Tag: overseas adoption

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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!)
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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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From Ireland to Singapore: Meet Bailey

How I came about:

My big sister had been asking for a dog since furever , but mama was never convinced enough to get one for her, as she doubted if my big sister truly understood the amount of responsibilities and commitment of having one.

It was on the 31st May 2019, when papa and mama spotted a post listed by a pet store featuring the LAST goldendoodle from Ireland available for deposit. It was the innocent, puppy eyes and wavy fluffy golden fur that caught their eyes.

It was on the next morning, where my mama suddenly asked:

“So how? Did you ask about the puppy?”

At that point in time, papa and mama had agreed that my big sister was old enough to care for a dog, and it was probably time to let big sister learn to be more responsible.

My big sister had researched A TON and watched vlogs and tips on Youtube about goldendoodles, until she was finally convinced that they were well-prepared and it was all going to be okay when they finally receive me. It was all so surreal, the fact that she was finally going to become a dog owner!

And that was how my journey with my hooman slaves started!

About me:

The pet store had told my hoomans that I would be estimated 14kg because I am a F2 goldendoodle, and I would definitely be smaller than a goldie. They also said I was hypoallergenic and would not drool.

Currently, I weigh 30kg, and am bigger than many other goldies! I drool like crazy and I shed like it’s snowing at home everyday. Until today, my hoomans look back and think: how on earth did an estimated 14kg dog grow up to 30kg? It is more than double the estimated weight!

The first time meeting my hoomans:

Me in big sister’s arms.

When I first arrived in Singapore, I was already big enough for my hooman to cradle in her arms. my hoomans were shocked at how big I grew within the span of a few months!

When I was roaming freely in the pet store together with my other siblings, my hoomans could tell that my siblings and I have very different fur textures varying from straight to wavy even though we were all siblings.

I was reserved when I first met my hoomans, I crawled under a table, away from the rest and did not interact much. They guessed I was probably having a jet-lag.

My first night home:

This was me when i first got home, sleeping soundly.

During my first night home, my hoomans fed me apples and they realised that I love apples! My papa had to sleep on the couch beside my crate that night because I had separation anxiety, and would whine everytime my hoomans were not within my sight. Even though my hoomans thought that I was so attention seeking , they could not help thinking how cute it was for me to whine for them to stay with me.

I vividly remember, during the first few nights, my hoomans had to wake up to clean my poo as I would start whining loudly whenever I soiled myself. My papa even had to wash my bed (which was full of shit) at 3am.

It was only after a month or so, that I developed a condition called: Giardia. Giardia is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal illness known as Giardiasis. I had non-stop diarrhea for days, and my hoomans brought me to the vet.

The vet accessed me, and asked my hoomans where they got me from. When they said I was from a pet farm in ireland, the vet concluded that I had probably picked up the parasite from the breeder, since it’s a farm. The vet then said that Giardia can be passed from dogs to humans, so my hoomans had to wash their hands everytime they clean after me and whenever I lick them. The vet also told my hoomans that I will definitely be above 14kg by looking at the size of my paws.

I was also diagnosed with kennel cough and had various hot spots on my belly area. Let’s be honest: being a first time pet owner, this was probably the worst nightmare. This was not the type of experience someone would want as a first time dog owner, seeing your dog become sick only a month after bringing it home, having multiple diarrhea episodes every few hours and having to stay up all night to clean.

My hoomans stocked up on pee pads. However, I was not pee pad trained yet so I did not know how to pee or poo on the pee pads. Papa got me some diapers but it was a diaper buying gone-wrong experience since he got a size too small and it could not ‘hold’ the poop because of the design of the diaper, which had a hole at the tail, which allowed my poo to come out. My hoomans had to staple the diaper hole, which unfortunately did not work.

With all these happening at once, my hoomans suddenly felt that despite all the research they have done and tips they were given, everything was so hectic and a huge mess even though it had been a month or so since they got me.

