No lease renewal for 8 pet businesses at The Animal Lodge

AVS director Trisha Eng said: “Baseline regulations… are the minimum standards that are required to make sure the animal health and welfare is met, but there’s always room to go above that… We saw this tenancy renewal exercise as the perfect opportunity to do that.”

For example, businesses should show how they would provide better living environments for their animals. They should detail how they would implement more robust practices that consider health and biosecurity.

This could mean doing health checks for breeding animals twice a year instead of the mandatory once or opting for air-conditioning to keep the animals in an area that is sheltered and well-ventilated, noted Eng.

Tenants are also evaluated by their regulatory track record and ability to improve and uphold standards over time, AVS said. This encourages operators to enhance their practices, facilities and animal care capabilities, it added.

AVS declined to reveal the names of the businesses whose leases were not renewed.

AVS said it had engaged the tenants since November 2025 via more than 15 sessions, including through townhalls, tender briefings and workshops, as well as one-on-one sessions.

When asked what will happen to the animals under the unsuccessful applicants, Eng said AVS will support these tenants in facilitating their transition plans. These could be in the form of relocating, rehoming or selling them, she noted.

“AVS will continue to keep a close eye on these transition plans to make sure that they’re implemented (in ways) that would not compromise the health and welfare of the animal,” she said.

The units that will be vacanted may also be made available through future tender exercises, allowing new entrants to participate, said AVS.

Cat breeder ChubbyBuddy, one of the businesses given the green light to renew its lease, provides an air-conditioned space for its cats. It also conducts DNA testing for all its felines – a move considered additional to baseline requirements. Such testing can help identify hereditary health risks and determine whether the cats are carriers of genetic conditions that can affect their offspring.

Its founder, Sheryl Chia, added that the space – which houses about 50 cats – will be refurbished with new anti-slip flooring and its walls repainted.

Dog breeder Wellfond Pets is looking to renovate its four units to make its space more conducive for its canines. This can cost upward of $200,000, said its manager, Clarissa Choo.

The renovation will include making the space – now partially air-conditioned – fully air-conditioned and include a free-roaming environment for the breeder dogs that are currently in kennels, said Choo.

“(The ball) is always in our court to make this place better and comfortable for the dogs,” she said.