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A lot of illegal home breeders, just be careful https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/couple-spent-over-60k-on-vet-bills-but-dog-died-anyway-and-they-had-to-sell-flat-to-settle-debt SINGAPORE – French bulldog Wangcai started life with a slew of chronic health issues. First-time dog owners Jackie See and Judyvein Cheng bought the male dog as a four-month-old puppy in 2018 for $4,800 from a local backyard breeder. Soon the married couple discovered Wangcai had mites, stomach issues, a yeast infection and rashes. “As first-time pet owners, we felt anxious and helpless. We kept going to the vet to find out what was wrong and constantly switched from premium kibbles to a hypoallergenic diet from the clinic. We spent between $2,000 and $3,000 (on the vet visits and food), but his condition did not improve,” Ms Cheng, an event organiser, told The Straits Times. Wangcai was also given cytopoint, an antibody used to treat atopic dermatitis, a chronic condition he was diagnosed with which causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, but his condition worsened. “He was scratching more and that led to some open sores and bleeding every day. He also developed hives, redness in his groin, ‘armpit’ area and between his toes, rashes on his belly, fur loss and scabs and dandruff-like flakes,” Ms Cheng said. “We realised we were treating the symptoms, not going to the root of the skin issue. The medication was affecting his immune system, and realising what we had put our baby through, I cried,” she added. After the vet said that Wangcai had to go back once every two weeks for the cytopoint injection, which cost around $400 each, and would be on antihistamine for the next six months, she and her event emcee husband felt that Wangcai had had enough medication. They looked into changing his diet instead. After six months of trial and error, the couple settled on a diet that seemed to suit him. When Wangcai was around two years old, his health turned around – he stopped scratching incessantly and “became a normal dog”. And the couple was $10,000 poorer. “We went through 1½ years of craziness. It was a steep learning curve providing care to Wangcai. That was when we started researching and learning as much as we could about pet health, lifestyles, supplementation, nutrition and many other factors that would impact our pets’ quality of life,” Ms Cheng said, adding that it was also why the couple went on to open a holistic pet store. When Wangcai grew older, other health issues surfaced – he was found to have an enlarged prostate and joint issues. Animals like Wangcai that are sold by backyard breeders may cost less, but they often have birth or genetic defects and infectious diseases, according to experts. Animal welfare groups and the authorities have warned against buying pets from these breeders, as pet ownership here hit an all-time high and more illegal breeders are selling animals through online platforms such as Facebook groups and Telegram. According to a Euromonitor International report, the pet dog population in Singapore was around 114,000 in 2023, up by almost 3 per cent from 2019. The pet cat population hovers around 94,000 in 2024, a jump of almost 10 per cent from 2019. To deal with Wangcai’s enlarged prostate, Mr See and Ms Cheng tried herbal remedies instead of neutering him. Four to six months later, the prostate did not shrink, but it was not giving Wangcai any urinary problems, either. “To understand his joint issues, we sent him for an X-ray but the issues did not show up on the film. That was when we turned to chiropractic and swimming sessions for his joint problems. They provided relief but did not fix the problem,” Ms Cheng said. By then, Singapore was in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown affected the entertainment industry. The couple were struggling financially but Wangcai’s health issues did not dissipate. “We had just started our holistic pet store... and were trying to make ends meet. (So) we held back on dealing with Wangcai’s health head-on. Till this day, I regret the decision,” Ms Cheng said, her voice breaking. “We could not keep doing MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to monitor his joints. Each MRI cost $5,000 and we were strapped for cash,” she said. A young, active dog, Wangcai loved to jump, dash and lunge. One day, the behaviour led to a tear in his cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), a common cause of hind limb lameness and pain. The CCL tear spiralled into intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) – a common source of back pain in dogs. The condition is more common in French bulldogs and can cause excruciating pain, incontinence and paralysis in serious cases. “It happened overnight. He was walking funnily when we woke up in the morning. Jackie suspected it was IVDD and the only thing that could correct it was surgery,” Ms Cheng said. At the veterinary hospital they were referred to, Ms Cheng was told that the CT scan would cost $9,000 and the surgery alone $25,000. “My mind went blank. I took Wangcai home and started calling other animal hospitals to see if their charges were lower, much lower,” Ms Cheng said. That same night in December 2022, Wangcai’s pain became unbearable and he was thrashing about and went into seizures, making the situation worse. Ms Cheng took him to another hospital. Unfortunately, the surgeon’s schedule was full. “I practically begged him before he agreed to free up his appointments to help. Then came the financial crisis. There was not enough credit on my cards to pay for the surgery and the surgeon would not start unless a deposit had been made. Fortunately, a friend had accompanied me there and she forked out the difference,” she said. Wangcai was discharged from the animal hospital after the surgery, relieved of pain but paralysed. Four days later, things went south and Wangcai was rushed back to the hospital. “The team managed to stabilise him, but I noticed he was having difficulty breathing. In front of me, he suffered a seizure, and I was immediately pushed out of the room before the nurses called ‘code blue’ (which means a patient has gone into cardiac or respiratory arrest). The vet and nurses tried to resuscitate him for two to three minutes but Wangcai died,” Ms Cheng recalled. “Did we kill him by wanting the best for him? He went through so much pain in his short four years of life,” Ms Cheng said, sobbing from the memory. For all the treatments, the couple emptied their savings. Not only that, they also sold their Housing Board flat in August 2023 to clear the credit card loans they took for Wangcai’s medical bills. Not wanting to give up on Wangcai’s memory, they used some of the proceeds from the sale of the flat to continue their holistic pet food business “as part of Wangcai’s legacy and hopefully to help the pet community using alternative solutions”. The tragic experience did not stop the couple from loving another dog. After a year of grieving, they adopted another French bulldog on Christmas 2023 – Bean Bean, a former breeding dog from animal welfare group Voices for Animals. “Having been through the experience with Wangcai, we believe we will be able to care for Bean Bean better,” Ms Cheng said.

