SINGAPORE: About 80 per cent of free-roaming dogs in Singapore have been sterilised since the nationwide Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) programme was introduced, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said on Friday (Nov 10).
This exceeds the five-year target of 70 per cent, which was set when the programme was launched exactly five years ago on Nov 10, 2018.
“This target was important to ensure effective and sustainable reduction of the dog population in the longer-term,” Mr Lee said in a Facebook post.
“To date, about 65 per cent of the over 4,000 dogs under the TNRM programme have been rehomed, or fostered/sheltered,” he added.
“Those which cannot be rehomed or fostered/sheltered have been released to suitable locations, allowing them to live out their lives naturally.”
Mr Lee said that while there are still some free-roaming dogs in neighbourhoods around Singapore, their numbers are now lower.
Since the TNRM programme was implemented, the amount of public feedback regarding the animals has declined.
“Coupled with continued outreach efforts to promote harmonious living with animals in our urban environment, public feedback on free-roaming dogs has decreased significantly by around 70 per cent since 2018,” Mr Lee said.