It felt like they were not capable of raising a dog at all.

To make matters worse, my papa had to go for an overseas business trip and it was just me, my mama and my 2 sisters at home when I had Giardia, kennel cough and hot spots all at once. There was no doubt my mama was going crazy cleaning my shit day and night, with my sisters having to go to school during the day. My hoomans were at a loss and really were at the brink of giving me to someone who would be able to look after me better.

Thank god, they held on, and here I am today!

My hoomans do look back and think about what a journey I went through. Yes, I had a rough start, having to go through all these ordeals. But my hoomans are certainly glad it is over now, and that I am now growing healthily and well.

Nevertheless, my hoomans love me very much, and there is absolutely no doubt that I am actually one of the biggest blessings that happened to them. Even though my mama never liked dogs, I am now her favourite as she baby-talks to me and is pretty much obsessed with me. Big sister also kept her promise to look after me and care for me.

Even though I am big in size, I am actually a gentle giant at heart.

Bailey wearing a tank top

Throughout this whole journey, my hoomans had learnt that it is important to have more patience with our fur friends and it does take time for our little fur friends to settle down. Looking back, my hoomans do regret one thing: not carrying me when I was smaller and alot lighter. Given my current weight, only papa can carry me.

It is indeed part and parcel of the process to go through rough patches throughout the puppy stages. To all new dog owners out there experiencing a similar experience: It will all be over soon! Fighting!

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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

What to Do After Your Pet Arrives in Singapore

If you have not read my previous post on the paperwork for importing your pet, please do take a look at it here, before coming back here.

Up to the final paperwork, you can find all the information available on the Nparks website, but here are the bits that first-time importers may be unsure about. What happens after my pet arrives in Singapore?

After touchdown in Singapore

In Changi Airport
Welcome to Singapore / Welcome home!

Go through the arrival process as per normal and get your passport stamped. After picking up your luggage, go to the lost and found office at your arrival hall to submit the import licence and fill up a GST form. If your pet is in the cargo, they will then inform the staff to send your pet directly to Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine Station (CAPQ). If you are flying with your pet, you will handover your pet to the staff.

After leaving Changi Airport, head to Changi Airfreight Centre
Tip: There is no need to rush, grab a meal first if you are hungry

At the pass exchange counter, present the import licence and your IC to exchange for a pass. Make sure that your name matches that on the import licence as the importer.

Drive into CAPQ and make sure that your pass is displayed at all times.
Tip: To facilitate your entrance and exit, do not remove the luggage tags from your luggage so that the security knows it is yours, and not brought out of the checkpoint – trust me, I’ve done this 5 times.

At CAPQ, sign in and hand ALL original documents to the staff there. Depending on the speed of the staff, your pet may or may not already be there waiting for you. If they have yet to send the pet to the inspection office, then simply wait a little while.

After your pet arrives at the inspection office, it will be brought into an isolated room and you can go in to visit him/her while waiting for the paperwork to be processed. This will be a good time for you to rehydrate your pet, give it some treats/food, and let him/her do its toilet business.
Tip: If your dog/cat requires quarantine, you can also bring along a bed, a water and food bowl and pee tray. Whatever is left in the room will be brought together with the pet to Sembawang. As the room at Changi is a little cold, you might want to bring a small blanket for your dog/cat to snuggle up in if necessary.

If your pet requires quarantine, you will have to leave once everything is sorted out. Your pet will be transported to Sembawang Animal Quarantine Centre at 10am the same day/next working day. If your pet does not require quarantine, you can bring your pet out of CAPQ and go home.

Quarantine

At Sembawang Animal Quarantine Centre
On your first visit, there is some administrative work to be handled. You will need to sort out the check-in paperwork and make the balance payment. After you are done, they will tell you the kennel or cattery number your pet is in, so head on down to visit once you’ve sorted out the administrative work.

