Backyard Breeding or Unlicensed Home Breeding

Breeding and selling animals without a license is illegal in Singapore. However, backyard breeders or home breeders are still listing kittens on social media or classified sites for $200 to $2,500 (sometimes more) to make a profit out of them.

These unlicensed breeders do not have in-depth knowledge of safe breeding. Deformities or health issues often surface in the kittens at a later time (after you have adopted them). Adopters end up paying high vet bills ($1,000 to $3,000 upwards) when they realise the kitten they have “adopted” has health disorders and may pass away prematurely. Many kittens from home breeders also have skin infection, ear mites or eye infections. These unethical home breeders cannot care less about the welfare of the cats, they are merely selling to make quick profits. This is against the law in Singapore.

See photos for real consequences of buying from backyard breeders.

What Can We Do to Stop This Insanity?

ADOPT, DON’T SHOP.

Don’t fall for “adoption with fees” schemes which may be illegal home breeders trying to sell their kittens to you from $200 to $2,500 for easy money. Yet these kittens are not vet checked – neither vaccinated, dewormed, deflea-ed or checked for FIV (Feline HIV) or FELV (Feline leukemia).

True adoption is adopting from shelters, rescuers and fosterers. It takes a kitten or cat off the streets. There are already too many homeless kittens, hence breeding and selling animals for one’s own gain is unethical and contributes to poor animal welfare by vying for homes for the already homeless and abandoned kittens who are struggling to survive on the streets.

Legit adoption fees are usually $80-150, to cover part of the costs of vaccination or vet checks that would have been done to give the kitten a clean bill of health before handing over to the adopter. Vet receipts and vaccination cards will be provided to the adopter.

If you wish to adopt a pedigree cat or kitten, they do come up for adoption pretty often. We recommend that you look out for the personality of the cat besides looking at its appearance or breed, and also get aware on maintenance requirements for long-haired cats.

As a last resort if you choose to buy instead of adopt, look for AVS-licensed breeders. Still, we encourage you to wait it out for your forever kitty by true legal adoption from a shelter or fosterer. You will be saving two lives – the life of the kitty you adopt, and the one who takes its place in the shelter or foster home.