Tag: adoption

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News and Trends

4 booths you don’t want to miss at Pet Expo 2022!

Stop whatever you’re doing because PetExpo 2022 is back! 

In the past two years, PetExpo has been held online due to COVID-19 restrictions. Well, good news; it’s back as a physical event. 

It’s been a while since PetExpo was held physically, and I bet you’re hoping to find out what’s new and what you can expect at this year’s convention. So, here are 4 booths you do not want to miss at PetExpo 2022!

YoDoggo

Can’t seem to find high-quality fresh food for your doggo? Stop the search! ‘Cause beloved YoDoggo is part of this year’s lineup! 

They specialize in making completely balanced, 100% human-grade food for dogs and here’s what YoDoggo’s ambassador, Bubbles the pompom, have to say about their products:

“4 months into my YoDoggo journey, and we love how convenient YoDoggo has been as my daily protein and nutrition source. Fresh meat and veggies without freezing or thawing, how much better can it get?” 

Photo credit: @bubbles_thepompom

And they have a treat just for those who drop by their booths! There is an event-only promotion:  20% off on your first month for all new customers. So if you’re hoping to start your YoDoggo journey, now’s the time!

Booth number: M13

Pet Lovers Centre

Household name, Pet Lovers Centre (PLC) has been a familiar face at PetExpo conventions, so it’s no surprise that they’re part of this year’s lineup! 

For this year’s convention, you can expect a PLC photobooth for all three days – doesn’t that sound exciting? All you have to do is to follow their Instagram account (@plc_singapore) and:

  • Be entitled to a free dress-up photoshoot session with a variety of props to choose from
  • Get a free polaroid

Upload your photoshoot image(s) on Instagram, and tag PLC to join their giveaway with prizes worth $50. So be sure to check them out!

Booth number: L19

Levupets

It can be convenient to buy accessories off-the-shelf, but the horror of discovering it doesn’t fit your furkids can be frustrating. However, shopping for pet accessories shouldn’t be a nightmare.

Looking to spice up your furkids’ appearance with some bespoke pet accessories? We have some good news because Levupets is part of this year’s lineup and you do not want to miss their booth!

They’ll be having special promotions throughout PetExpo 2022, which you can check out here:

That’s right, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; with every $80 purchased, you’re entitled to a sure win scratch-card — what a steal!

But wait, there’s more! You can expect brand new products such as:

  • Harness
  • Leash
  • Hair clips

Along with their new collection, Upcycled Kimono Bow Ties. 

Don’t miss this chance to try out some bespoke accessories perfect for both dogs and cats!

Booth number: G21

Photo credit: @tomonhajime

Adoption Drive

The highly anticipated adoption drive, organized by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), and supported by Animal Welfare Group (AWG) Partners is back at PetExpo 2022!

Previous years’ reception was very successful, with many rescued animals given a second chance to find their forever home.

If you’re looking to add a new member to your loving family, you don’t have to look far! There are all types of animals available at the drive, from fluffy bunnies to adorable dogs. Not sure what animals suit you? Feel free to ask the staff or volunteers that are ready to answer any questions.

Note: Being a pet owner is never easy, with many responsibilities that follow. Hence, AWGs do hold screening processes to ensure the welfare of these animals. 

Event Details 

You can buy a ticket online for PetExpo 2022 from 11 November onwards, or at the door from 25th to 27th November (Fri – Sun) at Singapore Expo Hall 6.

Opening hours

11am – 8pm on Friday

10am – 8pm on Saturday & Sunday

Admission

$5 for one-day admission

$12 for three-day admission

Free for children under 12 and all pets are welcomed!

*Bonus*

In partnership with AVS, PetExpo 2022 is bringing back the highly demanded free health check. That’s right, you heard me! You can get a free health check for your pets on-site for free. 

So what are you waiting for? Sign up here: bit.ly/avspetexpo2022

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Community Stories

Aon’s Happy Tales: @classy.cleopura

Singapore Specials are a breed of their own — pointed ears or floppy ears; shorthair or fluffy, big or small, black, white, brindle or brown… these dogs look a little bit like every dog. Shef, proud pawrent of Singapore Special Cleo, (@classy.cleopura on IG), proves that these lovely strays are worth every bit of effort put into training them, and making them pawfect urban companions.

Cleo is in Shef’s words, “the chillest and goodest dog ever (no bias!).” Cleo is extremely treat-and-food motivated and often ‘smiles’ for treats, a trait that Shef makes full use of to take more photos of her doggo.

Cleo shares her pawrent’s social energy and loves hosting friends, both pawpal and pawrent. “It lets us both be lazy and sociable at the same time. Cleo really is my spirit animal!”

Story of Cleo and Shef

Cleo and Shef

Before being a part of Shef’s family, Cleo spent her early years living as a stray in a cemetery. She was  rescued by Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) when she was around six years old. Due to her age and size — being middle-aged and not of the HDB-approved size — Cleo spent another 13 months in the shelter, without being adopted.

“When I was going through the adoption process, my adoption counsellor at ASD told me that Cleo is one of the easiest dogs they’ve  had at the shelter.” I was given lots of handholding through the initial homestay, and even after I finalized her adoption, they were still very willing to provide guidance and support.” Thankfully, Shef and Cleo are a match made in heaven.

“She was initially a little cautious when she came to me (understandably so), but now she’s happy just hanging around the house with me; napping, interrupting my work calls for the occasional head rub and reminding me when I’m five minutes late to feed her.”

“She loves her long slow walks but is extremely scared of cyclists and has thunder anxiety, so storms are traumatic for both of us,” says Shef.

In their free time, Cleo would explore the neighbourhood HDBs and greet the community cats.

Cleo enjoying a walk around Robertson Quay

Getting an older dog

Being at the right place, at the right time

Having grown up with a German Shepherd, Shef always knew she’d eventually welcome a furry friend into her life… “I moved overseas for work in 2015 and moved back to Singapore in 2020, straight into the pandemic.” Shef recounted. “I used to travel a lot Pre-Covid so getting a dog was a consideration that was put on hold. Once lockdown began and I settled in Singapore, it felt like an opportune moment to adopt a dog.”

Lifestyle changes

While Shef enjoyed travelling and scuba diving, she is laidback. So when the time came for her to decide on the kind of pawpal she wanted in her life, her mind had already formed a clear image. 

“I was clear I didn’t want a puppy as my first pet — I’m not emotionally ready for a 12-15 year commitment at this stage of my life, nor do I really want to deal with teething, toilet training, etc.  I was keen on dogs in the 4-7 year range, preferably of the low-energy variety; given my not-so-active lifestyle,” reveals Shef, regarding her thought process and criteria, while adopting Cleo.

Many new pawrents underestimate the difficulty in raising young cats or dogs and tend to struggle with managing their diet, health, and training. Experienced pet owners advise all new/to-be owners to do as much reading as possible on what works best for them, their pawpals, so that they can adapt and integrate the new furry companion into their lifestyle as seamlessly as possible

Adopt, don’t shop

As a first-time dog owner, Shef was not confident in her ability to identify an ethical breeder. “I wasn’t keen on buying a dog from a pet shop, and I was more inclined to adopt from a shelter since my grandma used to volunteer at a children’s orphanage and I’ve heard so many fulfilling tales of adoption from her,” says Shef. 

