I AM very heartened that the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) did a recent survey on living conditions of animals in pet shops and farms ("Pet shops, farms 'falling foul of AVA licence rules'"; yesterday).
For years, I have been giving feedback to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) about how animals are being kept in small cages in most pet shops, but would always receive the standard reply: "The animals are found to be in satisfactory condition."
It was so discouraging that I stopped giving the AVA feedback for three years.
Recently, I tried calling the AVA again, thinking that the greater public awareness of the importance of animal welfare in Singapore may have brought about some changes.
I called to alert them about rabbits being kept in fish tanks in pet shops, but received the same reply as before. Such enclosures may give buyers the impression that rabbits can be kept in fish tanks at home.
I hope Acres' survey will bring to the forefront the appalling conditions pet shops house their animals in.
Lee Shook Thim (Madam)