Be sure to bring along your pet’s favourite treats and toys, whatever he/she is comfortable and familiar with, so that the stay in quarantine is comfortable.
Tip: It will be good to use things that they are familiar with which you will want to dispose of, especially if you are staying in the non-air-conditioned rooms, as it can get pretty dirty (yes there are ticks too). Anything I can’t clean completely is thrown away after quarantine.

Visiting hours
Mon-Fri: 4pm – 6pm
Sat: 2pm – 6pm
Sun & PH: No visiting allowed

Walking Fields
Walking fields are open until 30 mins before the end of visiting hours. Please let the staff outside the kennels know when you wish to go for a walk so that they can schedule you a slot.

Shower Rooms
To reserve a shower room, let the counter staff know that you require a shower room and book a slot.

After Quarantine
On the day of release, you are able to pick up your pet from 10am to 12pm. They will hand you everything you have inside the room. You will wait outside the office as they bring your pet to you.

Things to take note of

Try to make sure that you are touching down in Singapore between 7am and 8pm from Monday to Saturday on non-public holidays. This is because the inspection office is closed from 10.30pm to 8am and on Sundays and public holidays. So if you arrive outside of the opening hours, your pet will be kept in its carrier at the inspection office till the staff arrives.

It is also better to travel during your pet’s natural sleeping hours so that they will feel less stressed during the flight.

It is important to crate train your dog/cat if you are flying in cargo. This can help to prevent unnecessary stress on your pet in the process. Same goes for during quarantine, do try to ensure your pet is crate trained as it will help prevent separation anxiety.

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Community Stories

So, I got a pet from overseas, how do I bring it back to Singapore now?

I will be creating a series of posts detailing the breakdown of the process, including the paperwork and the experiences with some tips. I’ve done this paperwork 7 times, so I am pretty familiar with it by now.

Let’s break this down for you, there are essentially three parts – export, flight, and import, and it is easier than you think.

Export

The export paperwork will differ depending on the domestic policy of the exporting country, but they usually require a health checkup and that is all you need to be awarded an export licence. However, please check with the local guidelines on how to bring your dog/cat out of the country.

Flight

Next step, you will need to handle the flight, you can choose between your pet flying in-cabin with you, or in the cargo. However, take note that there are size/weight restrictions for flying in-cabin. From my experience, I have taken Asiana Airlines, Korean Airlines and Singapore Airlines for travelling with my pets. (I will be making a detailed breakdown into the air travel portion soon, for this post, I’ll be focusing on the import paperwork).

Import

And for the domestic paperwork which seems to scare many, here is a detailed breakdown on how and when to sort out all your paperwork to bring your pet into Singapore. The following instructions are for Category D countries. Please refer to the end of the post for the link to a detailed breakdown for the other categories.)

>6 months before import:
Step 1: Microchip your pet (All vaccinations and health documents MUST carry this microchip number)
Step 2: Get rabies vaccination

4 – 5 months before import:
Step 3: Send your pet for serology test (>30 days after rabies vaccination)

<3 months before import:
Step 4: Send pet for vaccination
Dog: Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis & Canine Parvoviral infection
Cat: Cat Flu (Feline Calicivirus and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis) & Cat Enteritis (Feline Panleukopaenia/ Feline Parvovirus) 
Step 5: Reserve quarantine space (only if your pet is flying from a Category C/D country)

<1 month before import:
Step 6: Apply for a dog licence (for dogs only)
Step 7: Apply for an import licence
Step 8: Book inspection with CAPQ
Note: Be sure to inform the airline that you have a pet and will need to reserve a space

2 – 7 days before import:
Step 9: Send pet for external and internal parasite treatment and fill up the veterinary certificate (See the end of the post for the link)
Note: You may need to send the veterinary certificate and the import licence to your airlines, be sure to check with them. This is also the time to receive the export licence and health clearance declaration from the exporting country.

Just before departure:

Step 10: Submit a declaration of facts to Singapore Customs (for GST)

What’s next?

Click here as we bring you through the step by step guideline of receiving your pet in Singapore.