A pedigree pup in Singapore can cost around SGD$10,000 depending on breed and breeder. “If I had to spend that much money, I’d rather spend it on spoiling my dog silly,” exclaims Shef.

Concerns over genetics

“I do worry about Cleo’s long term health,” says Shef.  “Given her history, I have no idea about any genetic predispositions or any other health issues I should be mindful of.” As Singapore Specials are the product of generations of strays cross-breeding, they are less susceptible to diseases. However, the ambiguity over their ancestry leaves room for worry over congenital and hereditary conditions.

Insure to ensure

Cleo was taken for a full check-up and blood test upon adoption.  “Given Cleo’s age and the lack of medical history, I wanted to get insurance for her, in case it was ever needed (and I really hope I never need to claim against it). 

Most of Singapore’s pet insurance caters to puppies rather than middle-aged dogs. Additionally, some have specific age limitations,  rendering their coverage ineffective once your pawpal passes a certain age. This might pose a problem for Cleo, whose age is estimated based on veterinary assessments.

“Happy Tails was frankly one of two options Cleo was eligible for, and this is the only one that covers her for her entire lifetime. The coverage offered is also reasonable and comprehensive, for the amount I needed to pay.” [Shef.]

Aon Happy Tails offers an affordable premium as low as $24 a month for coverage that includes surgical treatment arising from injuries, sicknesses, specified genetic conditions and much more.

Shef strongly believes pet owners should insure their pets. “ I hope you never need to claim against it, but in my experience, it is Murphy’s law. The one and only time I didn’t take travel insurance was the one time I really needed it!”

*Bonus Content*

Say Cleo could speak hooman for 7 days. What would you say to her / do with her for that one week?

“I had an AC (animal communicator) speak with Cleo recently to try to understand her better. If she could speak hooman though, I would pretty much tell her what I already do every day – how much I love her and what a good girl she is, and how glad I am that she waited to be adopted by me!”

“I don’t think much would change for us from our current lifestyle — we would still hang out, maybe explore some new neighbourhoods in Singapore. Maybe I would take her back to the cemetery she grew up in to explore (if she really wanted to). I would love to know more about her past life from her. I have some old photos and anecdotal stories from her feeders and rescuers which are priceless, but it would be amazing to hear her version of her life too.” 

“I’d love to also talk to her more about her health, any aches and pains she might have, and explain to her why she needs to diet (her and me both!).”

To learn more about Shef and Cleo’s adoption story, visit her post here on Instagram!

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Community Stories

Studying in School while Caring for my New Dog!

Are you a pet owner who is still in school?

How do you find yourself juggling schoolwork and pet ownership?

For Reese’s owner, adopting Reese was the best decision ever made. However, adopting her prior to the lockdown proved to be a challenge, as she had to continually adjust her lifestyle to fit the changes caused to her schooling and Reese’s needs.

We reached out to hear more about her pet ownership journey.

1. Hi there! Tell us more about your relationship with Reese.

I got Reese just before CB, on the 5th of April 2020. Before that, I had always wanted a dog after our previous dog, Rusty, passed away in 2018. My parents said that we were not allowed to get another dog as it would be too big of a responsibility. 

After taking my PSLE in 2019, I was determined to get a dog and started to save my allowance. I researched how much I would need to save up in order to be able to provide for the dog and convinced my parents to let me get one. 

In March 2020, a dog farm had shut down with around 200 dogs left homeless. It was publicised in the newspaper with many people attempting to rehome the dogs. Stars Veterinary Clinic was in charge of caring for the dogs in the meantime. We were very lucky as one of my mother’s friends shared the vet’s contact with her. 

Our connection with the vets provided us with the opportunity to inquire about the dogs. We were looking for a hypoallergenic dog. On the 5th of April, the vet gave us a call about an available poodle. My father agreed to adopt her. We collected Reese that very day!

2. Why did you choose to bring Reese into your home, and how has it impacted your daily life?

In the beginning, I chose to bring Reese home because I really wanted a dog. However, since then, Reese has had a huge impact on my life. 

As a student, I make sure to save my allowance so I can afford to pay Reese’s bills. I feel like this has helped me to be more responsible and money conscious. I’ve also met many other people on Reese’s Instagram who are all so friendly and helpful. 

The thing that has changed the most in my daily life has to be the fact that every time I reach home, Reese is always there to welcome me. She follows me almost everywhere I go when I’m at home and her things are all over my room now!

3. Was it difficult to manage both your studies and taking care of a new pet?

Although there were a few difficulties, it was quite easy to look after her especially since I was having HBL (Home-based Learning). 

One of the major problems encountered occurred in the early days. Upon her arrival home, we discovered that Reese was full of ticks. Although she was on medication that prevented ticks, it was not successful. The ticks had spread all over the house. We had to vacuum areas such as the sofa and created some sprays to kill the ticks. 

We did some research and finally decided to get a Seresto collar for her. After that, the ticks slowly disappeared and she’s now free of them.

4. Bring us through a day with Reese.

When we first brought Reese home, she did not dare to step out of her playpen and would sit there without moving. We placed newspapers on the floor and finally, she began to explore her playpen. However, she did not dare to step out of it. 

When I was not having lessons, I would play with Reese and brought her out of her playpen. 

Luckily for us, my June holidays were pushed forward to May, allowing me to spend more time with Reese. She loves to play fetch and is very picky with her food. We spent a lot of time trying to get her to eat her kibbles by throwing them so she can “fetch” them. 

At night, we brought her out on walks. She was not fully vaccinated so we made sure she did not eat/lick anything. I also tried to teach her tricks hence r to sit which was quite hard as the methods we tried from YouTube did not work. We soon figured out another way though.

5. It’s great to hear about the time spent with Reese during HBL. Now that restrictions are slowly easing, do you have any advice for pet owners who are struggling to adapt to this change?

I think that as we have to leave our homes to be in the office or school full time, we will definitely miss our furry best friends most! But nothing makes the heart fonder and as a full-time student, I’ve had the experience of being away from home for 8-10 hours daily. 

In the beginning, it was hard as I was often worried about how she was coping. Is she eating, is she sleeping, is she missing me as much as I miss her? It helps to have her photos in my phone. Clearing my mind is also important so I can spend free time thinking of new ways to incentivise her for training/dog obedience etc. I’ve also seen some owners on Instagram installing cameras to check on their pets. That is a great way to make sure they’re doing fine too. 

For pet owners who may be busier, it’ll help to arrange for an alternate caregiver to play with and accompany their pets. For example, my brother returns home from school at lunchtime and plays with Reese. It helps to have a schedule, ensure there is adequate clean water and food/treats for your dog whilst you’re away. Leaving some toys behind will also help ease their boredom.

For all our schooling pawrents, we hope your pet ownership journey continues to be a smooth sailing one.

Follow Reese on Instagram.

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Community Stories

From Adoption to Adaptation: Stray Cats

In our brand new series of #TWAShares, we had the pleasure of chatting with 3 different cat owners, who decided to adopt their cats.

Read on to learn about their lives post-adoption, and some of their tips and tricks for those that are eager to adopt cats too!

Q: Tell us a little about your cats!

@zingertails

Zingertails: We have 3 adopted kitties Remo, Cozmo and Gizmo, all about a year old now! Cozmo and Gizmo are actually siblings that we adopted from SPCA and Remo was adopted from a rescuer.

