Important Note: This is an opinion piece, we are not affiliated or work with HDB in any way. We will not be able to tell you if you are successful in getting your dog HDB-approved. Please check directly with HDB.

Are Shiba Inus banned in Singapore? No. Is a Shiba Inu HDB approved dog? No. What about Mame Shiba Inu Singapore? No. So you live in an HDB but want to buy a Shiba Inu, or maybe other breeds like Cockapoo, Corgi, French Bulldog, or Pomsky (and the list goes on) that are not HDB approved dogs. There are some mixed breeds dogs like Cavapoo are HDB approved but that’s just hearsay. There are important facts you must know. These aforementioned are not approved and require you to get approval from HDB. Luckily, they do make exceptions (sometimes). Read on to learn more.

In Singapore, under the Housing Development Board (HDB), there are things to note. Under the HDB Animals Rules 1989, HDB only allows one dog of an approved small breed to be kept in each residential unit. You can face a fine of up to S$4,000 if you fail to comply with HDB’s rule. You can apply for approval for a breed that’s not-approved, we’ll be sharing an example of how we got our non-approved dog approved for HDB.

Yes, there is a list of HDB approved dogs you can have in the HDB. You can refer to the list below or check out this list from HDB’s Website which is constantly updated with HDB dogs.

If you like bigger dogs, you can consider adopting one under the Project ADORE. Under that scheme, dogs up to 55cm tall, with no weight limit, can be re-homed to HDB flats. They cannot be bought from shops or breeders but must come from one of five participating welfare groups - the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Action for Singapore Dogs, Save Our Street Dogs, Exclusively Mongrels and Causes for Animals. For more information on this, you can visit the Ministry of National Development website.

If you are going to keep a dog that is within the approved list by HDB, you don’t need any form of special approval. But either way, you would need to get a dog license from NParks: Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS). Recently, with effect from 1 Sep 2020, you will be able to apply for a one-time licence for sterilised dogs that is valid throughout the life of the dog. Three-year licences for non-sterilised dogs will automatically be changed to a one-time licence when you update the dog's sterilisation status. This lowers the fee by quite a bit and makes it more convenient without the need to pay yearly. We definitely would recommend you to get the lifetime license.

The Illegal Route
There are people, maybe even certain pet stores who will share the brilliant method to get past this, which is to simply register the non-HDB-approved dog to a condominium or private property, but keep the dog in your HDB flat. Bad idea for one dog, much less more than one. Keeping more than 1 dog on the list of approved dogs for HDB living, or keeping a dog not found within this list, may land you a fine of up to $4,000. It is also likely you will have to re-home your dog, meaning to give it up. Of course unless you’re wealthy enough then to just cough out the money to buy a private property. Note that even for private property owners, the maximum number of dogs you can own is 3 (assuming they are not specified dogs - read more). You can however, request for more, but must write in to AVS.

So you still want a Shiba Inu or a non-HDB approved dog!
Back to the main topic. However, for some, they want a breed that may not be on the HDB approved list. There is still hope. You can explain your case and get an exception. For example, Kuro is a Shiba Inu in Singapore that is not on the HDB approved dog list. We wrote to HDB to ask for pre-approval months before Kuro came into our lives. We wrote to hdb@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg - don’t forget to include your full name and HDB residential address.

UPDATE: As one of our kind users indicated, you have to reach HDB through their e-feedback form https://hdb.gov.sg/efeedback as their email address is no longer in use. If you have or are after a mixed breed dog and uncertain if they are approved, rather than rely on hearsay, check in with them!

Getting HDB Approval for Kuro the Shiba Inu Singapore
The process is fairly straightforward as HDB will then come back to you with a note to say that “although the Shiba Inu is a non-approved breed which is not in HDB’s approved list, it is considered a smaller breed which has been assessed to be temperamentally suitable to be kept in an HDB flat. Hence you bay obtain HDB’s approval to keep a Shiba Inu in your flat”. There are a couple of conditions, including:

1. There must be no prior complaint on the dog.

2. Send the dog for obedience training by an AVA accredited dog trainer. You must produce proof of completion of the obedience training course (e.g. a completion certificate). UPDATE: As one of our kind users indicated, you need to send the dog for obedience training but you no longer need to do so with an AVS accredited dog trainer anymore. This may or may not save you some money.

3. Sign an undertaking letter to ensure that the dog does not cause nuisance.

4. Apply for a dog license with AVS.

Once 1 to 4 are completed, send the proof to HDB and you will be provided a formal approval letter. All documentation will be provided by HDB. The big question you have is, how do I go through those 4 steps if I don't even have my dog yet? As long as you agree with them and that you’ll go through this process, you can get your dog first and follow up with the actual approval.

There are quite a few accredited dog trainers, and they are available here or on the AVS website. I went with Patrick Wong of Waggie. Training Kuro, a Shiba Ibu was tough initially, but she was always the most improved dog. She didn’t pass the eventual test, though she did very well (best in class) for the mock test. I was disappointed, but we did not want the pressure of passing the test since all we needed was the completion certificate.

We got Kuro shortly after and went through the entire process which took just about 3 months. And the rest is history as they say.

What happens when you aren’t approved?
There is a chance that this will happen, even though we got Kuro approved. There are many reasons for this and unfortunately, the process doesn’t seem very transparent. I would say most Shiba Inus tend to get approved because of their size. However, if you are looking at other breeds, there might be various reasons beyond the size. We would say, if it’s the dog of your dreams, fight for it. Appeal. Some have even spoken to their respective MPs, for help. Some have won, some are still trying. We have many who write in to us to ask for advice, we’re more than happy to help, just note that we aren’t from HDB and like we mentioned it seems rather inconsistent and the process isn’t exactly transparent, but we’ll do our best for sure!

Read first before getting a Shiba Inu as your first dog.

So there you go, that’s what you need to do before you own a dog in an HDB flat in Singapore. You can contact us if you want to learn more, we’ll be more than happy to help you. Do keep abreast with the latest news from HDB and AVS directly as sometimes things may change. Don’t forget to stock up on some healthy and delicious Kuro Snacks before you usher in your BFF. If you also need inspiration on things you need to get to prep for your dog, you can check out our Pinterest Idea Boards.

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