Common FAQs

How long do I need to handle the paperwork to bring in my dog/cat?
Category A: at least 6 weeks
Category B: at least 2 months
Category C: at least 4 months
Category D: at least 6 months

How much does it cost to import a dog/cat?
This will only include the import licence and quarantine (if required)
Category A: $50++
Category B: $50++
Category C: $307++
Category D: $693++
The prices above are exclusive of the cost of dog licence (for dog owners only), airfare and all costs in the exporting country (i.e. vaccination costs, etc)

For more information

Click here for the detailed breakdown for the respective categories of exporting countries. The veterinary certificate is on page 7 to 9 of the links.
Category A – Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
Category B – Cayman Islands, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Japan, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, USA (Hawaii and Guam only)
Category C – Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, USA (except Hawaii and Guam)
Category D – All other countries not listed above

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Community Stories

Things I Wish I Knew Before Adopting a Dog

Things I Wish I Knew Before Adopting A Dog

When my husband and I were moving into our new home, we both knew that our home will not be complete without a dog; He had grown up with one while I have always wanted one. We were dreaming of all the moments we would share with our furry companion, and while we never regretted our decision to adopt Talia, I wish I knew these things (to prep myself mentally) before adopting a dog:

You’re Gonna Spend A Lot of Money
I thought I would be a chill pawrent, and she’s just gonna get the basics. She’s gonna sleep on the IKEA bath mat (recommended to us by the shelter), eat her kibbles, and probably have just a leash, collar and a couple of toys under her name. Well, I thought wrong. Talia currently has two beds (she even had a Sealy dog bed at one point which I sold at a loss because she decided that she doesn’t want to sleep on it), one crate, a boxful of toys, more leashes and collars than she needed, and enjoys a home-cooked diet and pet treats. But that’s not all. 

There are vet visits, both scheduled and unscheduled ones that will happen. If you think a visit to the doctor is expensive, a trip to the vet is even more so. While I know roughly how much the yearly check-up visits would cost, it’s the unpredictable trips to the vet that really burn a hole in my pockets. After one acute pancreatitis episode, I now set aside a rainy day fund for Talia for such unpredictable situations! 

What’s more, if you don’t own a car, the cost of bringing your dog out for fun activities is even higher. Before we had a car, I had to get a GrabPet ride everywhere to take Talia out to fun experiences. A trip to the beach to and fro could easily come up to $30, and if excursions are a frequent thing, things would quickly add up.

Do Not Expect Your Dog To Be Like Other Dogs
When we first got Talia, we wondered why she was so different from what we expected of a dog. She didn’t care much for other dogs when we are out on walks, and she doesn’t engage in play with dogs even if we bring her to the dog park. It took me a while to come to terms that she has her own personality, and that she takes a while to warm up to other dogs. Even then, she only has a small group of doggy friends that she would initiate play with.

Extended Travel or Weeknight Plans Will Be A Thing Of The Past

Before we had Talia, going away for extended periods of time was no issue. Now, we don’t go away longer than 2 weeks, firstly because our family members are taking turns to dog-sit her, and secondly, I would miss her far too much. We also used to have dates on weeknights, but we no longer do so because she needs to be taken out for her potty breaks as she’s grass-trained, and she would be starving since she only had her meal more than 12 hours ago. Unless a family member can come in to take care of her on our behalf on weeknights, weeknight plans are now history.

Training Doesn’t Stop, Ever

I thought passing the obedience test required for dogs under Project ADORE would be the end of all the training that’s required. Most people usually stop there (and so would I), but after Talia developed separation anxiety and also ran out of my workplace once, so I decided to engage a trainer to help her with that, and to work on her recall. We are done with the second round of training, but we still go for classes and talks to learn more about dog handling and understanding Talia better. We train because I want to be able to take her out everywhere with me. Everyday, we still practise what we have learnt and occasionally teach her new things to keep it interesting for her!