@emplifying

Emplifying: We have 2 chonky seniors, Gary and Newton. Gary was named after Spongebob’s pet snail because he went ‘mao’ instead of ‘meow’. He was found at Tampines void deck with his siblings while Netwon was picked up at Newton Circus on a rainy day.

@diam0ndkitties

Diam0ndkitties: We have 2 adorable brothers, Nori Jisub and Truffle Gohan. They were found near a drain at the carpark at NUS by my brother in Jan 2020. We brought them home when they were about 2.5 months old when we brought them home. Nori is super athletic while Truffle loves jumping, sleeping and bird-watching.

Q: What was your first day home with your cats like?

Diam0ndkitties: The first week we brought them home, I couldn’t sleep very well as I was worried about them being alone in the dark. So, we left a small light on until they got familiar with the surroundings.

Emplifying: Newton was only about 4 months old when we took him in. He was wet, scrawny, muddy and had some injuries to his hind legs’ toes. We brought him home in a shopping bag because we didn’t think we would be taking him in. We took care of him in secret, because our parents didn’t want a pet at home. We kept him in an unused toilet for a night but his loud meows were heard by my parents! Eventually, he won my mom’s heart because she felt that he’s her lucky cat!

We found Gary at a void deck with his siblings, he was the chonkiest and most mischievous because we found him climbing a palm tree! Eventually, all his siblings were adopted and we brought Gary back home. I guess Gary was my mom’s favourite as she commented in a dialect that “This cat is so sweet”.

Zingertails: It was a bit chaotic because I met Remo at my clinic workplace! He was rescued and brought in with exposed flesh due to bacteria growth. He had to be hospitalized at a very young age [1 month] and I ended up taking him home to care for him. I too brought him home without my dad knowing, as he didn’t like cats in general. When he saw Remo, he was very against the idea of nursing him.

The first night was chaotic as Remo was constantly having diarrhoea and due to his open wound, had to be cleaned up as soon as possible. I kept him in my dad’s unused fish tank for the first night, and tried to syringe feed him water to avoid dehydration. As he was our first cat, the house wasn’t ‘cat-ready’ and the next day, I dashed out to Pet Lover Centre in the morning to get all the kitten essentials.

Emplifying: My parents were like that at first too! But they grew to accept them.

Zingertails: But Remo is really smart! He knows how to smooth his way out into my parents heart and first began by working his way to my mom by gently meowing and being all manja with her. That’s where my mother fell in love.

Q: What were your must-have products for the kittens?

Diam0ndkitties: A litter box and litter! I’m quite particular about home cleanliness so I was initially paranoid about litter box training and accidents. But luckily, the kittens took very naturally to the litter box which was a huge relief to us. But not to say there weren’t a few accidents though! Afterwards, we were hastily looking at which kitten food to buy. There’s just too much info out there that we have to sieve through, both for kittens and adult cats.

Emplifying: Definitely kitty pan, kitty sand and cat food! We had Daiso bowls as food and water bowls. Not forgetting cat mesh!

Diam0ndkitties: Yes! Daiso does have a lot of good stuff for pets, but they are not very commonly found at some outlets. We have tried the cat wipes but they were a little too thin.

Emplifying: We also got dish washing gloves for Newton and thought that bathing him with gloves would be easier (didn’t know what we were thinking!) but Newton shredded the gloves so… no gloves after that!

Zingertails: For us, we prepared lots and lots of pee pads. At that time, we weren’t prepared to adopt Remo so we used pee pads as well as a small little tray as a litter box! We also bought KMR milk, kitten mousse/kibbles and Nutripet vitamin supplements.

Q: Biggest challenge when trying to let your kitten get used to being domesticated?

Emplifying: It would be the late-night meowing, because we were so afraid that the neighbours will complain since cats are generally not allowed to be kept in HDBs.

Other than that, there would be occasional furniture/wire damage by kittens but glad to say that there wasn’t any mass destruction! Unlike dogs, I feel like cat’s may not be domesticated easily. Based on my experience, instead of trying to train them to NOT do a certain action, the only way we felt worked for us is to not encourage the behaviour. Instead, we keep things/furnitures away that could encourage the behaviour and exhaust the kitten’s energy with playtime!

Zingertails: Agreed! We really had a hard time trying to exhaust the kittens.

Diam0ndkitties: Yes, the biggest challenge for us when they were younger was to not let them scratch furniture or bite into wires, which they usually will do at night or when no one is around. We provided lots of scratching posts, and also tried the cat anti-scratch spray which unfortunately did not work. Exhausting them was not easy, they were just way too active. Sometimes even I got tired!

Zingertails: When the kittens start to get bored, especially Remo when he was the ‘single child’, he would start developing behaviour such as pouncing on the humans or even biting. It took us a while to correct this kind of behaviour. We do bring Remo out for walks but it’s not on a frequent basis. I have heard some cats ended up craving the ‘outside world’ a lot and will start to be destructive when kept indoors.

Emplifying: We bought a leash too, but they just flop and surrender on the floor, they did not even walk! Had to carry them all the way. I have also heard about cats not wanting to be kept in after being exposed to the ‘outside world’.

Q: Give a piece of advice to hoomans looking to adopt cats!

Diam0ndkitties: Wow, that’s going to have a long answer! But in short, be really sure that you can commit to ANY pets. Commitment to care for a pet is important. There will be good days and also bad days. For stray cats, it also depends how old they are when adopted, the older ones need more patience to adapt to the indoor life.

Emplifying: Just be patient & committed! And enjoy the process of finding out their silly characters. I really miss those kitten days! There may be both heart-aching and heart-melting moments through their course of life, but none of which I regret.

Zingertails: Yup I agree! It is not just a one two year commitment, but can last up till 20 year! You have to be financially ready and ave up funds for them, be it regular food and toys or even medical fees.

THE WOOF AGENCY would like to thank @diam0ndkitties, @emplifying and @zingertails for taking the time off to share with us their real-life experiences on adopting stray cats.

If you enjoyed this piece, drop a comment below and let us know what other types of pet groups you’d like to learn more about!

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Community Stories

My Close Escape from Euthanasia

Hi guys, in case you don’t know yet, my name is Kiki. This name was given to me by my first family and my pawrents just continued to use it.

In Feburary 2018, at 3 months old, I was brought home by my first family. They were so excited to have me and so was I to have them. However as days go by, things spiraled out of control.

Being in a family with 3 small children (4 if you consider me as a small puppy as well), my then pawrents did not have the capacity to care for me adequately and I soon fell into the arms of the devils.

I got myself some sort of a skin irritation where I constantly scratches and bite myself. I was constantly itchy and in pain. However, as I was the first puppy the family ever had, they did not know how to deal with me.

Pawdad sent me to the vet several times and was diagnosed with skin allergy. They suspected that it could be due to food, but despite changing my diet and eliminating via food type, they could not find the root cause.

It just kept going on and on and months flew by. At my very worst, I was almost bald and bloody due to the constant scratching and biting (I really can’t help it) and to protect my siblings, pawdad asked his friends to foster me temporarily.

This was the start of my journey of moving house to house. I was sent away by countless “fosterers” as they could not deal with my constant scratching (and disgusting smell). I am also always locked in my cage almost 24hours a day as they were afraid of me dirtying their places. I was at a very sad place. It was until July 2018 that pawdad reached out to my current pawrents to seek help as a last resort.

