Types of Pets Allowed

You may keep pets at home, as long as you meet the guidelines. It is also important to be considerate to those living around you when you have a pet. 

Check the list of pet types allowed, if you are considering keeping a pet in your flat.

Pet licencing

Dog owners must have their pet licensed by the NParks Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS). You need not seek HDB’s approval to keep a dog, as long as it is of an approved breed.

Responsible pet ownership

Take care of your pet and ensure that it does not cause any inconvenience to your neighbours. For example, keep your dog safe within your flat, and care for it so that it does not bark continuously. These are good practices that your neighbours will appreciate and will help create better acceptance. 

Be a good neighbour  

Pick up useful tips on gracious heartland living and build good relationships with your neighbours.

Assistance services

Flat owners can seek for help from the following agencies on issues related to keeping dogs in HDB flats.

Agency

Assistance Type

HDB

For enforcement against flat owners of the ‘one-approved-dog’ per flat rule

NEA

For enforcement against dog owners whose dogs defecate in public places and cause environmental damage

NPARKS AVS

Issuing of dog licences and enforcement against dog owners whose dog chases or bites people
 

Dogs

You can only keep 1 dog from the list of approved breeds in your flat. Flat owners found to breach this regulation can be fined up to a maximum of $4,000.

HDB-approved dog breeds

1

Affenpinscher

2

Australian Silky Terrier

3

Australian Terrier

4

Bichon Frise

5

Bohemian Terrier

6

Bolognese

7

Brussels Griffon (also known as Griffon Bruxaellois)

8

Bichon Havanese

9

Border Terrier

10

Boston Terrier (Lightweight or Middle weight)

11

Cairn Terrier

12

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

13

Chihuahua

14

Chinese Crested Dog

15

Chinese Imperial Chin

16

Chinese Temple Dog (Classic or Miniature)

17

Coton de tulear

18

Czech Terrier

19

Dachshund (Light or Miniature)

20

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

21

English Toy Spaniel

22

Griffon Belge

23

German Hunting Terrier

24

Griffon Brabancon

25

Hairless Dog

26

Italian Greyhound

27

Jack Russell Terrier

28

Japanese Spaniel (also known as Chin)

29

Japanese Spitz

30

Lhasa Apso

31

Little Lion Dog

32

Lakeland Terrier

33

Maltese

34

Manchester Terrier

35

Miniature Pinscher

36

Miniature Schnauzer

37

Norfolk Terrier

38

Norwich Terrier

39

Papillon

40

Pekinese

41

Pomeranian

42

Poodle (Toy or Miniature)

43

Pug

44

Schipperke

45

Scottish Terrier

46

Sealyham Terrier

47

 Shetland Sheep dog

48

Shih Tzu

49

Silky Terrier

50

Small Continental Spaniel

51

Small English Terrier

52

Small Spitz

53

Smooth Fox Terrier

54

Toy Fox Terrier

55

Toy Terrier

56

Tibetan Spaniel

57

Volpino Italiano

58

West Highland Terrier

59

Wire-Haired Fox Terrier

60

Welsh Terrier

61

Yorkshire Terrier

62

Cross of any 2 breeds in items 1 to 61

 

 

 

Assistance Dogs

In support of the Enabling Masterplan 2030 (EMP2030) to empower and enable Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) towards a more caring and inclusive society, flat owners/ occupiers with visual impairments, physical disabilities and/ or who are deaf and hard-of-hearing may keep a trained assistance dog in their HDB flats, subject to the following requirements:

  • PwD must be registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)
  • The assistance dog must be trained by a recognised assistance dog training organisation, as verified by Guide Dogs Singapore (GDS) or K9Assistance
  • The assistance dog must be licenced by NParks Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS)

 

 

Project ADORE

Project ADORE (Project on ADOption and REhoming of dogs) aims to rehome mid-sized local mixed-breed dogs in HDB flats, thereby reducing the number of strays on the street. Project ADORE is led by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) and is supported by the HDB, in partnership with Animal Welfare Group (AWG) partners. 

Through Project ADORE, you will be allowed to own a local mixed-breed dog, also known as Singapore Special, up to 55cm in height in HDB flats. Only 1 dog is allowed in each residential unit.

Approach our ADORE AWG partners to adopt a local mixed-breed dog:

 

ADORE K-9 Scheme

Under the Project ADORE K-9 Scheme, you can adopt a retired K-9 sniffer dog. Only 1 dog is allowed in each residential unit.

The 4 allowable sniffer dog breeds are:

  • Labrador
  • English Springer
  • Cocker Spaniel
  • Pointer

Residents who are interested to adopt a retired K-9 sniffer dog can keep a lookout for adoption drives organised by the following K-9 units to adopt a retired sniffer dog:

  • Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Military Working Dog Unit (MWDU)
  • Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) K-9 Unit
  • Singapore Police Force (SPF) K-9 Unit

Cats

From 1 September 2024, you may keep up to 2 cats, as well as 1 dog of an approved breed, in your flat. 

A 2-year transition period (1 September 2024 to 31 August 2026) has been introduced to allow cat owners to ease into the changes, and to meet the cat-keeping rules and licensing conditions.

Cat owners must have their cat licensed by the NParks Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) by 31 August 2026. You may keep more than 2 cats in your flat, if they are owned by you before 1 September 2024, and if the cat licenses are applied for the cats on or before 31 August 2026.

Assistance services

HDB residents can seek for help from the following agencies on issues related to the keeping of dogs and cats in HDB flats.

Agency

Issue(s)

HDB

Keeping of pets in HDB flats beyond the approved limits

NEA

Pets which defecate in public places and cause environmental damage

NPARKS AVS

Issuance of dog and cat licences, injuries caused by pets, and animal welfare

MSF

Support for PwDs who wish to use assistance dogs