If You Choose To Feed A Home-Cooked Diet, Make Sure It’s Nutritionally Balanced

We didn’t manage to transition Talia to a kibble diet because she was a picky eater, and partly because she was fed a diet of rice and pork when she was at the factory. She is used to fresh food, and we decided to keep it that way. 

What we learnt from our first trainer was that the food intake should be about 2-3% of her body weight so we kept that in mind when we prepared her meals. In terms of her diet, she got eggs, brown rice, carrots, minced pork/beef. However when she started to itch and scratch more, we decided to do an elimination food trial to determine the source of her itch. 

The vet recommended us to start with a protein that she hasn’t tried before, and duck was our option at that point. We started giving her minced duck, she was just enjoying it, and I only realised my folly when she started having black tarry stools and vomiting. She was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, and after the vet gave us the all-clear, I decided to engage a nutritionist to design her diet and conduct the elimination food trial at the same time in a safe way. That’s when I realised that while we want to feed our dogs fresh food, it is important that it’s nutritionally balanced to avoid unnecessary health problems. 


You Will Learn A Lot Of Things

If you wish to give your dog the best life possible, you would probably be on a lifelong journey to acquire knowledge and to understand your dog better. I’ve learnt things I never knew before like how to trim a dog’s nails, to prepare kefir and even animal communication. I enjoy learning so, yay for us!

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Community Stories

Our Adopted Cats Have Separation Anxiety..No More

We hear the phrase all too often; ‘Adopt, don’t shop.’ Out of all the posts for adoption I encountered, one of them deeply caught my attention. An owner looking in desperation to re-home her cats or they will be handed over to the shelters. Behind that cute fluffy faces and mighty paws, a touching story began to unfold as we got to know the cats better. Because of the circumstances, we weren’t given ample time to let the cats get used to our “scents”. There were not much time to fully prepare for their arrivals but hey, I remembered how excited and nervous we were!

Separation anxiety commonly occurs when a cat is too attached to its owner or a pet buddy during the course of separation. As first time cat owners, my husband and I read some articles to gain knowledge so we can be responsible pawrents to our adopted furbabies. What we didn’t read on was, if separation anxiety is real for such an independently known animal.

Our Experience

On the first night with our furbabies, they were shivering and barely touch the food served. One of them got scared till he peed on the cat carrier and refused to move away from it. Both of our furbabies began to lay on top of one another, as if hugging each other tightly. Occasionally one of them would lick the other’s head, as a form of comforting. We learnt of their close bonding with their former owners, through updates via text messages. With a wishful of happy thoughts and all the information we had on hand, we saw progress. Miraculously, both of them started to show positive behaviours as the third day gone by.

We strongly encourage all keen adopters to do a little research before adopting. Understanding the cats you’re bringing home plays an important factor in their emotional stability later on. The more you understand your furbabies, the higher chances of bridging the gap of bonding they once had with their former owner.

The common signs in cats with separation anxiety include excessive Meow-ing, rejecting food, urinate and even poop outside their designated litter. One of the ways we tried to ensure smooth transition for our furbabies was to use some of their former belongings and place it into our home. We ensured both cats receive plenty of quality time. It seemed to work well for them. Take time to get to know their characteristics, their likes and dislikes. We promise, it just gets better each day! Getting vertical scratching posts and tall cat condo also help to provide a sense of security for cats.

We are no experts in handling separation anxiety but hope that sharing our experiences will help cat owners, especially a greenhorn like us! If you have tried all means to treat your furbabies and the signs persist, it is always recommended to see a vet when in doubt. After all, putting yourself at ease allows you to make the right choices for both you and your new furbabies. Good luck!