He had scheduled me to be euthanised 2 days later, but has no place to temporary put me up at. My mummy had questions about me but agreed to put me up for 2 nights.

When pawdad brought me over to mummy and daddy’s house late at night, he told mummy that I had severe skin allergy and the vet recommended to be euthanise as I will not have quality of life. He felt sad about it but this is what he had to do. He left after saying goodbye to me.

After closing the door, mummy opened my gate. It was the first time the gate has been opened for godknows how many days or weeks. I climbed out of the cage… Despite all the pains and itches, I made my way to mummy’s lap and asked for a belly rub.

Mummy gave me a good belly rub and looked at daddy saying how pitiful I was (no doubt, I was so raw then). Daddy suggested that we should not give up on me and that he would make an appointment tomorrow with his friend’s vet and get a second opinion. Mummy agreed. Little did they know, it was this decision that saved my life.

The next day, daddy got home from work and brought me to the new vet. The vet saw me and immediately got down to business. He took tests and did everything he needed to do. He even gave me a huge slab of salmon from his stash for dinner as he said I was so severely underweight for my age (7 months).

All red, at the vet

It turned out… The results showed that I was suffering from a very severe form of chronic scabies that the bugs were eating me alive inside and outside. Luckily though, I was diagnosed in time, if we were to wait any further, I would not have made it out alive.

This event turned everything upside down. Mummy contacted pawdad to inform the results and pawdad was shocked. He could not believe his ears and asked if mummy could keep and restore me back to health. He would be willing to pay for all the medical bills for my condition until I got better.

Mummy and daddy discussed and agreed to give me a second chance in life.

I got home, looking like this….

July 2018

Being also a first time dog owner, my new pawrents did not know what to do, much less prepare for my arrival.

But mummy being in the healthcare industry knows fairly well how contagious scabies is and quickly build me a playpen using Daiso metal grids to temporary keep me at a corner of the house (but this is definitely bigger than my cage which I’ve been living in it for many weeks!)

I was on medications 3x a day and showering every 3 days for 2 whole months. As both mummy and daddy are working, mummy engaged the help of her 3 good friends (AKA my 3 godmas now) for rotational help. The 4 of them took turn caring for me 24hours around the clock. Making sure I was fed well, had my medication and showers, and had lots of love and care. They almost could not leave me alone at home as I would start biting or scratching the moment I got nothing to do. In addition to all the special attention I needed, daddy assist in keeping the house scrubbed and cleaned well. He mop the floor and wipe everything I touched EVERY SINGLE DAY.

For the first time in many days and weeks, I finally slept well.

Slowly but surely, my skin started to recover. Instead of being like a skinless roast duck, I became a pink chicken and my fur started to grow out.

Look at me, being all cozy on mummy’s lap

As my condition slowly got better, I also became a vacuum cleaner during park walks (mummy ever had to pick out a chicken bone from my mouth) and learnt to climb stairs!

From taking each step gingerly….

To hopping like a kangaroo!

Everyone was very amazed at my recovery and I was so active by then! With due care and diligence from pawrents and godmas, I was on a roll. I became the puppy I should be.

Pawdad saw my miraculous recovery and after discussion with mummy, they decided to transfer my name under mummy’s name to make me officially adopted by my pawrents!

I could not be happier and pawrents were elated to have me part of their family. I mean, I am already their family since the night I got there, didn’t I? Hahaha!

Everyday, I create new problems and challenges to my pawrents which made them scratch their heads (see the pun?) and try to outwit me each time. (Soon after, mummy started me on command training to tire that clever brain of mine).

It took 1 month for the Chronic Scabies to be cleared and close to 3-4 months before my fur are fully grown out!

Take a Look!

Aug 2018
Sept 2018
Oct 2018
Nov 2018

In Nov 2018, I celebrated my first birthday!

I wouldn’t have made it to my first birthday (or even third this year!) without my pawrents’ decision to bring me for a second opinion. I would not have escape that needle of death. So I’m forever thankful for their kindness.

Lastly I got to say, even though pawdad and family did me unjust, I forgave them and I still love them. Till date, whenever I see my pawdad and family, I am always very happy to give them hugs and kisses! I knew that although they may not have given me the best care, they had made the right decision to let my current pawrents adopt me. For that, I am forever grateful.

Today, I am happy and I hope you are too!

Signing off,

Kiki, your favorite MP

Categories
Community Stories

The Plight of the Singapore Special

What the Shelter Won’t Tell You

Lady-Mae is my first Singapore Special. We adopted her in 2012. She is my seventh dog in my life. When I was growing up, we could have unlimited number of dogs as long as they weren’t a nuisance to the neighbours.

As an experienced dog owner and handler, I did something totally out of the ordinary when it came to choosing Lady-Mae. I went purely with my instincts. I didn’t research about owning a rescue dog, I just went ahead to get one. (If you’re a new dog owner, I highly suggest that you speak to many fellow Singapore Special owners. A variety of owners and not just one type of owner. It’ll give you a more realistic view of this dog. Please do not follow my example.)

As time went by and I got involved in the dog community, I realised that many people struggled with their Sg Special because either their dog wasn’t properly socialised or they did not get a suitable trainer. So here’s a list of 12 things that I think will help you to decide if the Singapore Special or SS is for you and if you’re up to the challenge.

1. They are the toughest dog to train, even harder than a husky: Most trainers will tell you the Husky is the hardest dog to train. Well, move aside Husky because the Singapore Special tops that list. Singapore Specials don’t care about anyone. They are not bred to want to listen to you. They are bred to solve problems on their own. They do not do well with a wishy-washy handler. Not being able to make a decision on the fly is going to make you be a weakling in the Singapore Special’s eyes. Once you’re seen as a weakling, they will exploit that. I often tell fellow owners that making a bad decision is better than not making one at all.

2. You’ll need to find a GOOD balance trainer: A good balance trainer means a trainer who knows how to use Positive Reinforcement and knows how to teach corrections in a fair and just manner. Singapore Specials are sensitive dogs. They do not do well with high aversive training and neither do they do well solely on Positive Reinforcements only.

3. Singapore Specials need a firm owner: Being firm these days is being labeled a dictator. On the contrary. Being firm means that when you say NO to your dog, be prepared to say NO another one thousand times before your dog will take you seriously.

4. Critical Learning Period For every dog, not just the Singapore Special, the critical learning period is from 3 to 5months. During this time, if a dog is intentionally socialized well to the environment, people, and the lifestyle of the owner, it will grow up to be a balanced dog. However, this is highly critical for the Singapore Special. Missing out on this window creates many of the behavioural issues that the dog will carry through its life. The only reason why the dog becomes good is because of good management. So be prepared to manage your dog but it doesn’t mean you will see the problem behaviour go away.

5. Socialising your dog is a crazy long list over a crazy long time: For many Singapore Specials, they find it hard to adapt to the urban lifestyle that we live and move in. They need to have POSITIVE experiences from the time they are rescued all the way until they have matured adults (4 to 5years old). Socialisation is not going to be a ONE-time affair. These dogs need the consistent positive experience. Socialization isn’t bringing a dog to a dog park and letting it do what it wants. Socialization is an intentional affair with a specific goal.

