Public Consultation on the Veterinary Practice Bill

National Parks Board (NParks)

Consultation Period: 31 Oct 2025 - 28 Nov 2025

Status: Open

Detailed Description

Part I: Introduction

1. The National Parks Board (“NParks”) invites members of the public to provide feedback on the proposed Veterinary Practice Bill (“the Bill”), which seeks to establish the Veterinary Council (“VC”) as a professional regulatory body for the veterinary profession.

2. The functions of the VC are to:

   1. Administer and maintain a register of veterinarian professionals, including to define required qualifications and scope of permitted activities;

   2. Conduct investigation and disciplinary proceedings relating to professional misconduct and negligence;

   3. Accredit training and assessment programmes and set continuing professional education standards and requirements; and

   4. Develop and review Codes of Professional Conduct and Standards.

Background

3. Today, veterinarians are licensed by the Animal & Veterinary Service (“AVS”), a cluster of the NParks, under the Animals and Birds Act (“ABA”). Veterinarians are subject to licensing conditions, which stipulate compliance with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians. AVS assesses all complaints regarding veterinary professional conduct, including seeking private veterinary input where needed.

4. Over the years, the veterinary sector has grown in size, scope and complexity. There are currently over 690 licensed veterinarians, ^[1] which has increased almost five and a half times since 2006. Veterinarians play key roles in their contribution to society such as animal doctors, researchers, educators, conservationists, and public health professionals. The variety of veterinary services and treatments has also grown. There has been a significant rise in the number of veterinary specialists who offer specialised procedures. Veterinary nurses support veterinarians in providing care for animals, and are a critical part of the veterinary care team. Taken together, it is critical to maintain and improve standards in the veterinary sector.

^[1] Figure as of October 2025

Establishment of the Veterinary Council

5. NParks will be establishing the VC to advance the sector’s professional standards, practices and development. In the initial stage, the VC will regulate the standards and practices of veterinarians, a function which is currently carried out by AVS.

6. In the longer term, the VC will regulate veterinary nurses, who play a vital role in supporting animal care. As veterinary nurses are currently not licensed by AVS, a longer transition period will be provided. This will allow sufficient time for the VC to continue to engage stakeholders and ensure a smooth transition. More information will be shared when ready. During the transition, veterinary nurses will be allowed to continue to practise, with clearer guidance on their scope of practice.

7. The VC’s role will be distinct from the AVS, which will continue to regulate veterinary clinics and animal-related businesses, act as the first responder for all animal-related feedback in Singapore to safeguard animal health and welfare.

Part II: Key Features of the Bill

8. In developing the Bill, NParks has referenced domestic legislations governing key healthcare professionals (e.g. doctors, dentists) and professionals from other sectors (e.g. architects and professional engineers). Overseas legislation with reputable veterinary statutory bodies including Australia, Hong Kong and the UK, were also studied.

9. To support the functions of the VC, the Bill will introduce a more robust registration and disciplinary framework to enhance the professionalism and accountability of the veterinary sector. The Bill will also define the scope of activities that can only be performed by veterinarians and prohibit the practise of veterinary medicine by non-qualified individuals. The Bill will allow the VC to make rules to support its other functions, including accrediting training programmes and setting continuing education requirements.

10. The Bill includes the following key provisions:

    1. Composition of the Veterinary Council

       • The VC will comprise the following members as appointed by the Minister of National Development:

         1. Director-General of Animal Health and Welfare (or his nominated representative);

         2. President of the Singapore Veterinary Association (or his nominated representative);

         3. Registrar;

         4. at least four or more fully registered veterinarians and of which, at least one of whom has at least 10 years’ experience as a veterinarian; and

         5. two other individuals.

       • The Minister of National Development may also, at any time, revoke the appointment of any member appointed for any reason, including disciplinary concerns.

       • The proposed composition ensures fair and adequate representation across the veterinary sector and outside it. This includes practising veterinarians with appropriate levels of experience as well as lay members representing the broader public interest. Such a composition will allow for the VC to effectively execute its functions (as outlined in para 2) through balanced and representative decision-making.

    2. New registration framework for veterinarians

       • The Bill introduces a new registration framework for veterinarians, which will include a new register for veterinary specialists and build upon the current licensing regime under the ABA. The Bill has also been developed with careful consideration of current industry operations to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of veterinary services.

       • Under this framework, the Registrar is responsible for maintaining the following three distinct registers, which will be made publicly available for transparency:

         1. Full registration is applied to individuals with veterinary qualifications recognised by the VC. Notwithstanding, individuals who hold qualifications deemed not lower in standing may be eligible for full registration as assessed on an exceptional basis by the VC.

         2. Restricted registration is applied on a case-by-case basis to individuals with veterinary qualifications that fall outside the scope of what the VC recognises, and must be selected for employment in specific setting(s) (e.g., research institutes).

         3. Specialist registration is applied to fully registered veterinarians who possess postgraduate qualifications or have gained special knowledge, skill and experience in particular branches of veterinary medicine recognised by the VC. Such practitioners will be allowed to use specialist titles.