“Rescuing one cat won’t change the world, but it will change the world for one cat.” – Unknown

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Community Stories

Adopting a skittish & fearful dog – Mayo

Around November 2019, we felt ready for a new addition to our family. Being first-time owners, we had a lengthy discussion and started doing our homework on costs, training and responsibilities, pros/cons of adopting vs buying and etc. It was then we started scrolling through the websites of various shelters and that’s where we came across Mayo’s profile on Save our Street Dogs (SOSD). To be completely honest, we were still in the initial phases of looking around.. And so we decided to join SOSD’s bi-monthly shelter tour to learn more about the street dogs and the work they do. 

The first time we saw Mayo in the shelter

We managed to spot Mayo among the rows and rows of kennels and even in real life she captured our hearts with her gentleness – a stark contrast to the crazy intense barking and jumping up and down going on in around stressful shelter environment. Long story short, we went down for the next 7 weeks to interact with her and learn more about her before deciding to bring her home on 1st Feb 2020.

Mayo when it was time to go for walks in the shelter
Trying to take Mayo out for a walk on Day 2.

Despite knowing that she was fearful on walks (and pretty much all the time, and of all things hahaha), we still took her for a home trial thinking that the home environment would be better for her. We were NOT prepared for what was to come.. oppps! The first few days were the toughest – she wouldn’t walk and we couldn’t leash her. She howled and cried in the middle of the night and held her pee and poop for hours. And the moment the leash went on with the slightest tug to get her moving, she would pee and shit all over the house on the way out. Our walks were literally 5 mins a day.  At one point it was a 2 man job just to get her out of the house – one of us had to hold on to a crate to lure her to walk, while the other one held on to her leash. We tried allowing her to pee/poop indoors but she did not take to that either. We had a hard conversation and decided that we might not be able to keep her if it was a 2 man job just to get her out to do her business everyday. 

Thank the heavens though! We decided to try our best before the end of the trial and reached out to @dawkstar for help. Within 5 mins of their assessment, Mayo suddenly??? suddenly??? walked on the leash with the help of another lead dog. Hooray! Back at home everyday was a slow improvement and today we are happy to report she walks to the door confidently to get leashed. Despite the odds that were still stacked against us, we adopted her officially on 14th February 2020. It would have been cruel to send her back to an environment she was clearly stressed out in after merely seeing her walk.

Well, it has been almost 7 months since Mayo came into our lives. Unfortunately, for the first 5 months at home, Mayo was perpetually stuck on her bed. She wouldn’t move from her bed unless it was walk time or eat time. We hand-fed her every meal in hopes of building a relationship quicker; we sat next to her everyday for a few minutes just to get her familiar with us. If you ask me, she was not a dog. It is also one of the most painful feelings to see a dog constantly in a state of fear, anxiety & insecurity. She had toys to play with! She had yummy treats to eat! She had a shelter over her head and a nice comfortable bed to sleep on at night. We even put in the work everyday to help condition her, interact with her and try to help her. But she didn’t know how to enjoy the new life she had and emotionally it was so so so tough on us. Of course we wanted to enjoy her – that’s why we all get a dog right? Companionship? Friendship? We longed to hug her, pet her, play with her, take her out to the beach, meet our friends and family – but couldn’t. Some days (even till now), we wonder if she will ever come of her shell and be a normal dog that knows how to enjoy affection, play, have fun and be freed from her fearful and anxious state of mind. But! She has come very far. In the last 2 months, we’ve seen her coming up to us to ‘kaypoh’ when there’s food on the table. And just last week, she’s started to feel confident enough to vocalize and make her little barks heard! She has also been enjoying occasional head rubs when she’s in the mood and getting more confident walking around the house in our presence. We’ve even had a nice cafe dinner with a fellow dog-owner on Friday 🙂 For a dog who’s been literally a piece of furniture in the house, watching her leave her bed for whatever reason is a huge win for us. So even though she has yet to wag her tail or greet us at the door, we are going to celebrate the small victories and believe that it will come one day, with time 🙂

We have received tons of support through the Singapore Specials community and the dog community in general. Lots of fellow pawrents drop us encouraging notes, tips and sometimes just really kind messages to acknowledge the effort we have put in and how Mayo has progressed since Day 1. I would love to share with fellow pawrents on how we have worked with her in hopes to help other people in the same boat but that’s going to be another lengthy post for another time.

