Singapore, Dec 2 (PTI) People in Singapore need to strictly abide by the rules while keeping pets and can keep only up to 10 numbers of non-commercial pets, the National Parks Board said on Thursday.

The comments came a day after a three-year-old girl was attacked by a pet peacock while the toddler stood watching it at a park here, The Straits Times newspaper reported.

Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccine: What Causes Rare Blood Clots With AstraZeneca Jab.

Peacocks can be kept as pets in Singapore, but there are rules that owners must abide by, the National Parks Board (NParks) said.

It said that members of the public are allowed to keep non-commercial poultry as pets - but only up to 10 of such animals.

Also Read | Blast Heard in Afghanistan Capital Kabul, No Casualties Confirmed.

These include chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, quails, partridges, pheasants, domestic pigeons, guinea fowl, swans and peacocks.

The peacock attack on the girl immediately brought the attention of the National Parks Board on the rule in existence and the need for the people to abide by.

The girl was on her way home from a playground at Haus Park in Serangoon Garden, suburb of Singapore, with her brother and father when she stopped outside a house to look at the peacock, her mother wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Neighbours told the newspaper on Wednesday that the peacock could often be spotted on the road outside its home as its owner would leave the gate open.

NParks is investigating the case.

Jessica Kwok, group director of community animal management at Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), a cluster under NParks, said there is a need for the birds to be kept in a bird-proof cage.

"These pets must be kept in a bird-proof cage, house or enclosure that consists of a fine wire mesh netting capable of preventing any contact with any bird, poultry or animal from outside the cage, house or enclosure; and a proper roof capable of preventing droppings, waste, feathers and other particles from any bird, poultry or animal from entering the cage, house or enclosure," Kwok said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)