source: https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/some-singaporeans-willing-pay-more-12000-dog Would you pay more than $12,000 for a dog? Some Singaporeans can - and will. And demand for these costly canines shows no signs of abating, despite prices for many breeds ballooning since last year. Checks by The Straits Times found that a golden retriever can cost up to $12,800, compared with about $5,000 last January. A poodle can go for as much as $11,800, when one cost around $4,000 in the previous year. Demand for puppies surged right after the circuit breaker ended, and all five shops suggest that prices will continue to rise. Dogs are imported from places like Ireland, Taiwan and Australia, or come from local breeders. Nanyang Technological University student Isabel Joy Kua, 20, who bought her three-month-old bichon frise, Sunny, for $8,900 last month, said: "Several shops tried to get me to reserve a dog even before I interacted with it, which didn't make sense. But they said that if I went the next day, the dog would probably have been bought by another customer." A dog owner in his 30s, who gave his name only as Maxime, bought a local toy poodle last June and a pomsky - a pomeranian-husky mix - from Ireland in November. He told ST that once dog sales resumed on June 19, when phase two started, all the time slots for viewings at pet shops were fully booked for the first two days. Buyers said that they were willing to pay "pandemic premiums" due to money saved from cancelled holidays and work from home arrangements. Ms Kua had wanted a dog since primary school and finally managed to persuade her parents to let her buy one. She said: "We used the money saved on travelling to pay for Sunny." Maxime, who paid $10,300 in all for both his dogs, said: "Working from home during the circuit breaker period was a major factor for me as I now had time to invest in training the puppy." Others like Ms Joanna Cheng-Ajlani chose to adopt dogs from animal shelters instead. "To be honest, if not for the change in work arrangements for both my husband and myself, we would not have even considered a pet," said Ms Cheng-Ajlani, who adopted nine-year-old Polo, a Singapore special from Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD). Depending on the animal shelter, adopting a dog can cost between $250 and $531.50. While adoption queries were reported to have increased in August, the number of adoptions have returned to pre-pandemic levels for animal welfare groups Causes for Animals (CAS) and Save Our Street Dogs. In-person adoption drives have yet to resume. Mr Ricky Yeo, founder of ASD, said: "We are always operating at full capacity. While adoptions peaked at 247 last year, the take-in rate is still high." The organisation shelters around 150 dogs, of which 90 per cent are Singapore specials. CAS fundraising coordinator Christine Bernadette said while there is nothing intrinsically wrong with buying dogs, it is important to get them from ethical breeders. "Many buyers are unaware about the conditions that the parents of their dogs are subjected to, which often mean being caged and kept alive just for breeding," Ms Bernadette, 32, added, "There needs to be more education on the cruelty of puppy mills."

These days even little animals got to do a song and dance to get sales https://m.facebook.com/100069321672388/videos/狗狗在店裡3個月賣不出去-結果就這樣了怎麼辦/1184309919110449/

You've all heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for.. Woofer on the Subwoofer Puns aside, any pet owners in this forum? Would like to know if you use any equipment(s) when transporting your pets, special seat belts etc. Or do you just let your pet roam in the car?

