allow pet owners to verify the qualifications and registration status of any veterinarian treating their “fur babies” through a public register. The formalised complaints process also gives pet owners a more transparent and accessible avenue to raise concerns about the professional conduct of veterinarians.
For example, if you are a pet owner who is concerned about the treatment your dog received at a veterinary clinic and feel that the care provided fell below an acceptable standard, you will soon be able to bring a formal complaint directly to the Veterinary Council, whose main purpose is to regulate professional standards of veterinarians. This is opposed to the current practice of bringing a complaint to the AVS, which also handles cases on general animal welfare in Singapore and is not a dedicated body that oversees the regulation of the veterinary industry.
During the parliamentary debate, concerns about the affordability of veterinary care and the lack of fee transparency across clinics were raised. From 2022 to 2023, vet fees rose by up to 20%. In spite of this, the Council will not be regulating veterinary fees – instead, pet owners are reminded to practise preventive care and consider pet insurance to manage costs.
For the veterinary industry
The creation of the Veterinary Council signals the professionalisation of the veterinary sector and aligns Singapore with international regulatory standards. Professional bodies similar to the Veterinary Council exist in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom (the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) and Australia (the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council), where such bodies play a central role in registering practitioners, setting professional standards, and handling disciplinary matters.
The introduction of the specialist register also reflects the growing complexity of veterinary medicine in Singapore, including the rise of specialised surgical and medical services for animals. The formal recognition of veterinary specialists through registration will give pet owners greater clarity on which veterinarians have advanced training in particular areas, enabling them to seek more appropriate and specialised care for their animals.
For pet groomers and dog trainers
Currently, pet groomers and trainers are only required to abide by the Code of Animal Welfare, a set of minimum standards and best practices regarding animal care, such as housing, feeding and transport. These standards and best practices are only guidelines for how pet groomers and trainers should behave, and there is no legal requirement for pet groomers to be professionally trained or certified.
That said, Parliament is currently reviewing the penalties for animal welfare offences and the licensing regime for pet sector activities such as pet grooming. The ongoing review of the Animals and Birds Act and the Code of Animal Welfare may address this gap.
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The Veterinary Practice Bill represents a significant step forward in Singapore’s regulation of the veterinary profession. Its key features are: the establishment of the Veterinary Council as a dedicated professional regulatory body, a three-tier registration framework for veterinarians (full, restricted, and specialist), and a structured disciplinary process with clearly defined penalties.
For veterinarians, the VPB means higher compliance obligations and clearer accountability. For pet owners, it means greater assurance of professional standards and a formalised avenue to raise complaints. For the industry as a whole, it represents a much-needed professionalisation of a sector that has grown rapidly in recent years.
If you have questions about the impact of the VPB on your practice or business, a lawyer can advise you on compliance with the new registration requirements, continuing education obligations, and disciplinary processes. For veterinarians who are facing or anticipate facing disciplinary proceedings, we recommend that you engage a lawyer to advise on your rights and represent you at Disciplinary Committee hearings. For pet owners who wish to bring a formal complaint against a veterinarian, a lawyer can also assist in preparing and presenting the complaint to the Veterinary Council in order to achieve justice for your fur child.
If you wish to speak to a lawyer, you may use our Find a Lawyer service here.