6. Knowing who you are is critical: Self-awareness is probably the one thing that most SS owners struggle with. So before you bring one home, know what makes you tick. Know how you make decisions, what needs you have so that you can make decisions. And be comfortable in your own skin. E.g. some people need TIME to make a decision. If that’s you, then be aware that if your dog reacts, you should already have a backup plan because there will not be time for you to deliberate. Your Singapore Special is going to know you before the first day is over. And it’s going to know what your weaknesses are and how it can exploit you. E.g. if you’re afraid that the dog will bark its lungs out and get a complaint from a neighbour, the Singapore Special is going to bark the heck of its lungs out because it’s going to push every weakness button. It wants to see which of our weaknesses it can exploit.

7. It needs leadership: Leadership has become a nasty and dirty word in the dog world today. It’s sad because Singapore Special needs a person who is able to provide them clarity. These dogs need someone to give them clear definitions of what is and what isn’t acceptable behaviour. And they need someone to give them clear guidance on how to achieve acceptable behaviour. Failure to provide this will result in a Singapore Special that is highly fearful, reactive, or aggressive.

8. The Singapore Special is wild at heart: I think too many people downplay this trait in the Singapore Special. They are very feral. Almost wolf-like. But they are dogs. They will be eager to please if you can provide leadership. You’ll never be able to domesticate the Singapore Special but it doesn’t mean they cannot be in a home. I always felt guilty for adopting Lady-Mae because I felt like I was caging her by adopting her. It took me 8 years to be able to say that my rescue dog is beginning to be more like a dog that has been carefully bred for centuries.

9. Singapore Specials need an outlet for problem-solving: Because these dogs have evolved to problem-solve daily, they need to be active participants in their training. One of the things that I do is WAIT for the dog to offer me a behaviour that I find acceptable. I don’t give it a command. This is what we call Free Shaping in dog training terminology. Eg. I will wait for the dog to calm down and not jump on me before putting the leash on. I will not tell the dog to sit etc. I will wait until the dog is calm and gives me eye contact before I reward the dog. Having fostered and helped so many dogs and families, Free shaping is highly integral for a Singapore Special. It keeps them engaged. It makes them think about what you want and that taps into their instincts to problem solve. Know how to work with their instincts not against it.

10. They need to roam free: Every Singapore Special yearns to be off the leash. It’s sad that many owners aren’t able to train their dogs to the point where their dogs can be off the lead and ignore people and dogs and just be engaged with their owners no matter what happens. So if you ever adopt one, be prepared to put aside EVERY free time you have and work with the dog until you can get here. Your dog will thank you daily.

11. They are purpose-driven: Singapore Specials are not the usual pet dog. If you’re looking for one, be prepared to go to a trainer who is adept at knowing how to train working breeds. They need a job. Some Sg Specials are really adept at obedience work. Some are great with tricks. Some are awesome with people, (yes there are some Sg Specials who are). And then, there are some who are like my dog, Lady-Mae who enjoys helping people and animals in distress. It’s going to take you at least a year or two before discovering that your dog’s purpose is. So be open minded, go try many activities. Lady-Mae and I have tried, Obedience Competition style training, Tricks, Pet therapy, Agility, Lure coursing. All these flopped terribly and miserably. My dog just stood there and looked at me like she was bored. Until we tried Nosework. Lady-Mae enjoys the search especially for an animal that’s in distress. She enjoys it so much that you can’t even lure her away with Mcnuggets!

12. They are resilient, have great perseverance, and are highly intelligent: Many times when I see descriptions of a Singapore Special up for adoption, nothing that is on that paragraph is what you’re really going to get. Singapore Special is a highly resilient dog, meaning it can withstand a lot of psychological challenges and it’s going to use that with you throughout its lifetime. The SS is also a dog with great perseverance hence they might look very stubborn. However, if you are able to persevere together with them, you will not only gain their love, loyalty, and devotion but their utmost respect. Lastly, the Singapore Special is highly intelligent. I think people do not give enough credit to this dog. Lady-Mae hasn’t ceased to surprise me every day with her ability to offer an innovative solution.

The Singapore Special requires us to put their needs way above ours for a very long time. Adopting one will consume you. It will take up a lot of your time, money, and energy daily for a good 3 to 4years before you’re able to see a highly reliable dog. That’s if you put in the work daily. I have not met a SS owner who said their adoption journey was easy.

Every SS owner will tell you how hard they worked to get where they are. I worked hard but I know of owners who had to work much harder than I did. If you are still up to adopt one, then, welcome to the club. You chose a dog that will not just change your life but it will force you to grow you in ways you never imagined.

Adopting a Singapore Special is not for the faint-hearted. It’s for people who are prepared to take on a self-development journey.

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Community Stories

What are Singapore Specials like and are they right for you

Every person getting a new dog, be it first-time or experienced dog owners, would arrive at this question at some point during their decision-making process: What breed of dog should I get? There are the usual pedigree breeds that have been labelled as “family-friendly” like our adorable Golden Retrievers and “easy to train” Maltipoo cross-breeds which we have crossed paths with during one of our evening leisure walks. However, when one considers between adoption and getting their new furkid from a known breeder, a major deterrent against opting for adoption is the lack of information on the temperaments of Singapore Specials (SS) (our affectionate name for our kampong dogs, also known to many as “mongrels”, “mixed-breeds” or “strays”). 

As a first-time owner, I too hesitated on adopting a dog because I simply did not know much about SS. It seemed like an easier option to buy a pedigree dog whose temperaments, quirks, prey drive, receptivity to training was already analysed and readily available on the Internet. On the other hand, searching up “Singapore Specials/mongrels” on Google left me with few to no results about the things to expect from owning an SS. Thus, I finally decided to write about my experiences with owning an SS and behaviours characteristic to SS in hopes that this article will raise more awareness about our beloved local dogs and many potential owners will consider adopting a Special as their future companion, and best friend.

Before diving into the particularities of Singapore Specials, I felt that I should introduce myself first so you could put a name and face to this article. I’m Sabrina and this is my best friend, and “grandchild” (according to my parents), Kyla.

Kyla at 6 months old and still a compulsive worry queen

Kyla is nearly 7 months old and my family had adopted her from Mercylight in July 2020. While I am currently abroad for my undergraduate studies, I had spent most of my days in Singapore prior to my departure caring for Kyla and thus I will be sharing my experiences from that period (currently, my family is caring for her and I receive regular updates on her growth).  In the process of writing this article, I had also spoken to other SS owners to compare my experiences with them so as to give a more accurate representation of SS as a “breed”. Of course, given that SS were never specially bred for any purpose as was the case for many pedigree dogs, their personalities may differ from what I write so that should be kept in mind when you read my article. 

So without further ado, what are Singapore Specials like?

Past experiences can mean fearfulness and skittishness

While some SS may have been rescued when they were only a few days old, many others are often introduced to shelter life and exposure to humans after months or years of roaming and scavenging for food. Having spent their entire lives hiding from humans and sleeping near construction sites or fields, this means that they have never experienced living with humans in apartments, eating from bowls, being touched nor walking on leash. Naturally, SS which have not socialised properly are more fearful and resistant to a change in the environment. While I was fortunate enough to have adopted Kyla when she was still very young and thus could socialise her to new environments fairly easily, many other SS owners have to restart the socialisation process. This usually implies slowly introducing “unnatural” elements to them, even the smallest things like the TV or rooms in the house. One SS owner had shared with me that her SS was still very skittish even after four months of being with her family and had stayed in the same room for almost two months. It takes constant repetition, exposure to the same environments over and over again for Specials to recognise that these spaces are safe. Adopting an SS means harnessing that mountain of patience to go slow, and to reassure them that humans, other dogs and even their reflection in the food bowl is nothing to be afraid of.