       • The VC may impose any condition or restriction on registration, including supervision by fully registered veterinarians, specified places and periods of employment and/or scope of practice. To practise, veterinarians must first be registered with the VC, which is valid as long as all conditions are met. Next, registered veterinarians must obtain Practising Certificates (“PC”), valid for up to two years. PCs are renewable on the condition that veterinarians fulfil the Continuing Professional Education requirements.

       • During the transition period, all veterinarians with a valid licence issued under ABA will be granted a Full or Restricted registration and a PC, with no disruption to their practice. Existing veterinarians will not need to apply or “opt-in” to be registered under the VPB to continue practising.

    3. Prohibition on “practice of veterinary medicine” by non-qualified individuals and other offences

       • The Bill includes a clear definition of what constitutes “practice of veterinary medicine”, which establishes clear legal boundaries on the precise scope of veterinary activities which can only be performed either by a duly qualified veterinarian or specified groups of individuals with exceptions provided.

       • In the Bill, the “practice of veterinary medicine” is defined to encompass all professional activities typically performed or given by veterinarians, including:

         1. Diagnosis of animal diseases and injuries, including examinations and tests

         2. Giving of medical advice based upon such diagnosis,

         3. Medical treatment of animals, including of a surgical or dental nature,

         4. Administration of anaesthetics to animals,

         5. Prescription of drugs or medication to animals,

         6. Issuance or endorsement of any certificate, report or document requiring professional veterinary judgement, such as health certificates, vaccination records, identity confirmations, post-mortem examination reports, and attestations of performed treatments or procedures

       • The Bill allows for specified groups of individuals, such as veterinary students, and other persons, including veterinary nurses, to perform a specified scope of “practice of veterinary medicine”, under direction or supervision of a duly qualified veterinarian. This ensures that registered veterinarians continue to be adequately supported in their role to safeguard animal health and welfare. Individuals licensed under ABA to inoculate or vaccinate animals on farms with veterinary biologics, such as vaccines, as well as non-veterinary individuals working in animal research facilities under Animals and Birds (Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes) Rules can continue with veterinary activities in accordance with AVS’s licensing conditions.

       • Other offences under the Bill include misrepresentation of unqualified individuals as registered veterinarians through the use of professional titles. It is also an offence for a person or employer to knowingly allow an unqualified individual to hold himself out to be a registered veterinarian. The penalty prescribed for such offences is a fine not exceeding $50,000 and/or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, which will be higher than the penalty currently provided for under ABA for treating animals without a licence.

    4. New investigation and disciplinary framework

       • To ensure transparency and accountability in the disciplinary proceedings against errant professionals, the Bill provides a framework for complaints management, inquiry and investigation.

       • When the VC receives a valid complaint, the Registrar will review and conduct a preliminary assessment of its merits. Under this process, the Registrar may:

         1. Dismiss frivolous, vexatious or misconceived complaints;

         2. Recommend to the VC to seek the consent of the practitioner for voluntary removal or suspension when the practitioner’s fitness to practice is impaired by a physical or mental illness;

         3. Recommend to the VC for referral to the Disciplinary Committee (DC) for serious matters relating to conviction of a registered veterinarian of an offence involving fraud, dishonesty, or implying a defect in character that makes him or her unfit to practice veterinary medicine. In turn, the DC may:

            1. Revoke registration

            2. Suspend registration or PC

            3. Impose financial penalties of up to $50,000

            4. By writing, censure the professional; or

            5. Any other order as deemed appropriate

         4. Recommend to the VC for referral to the Complaints Assessment Committee (CAC) for all other cases. In turn, the CAC may recommend to the VC to:

            1. Dismiss the complaint

            2. Issue letter of advice/warning

            3. Order a formal inquiry by the DC

            4. Refer for mediation; or

            5. Any other order as deemed appropriate

       • The VC may also appoint an Interim Orders Committee (IOC) to investigate matters requiring urgent intervention to protect public safety, animal health and welfare, or the veterinarian's best interests. The IOC can suspend registration or impose conditions and/or restrictions for up to eighteen months where necessary.

       • Representation of the CAC, DC and IOC would be drawn from both VC and/or the Complaints Panel (CP), comprising registered veterinary professionals with at least 8 years’ experience, laypersons and/or legal professionals. The CAC, DC and IOC must not have the same Chairperson and members if inquiring into the same matter.

       • As a safeguard, the Bill also provides a mechanism for appeals against the decisions of the VC, DC and IOC to be heard. Appeals by the aggrieved practitioner or the complainant against the VC’s recommendations will be heard by the Minister of National Development, while appeals against the DC’s and IOC’s orders will be heard by the High Court. The decisions of the Minister of National Development and High Court are final. A summary of the framework is in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Disciplinary Proceedings Workflow

Part III. Invitation for Feedback

11. NParks is seeking members of the public to share their views on the proposed Veterinary Practice Bill. All comments received during the consultation exercise will be reviewed and may be incorporated into the final Bill.

12. The public consultation exercise will run from 31 October 2025 to 28 November 2025. Interested parties can submit their comments via FormSG.

13. This proposed legislation is released only for the purpose of consultation and should not be used for individual or business decisions as it does not represent the final legislation.

14. We seek the public’s understanding that we might not be able to acknowledge or address every feedback received. NParks reserves the right to make public all or part of any written submissions made in response to this Consultation Paper and to disclose the identity of the source.

Draft Veterinary Practice Bill