Pet owners appear to be spending more on furry companions, going by the business at the shops and farms. Shop owners said customers are willing to pay more for the premium breeds, compared to five years ago. They are also prepared to spend more on grooming and veterinary fees. The Holland Lops, Miniature Lion Lops and Netherland Dwarf rabbits do not come cheap. Pet shop owners said some of the more exotic breeds cost between S$800 and S$1,000. One of the rabbits is touted as a champion at a rabbit show in the US, and comes with a price tag of S$8,000. According to pet shop owners, interest in these American-imported rabbit breeds began two years ago. Pet owners are also splurging on pet care, with some prepared to pay up to S$10,000 for surgery. Eric Lim, director of Ericsson Pet Farm, said: "Spending on animals has increased a lot. Like for example, in those days, they're willing to spend S$1,000 to S$2,000 on a dog. But today, people can spend up to S$10,000 on the dogs." Dr Jason Teo E-Shen, a veterinary surgeon, said: "They treat their pets as part of their family and are willing to go all the way. I think the newer generation is more educated. They do know a lot more about animals and they are willing to come down to consult a doctor when there is a problem." Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1205341/1/.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boT2JOc0njM&feature=youtu.be Many pet owners dread the process of bringing their pets for grooming, as travelling and waiting for the grooming service can easily take up half a day, a luxury that some busy professionals may not be able to afford. Also, it can be difficult to find a suitable groomer, as some may be rough in handling your pet, which is not something anyone wants to experience. Likeable Pets offers professional mobile pet grooming for busy individuals, to solve the hassle of travelling with your pets to the pet shop for grooming. Likeable Pets' own in-house pet-stylist and groomer has four years of experience in pet grooming, and has a Class C qualification with the Singapore Kennel Club, so you can be sure that they will be gentle when it comes to grooming your beloved pet. To engage Likeable Pets' house-call or mobile pet grooming services, simply book an appointment with them to arrange for a scheduled time and date, and the groomer will arrive at your home or chosen location with the grooming equipment. You will need to provide a suitable area for the grooming to be carried out, and Likeable Pets will take care of the rest, including clean-up of the area after the grooming is done. Why groom at home? Grooming your pet at home saves you time, and offers great convenience and assurance - Your pet gets one-to-one personal attention from start to finish. - You save time on travelling and transporting your pet as our groomer will go to your place at your convenience. - You don't have to leave your pet at the salon for the whole day, which means no stress and no separation anxiety for you and your pet. - There is no chance of exposure to diseases, ticks or fleas that can be passed on from another pet to your pet at the salon. - You get great savings for a household with multiple pets as you only need to pay transportation charges for one trip. - It is great for puppies or kittens that have not completed their vaccinations, as they will not be any exposed to other pets. - It avoids stressing or tiring older pets that may have difficulty walking. For more information, visit their website at www.likeablepets.com, or contact them at 8685 2360.

I am sure most of us have our fair share of cats / dogs climbing onto our car , roof, windscreen, etc etc ... leaving prints all over the place. heres a different one for laughs ... and yes, its my ride. post yours, if you have any.... all animals, humans, creatures welcome.

how come got people keep orang utans as pets one http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/world-natur...c-wildlife.html

Heard on leyliao gahment setting up committee to review the present rules.... pets lovers can celebrate soon? then what about pets-hater/pets-neutralers?? common complaints about pets in HDB flats are neighbours complaing about the nuisance these pets can casue... but the news reported that if the owners/lovers do their parts, these problems can be more or less overcome. but cats' mating calls are loud and usually at night.... how to control this? poos and fir and barking/meowing are not big issues if everyone plays their part, but how to suppress their sexual desires? can sterisation cut down their sex drive or just pregnancy? there are other issues, good and bad, please feel free to share your views here (there was old thread on this, but now that gahmen is re-opening the box, lets see what will come out of this)

Hey guys anyone know any gd pet shops in jb which have varities of dog food ? I been to pelangi , taman sentosa and tesso , the pet shop cant make it .... I am looking brands like nutra gold etc .... Used to buy in SG @ pet lovers , 15kgs one , i store it using containers , got worms etc . dun know is it my storage prob or it came with it lor , so disgusting !

Anyone knows if we are allowed to bring pets into M'sia? I thinking of bringing my doggy along on our roadtrip next weekend. :)

are we allowed to keep pet snakes that are not on the endangered species list in singapore? i don't mean the one in your pants.

I have new neighbor who moved in a few weeks ago and have a dog that is locked up in at home all the time. I only saw my neighbor once as he is always out. The dog will always bark at the door at night. I am not complaining about the barking, i really pity the dog as I feel the dog is being neglected. This is abuse. This is the reason why I do not keep pets, I am afraid that I will neglect it. To all the boys n gals who want to keep pets. THINK BEFORE U ACT!!!

There's a survey by LTA on whether pets should be allowed on trains: http://talk2lta.lta.gov.sg/Surveys?action=...y.DisplaySurvey I hope that they will allow people to bring pets on train if the pets are well secured and not running about the place. So if I have a dog I can bring it around!