Till then, follow us on Instagram @mayothedogo to watch our progress and share in our successes and failures! We are not dog trainers, but if what we do can inspire you to do something different, we say GO FOR IT! Don’t give up on your pup, it will be worth it in the end.

Mayo signing off!

The above article is written by the hooman of @mayothedogo.

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Community Stories

Importing your pet into Singapore

Having a pet is a life-long commitment. The second you decide to bring a furbaby into your life, it’s imperative to follow it through and care for it to your best ability, even if it means traversing across the world with it.

I adopted the two-month-old Simba whilst pursuing my bachelors degree in Brisbane, Australia. Funnily enough, I have always thought of myself as a dog person (sometimes I think I still do!), and would never have imagined I’d become this “crazy cat lady” that all my friends identify me as.

Simba kept me company in my 2 years in Australia, and when it was time for me to come home to Singapore, I knew I had to bring him along. My inexperience in the due processes of bringing my furry best friend home left my helpless and dejected. Thus, I hope that, through my sharing, pet-owners would be less clueless when it comes to importing your pet into Singapore. After all, no one should be separated from their furbabies!

Pre-flight Preparation 

First of all, you need to be prepared to commit time applying for permits (both import and export), bringing your pet to various appointments (i.e. vaccinations, health check-up, etc.), and buying the necessary logistics etc. You will need a Singpass account in order to apply for the import permit, search for “Licence to Import/Export/Transship Animals, Birds, Eggs and Biologics” at this website. Special note for dog owners, you’ll need to apply for a dog licence as well! (not applicable to cats). 

Here are some of the things I prepared for Simba for the flight! 

Airline Approved Pet Carrier
I spent about $120 on this as I had to get the large size. Simba weighed about 8kg back then (yeah he’s a huge cat ?).You can find such carriers at pet supplies shops such as Pet Lovers Centre or Kohepets. 





Feliway Calming Spray
I used this when Simba was younger whenever he was placed in a stressful situation, such as when going to the vet. This spray replicates the natural facial pheromone that reassures, comforts and calms your cat, providing a sense of security in the environment it is located at. It costs around $30 and you can find them easily at Perromart or Nekojam. 
His favourite toy! Put into the cage a toy that your furbaby likes to keep him/her company! Simba loved this snake toy when he was younger. Look how well he slept hugging his favourite friend ?

General Timeline

Potential Costs

Secondly, be prepared to set aside at least $1500-$2000 for this whole process. This includes expenses like license application, vet visits, buying of logistics and flight ticket. The final cost will depend on your export location, and the number of quarantine days required for your pet (~$50 per day for Singapore). Other potential costs may also include food that is being fed to your pet while he/she is in quarantine. The exact number of quarantine days is dependent on which country you are importing your pet from (see table below, click on the link to find out more information). Simba did not require any quarantine as he came from Cat A country, so I was able to bring him home straight away after we disembarked. 

Category A
Countries/Region of export free from rabies		Category B
Countries/Region of export with negligible risk of rabies		Category C
Countries/Region of export with controlled risk or low incidence of rabies		Category D
Countries/Region of export with undetermined risk of rabies
Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United KingdomCayman Islands, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Japan, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, New Caledonia, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, USA (Guam and Hawaii only) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, United States of America (except Guam and Hawaii)All countries not listed in Categories A, B, and C.
NParks: Veterinary Conditions based on Country of Import

Cautionary Note

I may not have all the answers, but I will be happy to provide advice on any questions that you may have as well! It’s been 2.5 years since Simba and I came back to Singapore. At the end of the day, despite all the effort and money spent, I did not regret it for one second, and every cent spent was well worth it. Because Simba is my family (or as the Aussies call it – Rellie!), and I will never leave him behind.

The above article is written by the hooman of @simbathemonstercat.