Be prepared for a high prey-driven dog

See that rat that just ran past the pavement? The flock of birds minding their business on the grass patch next to you? You better hold your leash tight. Singapore Specials are your diamonds in the rough when you consider them as hunting dogs. Over decades of surviving on their own, they have acquired an acute sense of smell and sight valuable for sourcing out food. It is in their nature to hunt down birds and other small animals. Even Kyla, who never had to scour for food on the streets, was very attracted to rats and birds that she spotted on our walks. She would whine and tug very strongly on the leash when we prevented her from going closer to the rat hidden in the grass. On one walk, Kyla had found a dead flattened rat on our road and picked it up like it was a precious chew (and you can guess who had to forcefully take the rat from her). The point is, expect that SS have a high prey drive and if you ever thought of letting that rabbit next door be her new best friend, you should probably think twice. 

Reactivity and the importance of training

A similar point to how past experiences have shaped the personalities of Singapore Specials, another common characteristic to note is that SS have the tendency to be more reactive and sensitive to new people and dogs. In defining “reactivity”, I refer to behaviours such as growling, barking, and defensive stances. While Kyla is more sensitive towards people (barking) and very playful around other dogs, other SS I have met are reactive to the latter and easy-going with people. Then again, there are some Specials that are friendly to all and have no problems with interactions, so it may not be set in their personalities after all. Nevertheless, given the fact that they are generally more fearful and skittish, it would be a good idea to invest time into obedience training sessions to learn to manage their reactivity and to desensitise them to new environments. Group training sessions are useful as they allow you to practice managing SS around other dogs-in-training which provides a controlled environment for correcting their reactive behaviours.

happy girl passed her first obedience training!

Highly intelligent thinkers

Singapore Specials are very intelligent. Period. Their resilience cultivated from their survival instincts ultimately means that they are determined to crack that puzzle to obtain that bonus treat. It took Kyla approximately a month to figure out how to push the baby gate open to let herself up to the second and third floors of our house, and she was able to recognise her reflection in the mirror in our living room after one house visit (back when we were still in the process of adopting her). However, because SS are able to solve challenges fairly quickly, it is also important to engage them intellectually to ensure that they exercise their mental capacities. This may mean making them work for treats and spending some time engaging in challenging play (personally, I play hide and seek with Kyla to do so). 

Your best bodyguard, a fiercely loyal buddy

Last but not the least, SS are your residential guard dogs. Their sensitivity to new environments is also a valuable asset that can be harnessed. Perhaps it is the fact that they are eternally grateful to you for giving them a furever home and a lifetime supply of tasty treats, but Specials will reward you with their unwavering loyalty after they gain trust in you. One day, I was waiting at the void deck for my family to buy dinner with Kyla. She laid down 1m in front of me and was calm when people walked past us and went about their day. However, when one man had approached me to ask about her, Kyla immediately stood up and barked at him, always putting herself between me and the man. This was when I had realised that Kyla’s barking was due to the fact that she primarily wanted to protect and not to display dominance and aggression. You can therefore say that SS are amazing guard dogs, and their alleged “hostility” should not be taken for aggression but their strong loyalty to their owners. 

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If you have read till this point, thank you for your support and I sincerely hope this article has helped one or two potential dog owners to make an informed decision regarding their new family member. All I wish for is that this article sheds more light on the temperaments of Singapore Specials so that we remove the stigma regarding stray dogs and that many may consider adopting an SS now with better information on what raising an SS is like. 🙂

Many thanks to those who have helped contribute to this article in one way or another!

Our long-distance relationship now 🙂
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Community Stories

Adopting Can Be Hard – Why It’s Still Worth It

Hi! I’m Jamie, and this is my puppy, Mako. He’s a cutie Singapore Special and I adopted him from Purely Adoptions when he was 3 months old. Adopting him has been the best decision of my life.

boop! henlo!

But I won’t lie, the process of adopting a dog can be hard.

However, in this post, I hope to shed some light on parts of the adoption process, my experience, explain why the adoption procedure can be so tedious, and WHY it is necessary, but most importantly – WHY it is STILL WORTH IT. This is why we adopt and don’t shop.

It takes too long!

Yes, adoption can take a long time. Many of my friends have stated that when they tried to adopt, the AWGs (Animal Welfare Groups) took forever to get back to them. Yes, the responses can be slow sometimes but do consider all the other work that the AWGs are often really busy with. Many AWGs have endless to-do lists, such as taking in abandoned dogs, dogs put up for rehoming, urgent medical treatment for shelter dogs, rescuing stray dogs, trapping and neutering stray dogs to control the population, etc. etc. Many rescuers take in entire litters of puppies at a time. These puppies often have many health issues and the care required to keep the puppies alive is basically an around-the-clock commitment, and not all the puppies make it. Imagine the heartbreak of losing your dog. Now multiply that by the number of rescued puppies that don’t survive, and then by the number of litters rescuers take in. It’s a huge toll and so I hope you understand when AWGs take more time than pet shops to respond. They just have so much to do!

Moreover, keep in mind how hard 2020 has been for AWGs that can no longer hold adoption drives, fundraising events, or have volunteers over during the Circuit Breaker to help with shelter care. As much as we want to adopt WFH companions as soon as possible, do consider that there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

But they do get back to you eventually! One key thing you must have when you want to adopt is persistence. Don’t stop at enquiring at one AWG, enquire at others too. You will get a response if you keep trying.

When I started my search for my forever furkid, I began with the first AWG I knew of SPCA. However, SPCA has limited dogs available for adoption. I couldn’t find one that really spoke to me and applications were not even open because of high demand during Circuit Breaker!

So I kept digging. I only knew of a couple AWGS at that time, like SPCA and Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD). Perhaps you’re the same. But in reality, there are many, many, many AWGs out there with dogs that need a home! Here is a list of all the AWGs I looked at when looking for my furever furkid:

  1. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
  2. Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD)
  3. Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
  4. Mercylight Animal Sanctuary
  5. F7 Home Kennel
  6. Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter (OSCAS)
  7. Voices for Animals (VFA)
  8. Animal Lovers League (ALL)
  9. Causes For Animals
  10. Forget Me Not Dog Shelter
  11. Exclusively Mongrels (EM)
  12. Purely Adoptions (not last because of importance, last because this is where I found my furbabe! There are also several more I have not mentioned here!)
dav

Yes, it can take a long time. But consider this: what is a few months delay when you are potentially adopting a companion who will be by your side for 10-15 years?

Why is the process so tough?

Even as determined as I was to adopt, I still found the research process was long and tedious. I messaged many shelters via their social media and received no replies for some. And even when I got through, there were just so many dogs that needed a home! How to choose? Eventually, I started submitting applications to a few AWGs, shortlisting a few dogs from each shelter that I seemed to like, hoping to meet them. (I applied for like, 8 dogs each from ASD and Mercylight!)

Here comes the discouraging part.

One shelter rejected me because all the dogs I was interested in were either already adopted, on homestay, or they did not want to let me adopt because they were skittish and I am a first-time dog owner. I couldn’t even meet the dog! I was really discouraged. But all I could do was keep trying.

