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Selling pet food in Singapore

In Singapore, pet food is regulated by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) of the National Parks Board, not the Singapore Food Agency. Each consignment of pet food, treats and supplements needs a Cargo Clearance Permit. Food containing meat needs a veterinary health certificate, and from most countries pre-import approval of the product and plant.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Regulator
Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), National Parks Board
Every consignment
A Cargo Clearance Permit, which is the AVS import permit
Permit fee
S$22 per consignment, where applicable
Meat-based food
Veterinary health certificate; pre-import approval from non-scheduled countries
Label
English, with ingredients, dates and guaranteed analysis

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it pet food or feed for non-food producing animals, under AVS? Read more
  2. 2Does it contain meat, and from which country is it made? Read more
  3. 3Which documents go with the TradeNet declaration? Read more
  4. 4Does the pack carry the English label AVS asks for? Read more
  5. 5Does it contain an ingredient that needs a declaration or a CITES check? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Scope and restricted ingredients

What AVS treats as pet food, and the ingredients it restricts.

  • AVS regulates the import, transhipment, manufacture and processing of pet food and feed for non-food producing animals; export is not currently regulated.
  • Feed for non-food producing animals means food for companion, laboratory and zoo animals, including pet food, treats, dog chews, rawhide chews, dog biscuits and supplements.
  • SFA states that pet food is not animal feed; livestock and aquaculture feed are regulated by SFA.
  • Feed containing cannabis and its derivatives, such as hemp proteins, seeds or oil, may not be imported.
  • Where feed contains chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine, gelatine or collagen, the manufacturer declares whether they are of animal or synthetic origin and, if animal, the species, so AVS can check whether CITES applies.

How we help: Compliant Always records how each product is classified and keeps the manufacturer's ingredient declarations with it. Ask about this

Pet food containing meat

Health certificates and pre-import approval for meat-based pet food.

  • Pet food containing meat or meat products must be accompanied by a health certificate from the veterinary authority of the exporting country.
  • From scheduled countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States), no prior AVS approval is needed.
  • From other countries, pre-import approval of both the product and the manufacturing plant is needed.
  • Heat-treated pet food from countries with negligible BSE risk and free from FMD, such as the European Union and Japan, can be approved by self-declaration before the consignment arrives.
  • Other pet food, and raw, frozen or freeze-dried pet food, needs a Pet Food Assessment with a technical dossier from the plant, including composition, analysis, label, process flowchart and plant certificates.
  • The health certificate covers, among other things, the approved plant, heat treatment such as at least 70°C for 30 minutes, batch and manufacturing dates, and BSE and FMD attestations.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the health certificate, the pre-import approval and the plant documents with each product, and shows which are missing before a shipment. Ask about this

Cargo Clearance Permit

The permit and documents each consignment needs.

  • Each consignment of pet food, including treats and supplements, needs a Cargo Clearance Permit, which also serves as the AVS import permit.
  • Consignments without a CCP will be detained and disposed of; the CCP must be in place before the consignment leaves the Free Trade Zone.
  • The importer declares the items in TradeNet under the right HS and product codes; AVS processes the declaration in one working day.
  • Food without meat is declared with a manufacturer's declaration that it contains no meat and is meant only for pets, plus an ingredient list, invoice, packing list and bill of lading.
  • The original health certificate is kept on file by the importer for AVS audit and verification; registration of the importing company is available but not mandatory.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the declarations and certificates each consignment needs together, dated, and tied to the shipment. Ask about this

Labelling

What a pet food pack shows.

  • AVS's import guidelines ask for packs clearly labelled in English.
  • The label shows the name and address of the manufacturer and of the importer, the date of manufacture and expiry, and directions for use for the intended species.
  • It also shows the list of ingredients and the guaranteed analysis of a complete and balanced diet meeting internationally recommended nutritional standards, such as those of the National Research Council and AAFCO.

How we help: Compliant Always sets AVS's label particulars beside your artwork, so a missing line shows before the pack is printed. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ImporterThe CCP for each consignment, pre-import approval where needed, and keeping the original health certificate.Certificates and approvals kept together and tied to each shipment.
ManufacturerThe plant documents, composition, analysis and process details AVS assesses.Technical dossier kept current and ready to send.
Brand ownerThe label and what it says about the product.Label checked against AVS's particulars.
RetailerSelling products that came in on a valid permit.Product documents shown when a buyer asks.

Questions businesses ask

Who regulates pet food in Singapore?
The Animal and Veterinary Service of the National Parks Board. SFA regulates feed for food-producing animals, and states that pet food is not animal feed.
Do I need a permit to import pet food into Singapore?
Yes. Each consignment of pet food, including treats and supplements, needs a Cargo Clearance Permit, which also serves as the AVS import permit. Consignments without one are detained and disposed of.
Does pet food with meat need approval?
From Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, it needs a veterinary health certificate but no prior AVS approval. From other countries, the product and plant need pre-import approval.
What is the self-declaration for pet food?
Importers of heat-treated pet food from countries with negligible BSE risk and free from FMD, such as the European Union and Japan, can declare online to obtain pre-import approval before the consignment arrives.
What is a Pet Food Assessment?
An application to AVS with a technical dossier from the plant, needed for pet food from other non-scheduled countries and for raw, frozen or freeze-dried pet food.
What must a pet food label show in Singapore?
In English: the manufacturer and importer, dates of manufacture and expiry, directions for use for the species, the ingredients, and the guaranteed analysis of a complete and balanced diet.
Do I need to register as a pet food importer?
Importers can register through the GoBusiness Licensing Portal, but registration is not mandatory. Each consignment still needs its Cargo Clearance Permit.
How much is the pet food permit fee?
S$22 per consignment, where applicable, paid by GIRO or online.
Can pet treats contain hemp?
No. Feed containing cannabis or its derivatives, such as hemp proteins, seeds or oil, may not be imported for non-food producing animals.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Singapore?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Singapore and what your paperwork needs to show.

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