| Singapore's largest dog-adoption drive By Karen W Lim It was a barking good time at Singapore's largest dog-adoption drive on Feb 18 and 19 at East Coast Park. Organised by National Geographic Channel, the adoption drive saw four shelters in Singapore combining efforts to raise awareness about adopting dogs rather than buying them. Over 80 dogs from shelters such as Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD), Animal Lovers League (ALL), Gentle Paws, and Noah's Ark, were up for adoption.On Saturday, over 2,500 people visited the event, bringing along their furry canine friends to mingle with other dogs. A Singapore Special Dog Show was held that day - a contest especially for mixed breed dogs, rather than pedigree breeds. Other activities such as dog massage and pet photography were available for owners and dogs to bond. Vets and obedience trainers were also present to give a few pointers to dog owners. Although many expressed interest in adopting a dog, the adoption process is not an easy one. Potential owners are screened to ensure that their homes are suitable for the dog, as many of the local and mixed breed dogs are not HDB-approved. Ms Loh Wanying, 24, from Gentle Paws said that this is the problem shelters face, as 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in HDB flats, and therefore it becomes difficult for dogs to find potential owners who have a property that is large enough to house them. Noah's Ark's Ms Madeline Chia said: "We have a lot of people asking for HDB-approved dogs. We only have one. But the response (for other dogs) has been good so far."Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: AsiaOne - Karen W Lim, National Geographic Channel, ST) |
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