'Must maintain constant physical supervision of animals': AVS updates Code of Animal Welfare for pet groomers, releases new code for dog trainers“必须对动物进行持续的身体监督”：AVS更新了宠物美容师的动物福利守则，并发布了新的训犬师守则
The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) has updated their Code of Animal Welfare (COAW) for pet groomers and released a new COAW for dog trainers.After recent high-profile cases of pets dying while unattended at grooming salons, one of the salient points made by AVS, a National Parks Board (NParks) cluster, is that animals are not to be left unattended while...
The Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) has updated their Code of Animal Welfare (COAW) for pet groomers and released a new COAW for dog trainers.
After recent high-profile cases of pets dying while unattended at grooming salons, one of the salient points made by AVS, a National Parks Board (NParks) cluster, is that animals are not to be left unattended while tethered or in group settings.
In 2025, a poodle was left alone in a crate at a grooming salon, during which it appeared distressed in CCTV footage. It died with alleged blood on its paws and mouth.
A year earlier, a corgi died after it fell from a grooming table while it was unattended and hanged itself on its leash.
The same year, a home-based groomer lost a dog which was then struck by a vehicle and died.
Updated COAW for pet groomers
In its updated guidelines for pet groomers, AVS aims to "raise the bar for groomer competency and standards of care, while providing pet owners with greater assurance through improved transparency, communication and accountability".
In its key updates, AVS emphasises groomer competency and training by expanding competency requirements and giving clearer definitions for key terms such as grooming services.
When it comes to animal holding, handling and supervision, the updated Code has strengthened its requirements to prevent failures in duty of care during grooming sessions, such as maintaining "constant physical supervision of animals that are tethered or in group holding arrangements", with closer monitoring for animals that have extra care needs like brachycephalic, or short-faced, breeds.
The Code has also "expanded and clarified requirements across key grooming activities, including the safe use of scissors, clippers and drying equipment" and introduced clearer client communication and record-keeping methods.
This comes after a March 2026 stakeholder survey with over 70 responses, and two focus group discussions in April 2026 including pet groomers, veterinarians, animal groups and members of the public.
New COAW for dog trainers
The new COAW for dog trainers published by the AVS follows the formation of the Dog Training Standards Workgroup (DTSWG) in 2024.
Co-led by AVS and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Singapore, the Workgroup brought together various stakeholders to "explore ways to raise standards in the dog training sector and safeguard animal welfare".
The training approach the Code promotes is the Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) method, which places positive reinforcement as the foundation of dog training. Aversive strategies are discouraged "unless it reflects a systematic and humane approach".
It also sets standards to safeguard the safety of "dogs, staff, clients and members of the public during training sessions", requiring trainers to be competent and undergo ongoing training, and maintain good client communication and keep records.
The Code also sets out referral procedures, calling for a "commitment to collaboration with other animal care professionals to support continuity of care", and sets requirements for the transportation and boarding of dogs being trained.
Following this, AVS also intends to engage stakeholders and have a public consultation on the COAW for pet owners.
They aim to revise the Code to be in two sections which will firstly "set out general minimum standards applicable across all pet species" and then provide species-specific standards and best practices for different pets.
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动物与兽医服务局 (AVS) 更新了宠物美容师的动物福利守则 (COAW)，并发布了新的训犬师动物福利守则。
最近发生了几起宠物在宠物美容店无人照看而死亡的重大事件，国家公园管理局 (NParks) 下属的动物兽医服务机构 (AVS) 指出，动物在被拴住或处于群体环境中时，不应无人照看。
2025年，一只贵宾犬被单独留在宠物美容店的笼子里，监控录像显示它当时显得很痛苦。它死时爪子和嘴上据称沾有血迹。
一年前，一只柯基犬在无人照看的情况下从美容台上摔下来，被牵引绳勒死。
同年，一位家庭宠物美容师的爱犬被车辆撞死。
宠物美容师的最新 COAW
AVS 在其更新的宠物美容师指南中旨在“提高宠物美容师的能力和护理标准，同时通过提高透明度、沟通和问责制，为宠物主人提供更大的保障”。
在关键更新中，AVS 强调了美容师的能力和培训，扩大了能力要求，并对美容服务等关键术语给出了更清晰的定义。
在动物的饲养、处理和监管方面，更新后的《动物饲养管理条例》加强了相关要求，以防止在美容过程中出现疏忽照顾的情况，例如“对拴养或集体饲养的动物进行持续的身体监督”，并对短头犬或短脸犬等有额外护理需求的动物进行更密切的监控。
该守则还“扩展和明确了关键美容活动的要求，包括安全使用剪刀、推剪和烘干设备”，并引入了更清晰的客户沟通和记录保存方法。
此前，2026 年 3 月进行了一项利益相关者调查，收到了 70 多份回复；2026 年 4 月还举行了两次焦点小组讨论，参与者包括宠物美容师、兽医、动物团体和公众。
新的 COAW 犬类训练师
AVS 发布的新的训犬师 COAW 是在 2024 年成立犬类训练标准工作组 (DTSWG) 之后发布的。
该工作组由AVS和新加坡防止虐待动物协会（SPCA）共同领导，汇集了各利益相关方，旨在“探索提高犬类训练行业标准和保障动物福利的方法”。
该守则提倡的训练方法是最小侵入性、最小厌恶性（LIMA）方法，该方法以正强化作为犬只训练的基础。除非厌恶性策略体现出系统性和人道性，否则不鼓励使用。
它还制定了保障“训练期间犬只、工作人员、客户和公众成员的安全”的标准，要求训练员具备相应的能力并接受持续的培训，保持良好的客户沟通并做好记录。
该守则还规定了转介程序，要求“致力于与其他动物护理专业人员合作，以支持护理的连续性”，并对受训犬只的运输和寄养提出了要求。
随后，AVS 还打算与利益相关者进行沟通，并就宠物主人的 COAW 进行公开咨询。
他们的目标是将《动物饲养法》修订为两部分，第一部分“制定适用于所有宠物物种的一般最低标准”，第二部分为不同的宠物提供物种特定的标准和最佳实践。
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