Why continue? Well, just look at that long list of AWGs above! There are so many places you can try applying to. I think some people are not aware that there are so many AWGs in Singapore helping to rehome dogs, and don’t look for dogs there, especially for the smaller AWGs. If one rejects you, just try again! Some people are discouraged because of the HDB restrictions on many dogs up for adoption, and thus choose to buy HDB approved breeds instead. However, keep trying! There are many HDB-approved size Singapore Specials waiting for a home! Voices For Animals is an AWG that rehomes a lot of smaller sized dogs!

But why are AWGs so strict?

At the heart of it all, the AWGs primary concern is the welfare of the dogs. Think of it this way, it’s basically as important as adopting a child, but this child will depend on you all their life, and they have no voice to speak out if they are in a less than the optimal home environment. The AWGs just want to make sure the dogs go to a suitable home. The last thing anyone wants is for a family to abandon or return a dog they adopted because they realise they weren’t ready or suited for the dog. This is HIGHLY traumatic for the abandoned/returned dog and makes it even harder for them to be adopted in the future. That’s why they ask so many questions, so thoroughly check your home, and so carefully evaluate whether you are suitable. They have the dog’s welfare at heart.

But I don’t get to pick my dream dog…

We all love the smiley golden retrievers and adorable butt-shaking corgis. But at the end of the day, all dog owners know that they don’t love their dog for their breed, they love their dog for their dog’s pupsonality and the personal connection they feel with their dog. This is possible too, and with adoption, you really get the chance to find the right companion for you.

With adoption, the rehomers want their dogs to go to good homes, so they will help you find a dog that is a good match for you. Confession: Mako was not my first choice dog. There was a 1.5-year-old SS from another shelter I REALLY wanted to adopt, but he was massive, 30kg, and the shelter decided they did not think he was suitable for my first-timer family and I had to give up. However, the happy ending is that I feel like it was fate because I cannot imagine my life without my Mako now.

A shelter dog can be your dream dog too. Just give them that chance to connect with you.

Look how adorable he is with this toy I gave him on his first night home

Some people think that adopting a dog from a shelter means that you don’t know whether they are sick or have behavioural issues. THIS IS A BIG MISCONCEPTION. In fact, AWGs are likely to fully disclose if a dog has any issues and REALLY check that you are okay with these before letting you adopt. They have no vested interest in forcing you to adopt a dog you will have to give up later. They want the furkid to find their forever home too. When I wanted to adopt Mako, his rehomer at Purely Adoptions warned me extensively about the downsides of puppy raising, like the biting and the destruction, and the issues with skittish puppies. Only when I was fully agreeable and fully aware of what I was getting myself into, did she proceed to discuss with me viewing of puppies. I am so grateful she gave me that chance. Mako was a skittish, timid puppy who has blossomed into a loving, manja boy who loves cuddles and his humans, and all his doggy friends!

Why, how, can such a process still be worth it?

In my opinion? Yes. Here’s my take:

  1. The dog chooses you. Unlike buying a puppy, where you sometimes don’t get to interact with the puppy much before taking it home, you do know the dog’s personality, quirks, and potential issues before you have to decide whether to bring it into your family. And when a dog has chosen you and imprinted on you, the bond you feel is unspeakable.
  2. You save lives. This is the most important point. All the work, at the end of the day, is worth it because you are SAVING LIVES. A dog that struggles to find its next meal on the streets, that lives in fear of unfriendly humans and urban traffic, has the chance to live in the comfort of a home, loved and well-fed, knowing they will be taken care of for as long as they shall live. When you adopt, you free up space for another dog to take its place in the shelter. At minimum, you save two lives by adopting.
  3. You are very thoroughly supported through the adoption process, before, during, even after the papers are signed. That is in my experience, though I’ve heard similar from other adopters. Before the adoption, I could ask as many questions as I wanted. I felt bad but the fosterer and my contact point at Purely Adoptions were so kind and always ready to help me. During the trial homestay, they checked in to see how my family was doing, and check on how Mako was handling the transition. Even now, months after the adoption, whenever I have issues with Mako, such as fear, aggression, diarrhoea, I can always go to them to ask for help and advice (let me know in the comments if I should do an article on my experience with adopting a fearful puppy!). They are able to connect me to good sources of help. I got to meet Mako’s rescuer, who is also his pawma’s stray feeder, and she connected me to DawkStar, the most incredible doggy daycare that took Mako in for a week to teach him how to walk on leash despite his leash fear+aggression and socialise him. If the trial period for you does not work out, there is no judgement. The AWGs will help you find a dog suitable for your family. So the dog you adopt in the end, there is a higher chance that they are suited for you, compared to the odds when picking up a puppy you don’t know at all (unsuitable families for puppies, not unsuitable puppies, are often the cause of puppy abandonment later)
  4. Yes, your dog will love you so much. You are your dog’s entire world. Mako runs to greet me at the door whenever I return from work, demands to play with me, excitedly comes to me when I call him and wants to cuddle whenever I am around. Some say he is lucky to have me adopt him, but I think it goes the other way. Through the whole adoption process, I am lucky to have him. Thank you, Purely Adoptions, for bringing him into my life, which has forever been changed for the better.

mako hopes you have a wonderful day!

So this is a bit of a long read, but I do hope it sheds some light on the adoption process, for those interested to adopt a dog. If you want a puppy, yes there are puppies out there that need a home. However, take your time to find the right one for you. It is worth it. You may spend a few months in the process of adopting, but a dog is for life. What are a few months, when the result is a wonderful companion that will be with you for the next 10-15 years?

If you are interested to hear my experience adopting Mako and how my journey has been as a first-time owner, adopting a Singapore Special puppy, let me know in the comments below so I can write about it!

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Community Stories

My China Adoption Story: From the Streets to the Sheets

May the story of Yumi bring you the positivity and strength you need to get you through the most difficult and tiring of times.

Meet Yumi, the strongest and cutest fatty adopted from China. It was his Gotcha Day recently so I finally got some time to sit down and write his story, about how he overcame all odds and came out a happy little warrior despite all he has faced.

From the Streets to the Sheets

Yumi is the only dog in our house that wants to sleep with humans. The poodles like to sleep by themselves in their crates or on their own beds, but Yumi will always want to climb onto our bed and plop his fluffy butt against me and sleep. No matter how I sleep, he will always make sure to have one part of his body touching me. When he sleeps on my bed by himself in the morning after I wake up, he will move up onto my pillow and sleep on that instead. While it may not seem like it, Yumi is actually a very needy dog, that craves the constant accompany of us.

Backstory: Health and Burns

Yumi was rescued from the streets of Shanghai, China, and when he was found he was in extremely bad condition. He was found covered in fleas and ticks (suggesting he has been on the streets for a very long time), starving badly to the point where you could see his bones, his teeth were mostly gone, his legs were all injured resulting in him not being able to walk normally and most scarily, he had two big burn marks on his back.

No one knew where he came from and what has happened to him. Was he abandoned? Did he run away from his previous home? Was he a lost dog who never found his owner? All we knew was that we had a badly injured dog that needed to be taken care of.

These two burn marks covers approximately 20-30% of his entire back.

The vet said that Yumi’s had suffered 4th-degree burns, and he could never be able to recover in those areas. After all, it was literally “griddled” and the skin felt like a piece of plastic that was completely rid of any fur.

