The vets in Singapore who perform surgery, offer behavioural therapy and safeguard animal welfare

SINGAPORE – World Veterinary Day is celebrated annually on the last Saturday of April, recognising the efforts of doctors who take care of our fur kids.

According to GlobalPets, a platform for the international pet industry, Singapore’s pet population is expected to increase from 889,200 in 2025 to 891,500 in 2026.

With more people turning to pets for companionship, the workload of those who mend broken bones, soothe anxious owners and safeguard animal welfare have also increased.

This World Veterinary Day on April 25, The Straits Times shines a light on the vets keeping Singapore’s animals, and their humans, thriving.

Watching videos depicting animal abuse or neglect on repeat is not what you would put in one’s resume.

But it is a part of Dr Petrina Teo’s job to make welfare assessments for investigations into suspected abuse cases.

She is a senior veterinarian at the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation (CAR) at the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks), that looks after the welfare of companion animals, including community cats, both on the ground and through policies that shape how pet services are run in Singapore.

Her work comes as Singapore overhauls its veterinary landscape.

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When Dr Derniese Goh was in Secondary 4, cramming for her O-level exams, a mistake led her down the path to becoming Singapore’s first female small animal specialist surgeon. 

She had fed her dog Scott, a two-year-old Japanese spitz, some leftover corn soup, including the cob. 

“I thought he would chew it,” she recalls. “But he just swallowed the whole thing.” 

Scott required emergency surgery to remove the cob, and days later, he made a full recovery.

That experience ignited Dr Goh’s passion for veterinary medicine. 

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When a dog starts snapping at children or a once‑affectionate cat begins soiling every sofa in sight, most owners turn to animal trainers or online forums for help.

They now have another option: Dr Emmanuelle Titeux, Singapore’s first recognised specialist in veterinary behavioural medicine.

It is a specialised field that diagnoses and treats behavioural problems in animals, combining medical knowledge with behavioural science to improve pet welfare.

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