Ensuring Debarking or Declawing Procedures Are Carried Out by Veterinarians with Due Justification

13 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development (a) how does the Ministry determine whether debarking or declawing procedures have been carried out by veterinarians with due justification; (b) whether veterinarians are required to keep records of the justification for carrying out debarking and declawing procedures; and (c) apart from receiving reports on veterinarians carrying out such procedures without due justification, how does the Ministry enforce the requirement on veterinarians to carry out such procedures only as a last resort.

Mr Desmond Lee: Veterinarians licensed by the National Parks Board (NParks) are subject to licensing conditions, which stipulate compliance with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians (Code). Under the Code, debarking and declawing procedures should only be performed as an alternative to euthanasia. Veterinarians should first advise pet owners of non-surgical treatment options and must be satisfied that all reasonable efforts have been made to manage dog barking or cat scratching behaviour before performing such procedures. Veterinarians must also keep proper medical records of all veterinary activities, which include discussions of treatment options.

To ensure that veterinarians comply with all prevailing regulations, NParks carries out regular inspections at veterinary centres, which include reviewing medical records. Failure to do so constitutes a breach of licensing conditions and warrants appropriate enforcement action.