Coming Home

This was right after arrival at Changi Checkpoint as he was clearing entry. He was still really confused and worried at this stage.
This photo was taken right after Yumi arrived in Singapore at Sembawang Quarantine Centre and he has pretty much settled down by then.

My mother spent about 6 months nursing him back to health while arranging for his immigration to Singapore. On 29 August 2016, he was brought to Singapore to start his new life. He was finally allowed to go home on 27 September 2016 after clearing quarantine.

Bringing him to the vet confirmed all our suspicions about his legs, Yumi had Grade 4 luxating patella in both knees and his front paws had healed at the wrong angle after being broken (probably due to the lack of medical care when he was stray). What we were told was that we had to be prepared for arthritis to take a toll on him once it sets in. We also had to be super careful about not worsening his conditions.

Aggression and How We Dealt With It

Being a previously abused dog, Yumi inevitably had signs of aggression. He has specific triggers which set him off, causing him to go into a panic and snap at whoever is near him. However, it was through his reactions that helped us to determine his triggers and slowly mitigate his fear.

For example, he does not like any form of sticks, be it long or short. As long as he sees a stick, he will run away and bark fiercely at it after finding a secure spot that protects his body. We try to have him get used to it slowly and help him to understand that not all sticks are a threat to him, but it’s not been an easy process. Unfortunately, some fear is just super-strongly ingrained, and there’s minimal which can be done to make him no longer fear it. But thankfully, our efforts did pay off slightly, as he is now relatively calm with a few items, and can be relaxed even beside them.

In addition, probably as an effect of his days of being a stray dog, Yumi resource guards. He does not allow others near him when he is eating and used to give off warning growls when we approach him during meal times. Thankfully, after years of coaxing, he is now able to eat beside the other dogs without worries and is even willing to share with Yuzu sometimes.

Yumi is very close to Yuzu, and he is always very gentle with her and watchful over her.
Despite being an abused dog, Yumi still gets along very well with everyone.

Still a Happy Little Boy

Despite the adversaries he has faced, Yumi is still always a happy and cheerful dog, and is always happy to meet new friends where he goes. We know that he isn’t young anymore, but he always exhibits puppy-like behaviour with his excitement and curiosity. He is very protective of his family and does not allow anyone to threaten us (human or dog). If the humans got into a fight, he will come in the middle to break up the fight (forever the peacekeeper of the family).

Despite being abused, he does not let his past demons stop him from being friendly with people. He is still quick to warm up to people and is absolutely loyal and loving to the very core. In fact, he won the hearts of all the staff at the quarantine office in his 30 days because of how loving he was towards him. No matter where he is, he always has fun.

Quarantine life? So what! I can still have fun no matter where I am.
Day 1 of meeting his new sister and boom, best friends!
Just keep smiling, no matter what happens. One day, everything will be better.

What I’ve learnt from Yumi is that no matter what happens, always stay happy. Despite having so many injuries on his body, he is still smiling and having fun every single day. He never lets his trauma deprive him of his happiness every day, and continues running around despite his joints aching.

I recall once seeing him at a dog party when he was running with some Spitz when he suddenly just buckled and fell to the ground. I panicked and was about to run over to pick him up when he just got up and continued running around with the other dogs happily. I was worried, and still am constantly worried about his joints, but I never want to deprive him of his happiness and interactions with other dogs. All I can do is to do it in a controlled environment, where he can safely play without getting injured.

A funny story about Yumi which I just remembered. I once thought he went missing at a pet cafe. One second he was running around and the next he disappeared. I kept calling for him and went around looking for a tiny white Pomeranian before suddenly hearing the party beside us ask me “Is this your dog?” while pointing to the fat little Yumi who was hiding among a bunch of Samoyed, stealing some of the birthday cake from that party… He just invited himself into the party and the Samoyed accepted him. *speechless* Cut the story short, he ended up celebrating the birthday for the Samoyed and was even in their group photo lol.

The forever tamjiak Yumi with his pawtner-in-crime hiding behind him.

Nowadays, Yumi is getting older and is no longer as puppy like or moves as much as he used to. He still has random bouts of energy but he no longer keeps up with the other dogs. It’s a truth we have to accept, that our pets will grow old and eventually leave us one day. But until that day comes, I will make sure that Yumi lives everyday of his life happy and loved.

Just to add:
Please do support adoptive causes and adopt instead of buying if possible. Put a smile on a dog’s face, and allow him to feel happy and have a home again. If you wish to buy a dog, please do make sure you’re purchasing from an ethical breeder, not a pet shop or puppy mill. A pet is for forever.

For more adorable Yumi photos, check out his Instagram at @yu.mi.zu

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Community Stories

An insider look at a dog volunteer’s journey

I became a volunteer in 2018 at The Right To Live (TRTL) dog shelter, and have been volunteering there ever since. Many people have asked me what it’s like to volunteer at a dog shelter. They wonder about the friendliness of the dogs, what I do to care for them and how the environment is like. Thus, I thought I would pen down my experience as a volunteer in hopes of encouraging animal lovers like yourself to support local shelters!

What kind of dogs do you care for?

Manja and I at Jurong Lake Garden Dog Run ❤️ (*taken before COVID-19)

“Are there any puppies at the shelter?” is a popular question I often receive. It is a misconception that most dogs you will meet at shelters are purebred young pups. They are mostly mongrels (aka Singapore specials), which refer to dogs who are bred on the streets. Singapore specials are commonly rescued from construction sites or sadly, families who have abandoned them. As they are a product of different dog breeds, Singapore specials do not look like purebred dogs. Despite their differences in appearance, they are no different from any other purebred dogs. Every Singapore special that I have met have their unique quirks, just like Manja in the photo above who REALLY loves her belly rubs.

“Dear hooman, rub my belly please… “

What do you do at the shelter?

Toffee giving me paw-fives ?

TRTL houses over more than 120 dogs. At our shelter, volunteers can walk and bath the dogs. The scope of work for volunteers may vary for different shelters but most shelters primarily need more volunteers to help with walking and bonding. As Singapore specials spend most of their days cooped up in their kennels, they do not get to make many hooman friends. Therefore, they get SUPER excited when they meet volunteers. Like many pet dogs out there, Singapore specials take time to warm up to new faces. The longer you commit, the better they will get to know you. One problem shelters face is finding regular volunteers who would stick around for long. These dogs need to foster a sense of familiarity with humans.

How is the shelter environment like?

Other TRTL volunteers ? (*taken before COVID-19)

When I first started, I had to gain the trust of many dogs at the shelter. Dog shelters house many dogs with different temperaments. Due to past experiences, some dogs may take more time to open up than others. Nothing wrong with requiring that extra boost of patience and T.L.C (tender, loving, care) right? What inspired me to continue my volunteer work at the dog shelter was witnessing how much I could brighten a dog’s day. Their smiles, hugs and antics keep me going.

“Not today hooman”

In a nutshell, many shelters in Singapore are looking for passionate helping hands to help care for our beloved Singapore specials. Besides joining volunteering programs, there are other thoughtful ways in which you can support local shelters. You could choose to adopt and not shop for a pet or become a dog sponsor. My volunteering journey has certainly been a fulfilling one, and I hope that it has sparked some inspiration in you to start your journey as well!