2002/03 Annual report - Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore

of the imported marine fish surveillance
to cover fish from Indonesia, Malaysia,
and Thailand.
Laboratory Testing
In total AVA’s Central Veterinary Laboratory
(CVL) conducted 167,273 laboratory tests
in FY02/03 to detect and identify diseases
in animals and birds.
Ever vigilant for effective disease detection
techniques, AVA embarks on research
investigations in collaboration with both
local and overseas institutes. At the end
of 2002, antibodies to BTV, an Office
International des Epizooties-List A
disease, were detected in the sera of both
zoo and farm ruminants which were sent
for testing overseas. Polymerase Chain
Reaction (PCR) and viral isolation
techniques were established at the CVL
to continue surveillance on BTV.
PCR techniques were also developed
for the detection and identification of
E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni
and C. coli, atypical aquatic
mycobacteria (Mycobacterium marinum,
M. fortuitum and M. chelonae),
Streptococcus inaie, pathogenic
Leptospira spp. and Ehrlichia canis, a
haemoparasite of dogs.
Testimony to CVL's continued high
laboratory standards was its successful
participation in the inter-laboratory
Proficiency Quality Assurance Programmes
for tests used to screen racehorses for
exposure to equine viral arthritis and
equine infectious anaemia viruses and for
tests to detect Salmonella in poultry under
the Poultry Laboratory Proficiency Testing
Programme. These programmes were
organised by the Quality Assurance Unit
of the Veterinary Laboratory Agency (UK).
In the pipeline are plans to develop
molecular methods to test for pathogens
that are difficult or take a long time to
culture or identify, such as pathogenic
Clostridia in gas gangrene, Salmonella
Typhimurium DT104, Mycobacterium
tuberculosis complex, M. avium group
and M. paratuberculosis, and ciliaassociated
respiratory (CAR) bacillus,
Streptococcus suis, Taylorella
equigenitalis, viral haemorrhagic
septicaemia virus, infectious
haematopoietic necrosis virus, koi
herpes virus, West Nile virus, AIV, BTV
and haemoparasites Babesia canis,
B. gibsoni, B. equi, Haemobartonella sp.
and Trypanosoma sp.
Emergency Preparedness
A simulation exercise was carried out
on 21 and 23 September 2002 based
on an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic
Avian Influenza (HPAI). The internal
exercise was controlled by MND and
observed by members from the Central
Emergency Prepardness Office, Ministry
of Home Affairs and the Building and
Construction Authority. In the exercise,
AVA’s field response to the simulated
outbreak was tested along with a paper
exercise that focussed on AVA’s decision
making process and media responses.
The exercise received positive response
from its neutral observers and led to the
development of the Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP) for the Emergency
Information Group (EIG).
We will continue to upgrade the HPAI
contingency plan and work out a
collaborative framework of assistance with
other government agencies.
Animal Health Legislation
In an effort to reduce bureaucracy and
allow the private sector to be self-regulated,
AVA took action to repeal obsolete
regulations, namely the Price Control (Pigs)
Order; and eliminate the hatchery licence
and the poultry shop licence under the
Animal and Bird Shop, Poultry Shop and
Hatchery (Licensing and Control) Rules.
The Animals and Birds (A & B) Act was
enacted in 1965 for the prevention and
control of diseases, the prevention of
cruelty, and the regulation of import-export
of animals and birds. It was amended in
September 2002 to strengthen the
provisions for disease prevention, control
and detection. Revised provisions include
increasing the maximum penalty for
animal cruelty offences and criminalizing
abandonment; flexibility for AVA to
outsource functions such as inspection
of animals and birds; and enhanced
investigative and enforcement powers
for AVA.
From 15 September 2002, all veterinary
clinics and hospitals in Singapore are
required to be licensed by AVA. To ensure
Animal Control
professional accountability, all clinics and
hospitals have to be managed by licensed
veterinarians, similar to the medical
profession. New requirements were put
in place after consultation with the
veterinary profession. By 1 March 2003,
15 veterinary clinics and 2 veterinary
hospitals had been successfully licensed.
FY02/03 NO.
Licensing of Dogs
New dog licences issued 7,349
Dog licences renewed 31,921
Total: 39,270
Control of Stray Animals and Birds
Stray dogs impounded 4,570
Stray cats impounded 5,517
Crows destroyed 2,249
Total: 12,336
Animal and Bird Nuisance Cases
Dogs 5,815
Cats 6,100
Crows 1,701
Others 52
Total: 13,668
Stray Cat Rehabilitation Scheme
Areas registered 197
Volunteers registered 542
Participating Town Councils 16 of 16
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