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SINGAPORE – Undergraduate student Sarah Chua had been thinking about getting a dog for a while. It wasn’t until the circuit breaker that the 22-year-old finally adopted one.
With his family, he lives with his parents and his younger sister, at home most of the time during that period, he found the opportunity to talk to them about adoption.
“We had a serious family discussion about dividing up the dog grooming duties because we didn’t want to have disputes when the circuit breaker ends and we spend more time away from home.”
In May, his family adopted a five-year-old Singapore Special from the Exclusively Mongrels dog shelter. Ms. Chua called her Tau Pok (fried tofu) because of the color of her fur and because she loves food.
She says: “Life before Tau Pok was monotonous, especially at the beginning of the circuit breaker. I missed seeing my friends and it was boring taking walks on my own.
“Tau Pok has helped me structure my daily routine and I exercise more by walking with him. Now I am more disciplined about how to manage my time so that I can have more time with him.”
Animal welfare organizations told The Straits Times that more people have expressed interest in adopting or raising pets in recent months.
With work-from-home arrangements, new pet owners can better help animals adjust to their new homes and routines.
Operations manager Jiny Mohandas has always wanted a dog and, like Ms. Chua, adopted one during the circuit breaker.
The 39-year-old was still traveling to the office, but her partner, a business analyst, worked remotely from home. They adopted a four-year Singapore special from Causes for Animals Singapore in May.
She says, “Having my partner work from home during this period helped the dog get used to our home and us to establish a new routine.”
They also made provisions about when their partner should resume work in the office.
“We have trained our dog to be home alone when we go out. We also have a neighbor who can help control the dog and siblings who can take care of the dog,” says Ms. Mohandas.
Companionship is one reason for the growing interest in having pets during the pandemic.
Dr. Pauline Sim, 64, a consulting psychiatrist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Center, says that when disconnected from social contact, people feel isolated. Pets, especially cats and dogs, make wonderful companions, providing warmth and distraction, he adds.
At Causes for Animals, co-founder Christine Bernadette, 31, sees an increase in adoptions during the pandemic.
Before April, the organization had six to eight adoptions of dogs and two of cats a month. Since the circuit breaker, the number has increased from 10 to 12 dogs and five cats a month.
At Chained Dog Awareness In Singapore, a volunteer-led advocacy group that specializes in helping dogs suffering from confinement or restraints for long hours, co-founder Lee Pin sees an increase in the number of people looking to adopt or breed dogs. from phase two. which started on June 19.
In June, July and this month, the group received 20 such inquiries, double the number before Covid-19.
Colin Chew, 52, a Just For Paws volunteer, says adoption requests doubled during the circuit breaker, compared to the same period last year. Since April, the privately funded shelter has received 30 inquiries and six dogs were adopted. Three dogs were adopted in the same period last year.
Chew says, “Having a pet is a long-term commitment. You have to be available to care for the pet even if you have to go back to work in the office.”
Ms. Lee, who is 40, agrees. During the pandemic, she says, more people realize that a pet can provide companionship and make their lives more satisfying, especially when they give a home to an animal in need.
But in case of a pandemic or not, he adds, the usual rules of having a pet apply, such as the level of commitment in caring for the animal.
Freelance teacher Theresa Huang, 37, adopted a Chihuahua on April 4, three days before the circuit breaker tripped.
She says the dog, Chewie, has been a source of comfort, helping her avoid loneliness when she missed her family and friends. She lives with her husband, a 43-year-old sales manager, who supported her decision to adopt a dog.
Ms. Huang had already planned to do so before the pandemic and considered the time and cost involved before working from home during the circuit breaker.
She says, “People may think that having a pet is to help ease their own loneliness, but they also need our company and care.”
Community manager Mihyun Chung, 28, who is from South Korea, adopted a seven-year-old Singapore special through Chained Dog Awareness last month.
She says: “Like many people, the pandemic changed my lifestyle and daily routine. It also provided the inspiration for my new business idea, which gave me the time to take care of a dog.”
You are in the middle of a shift to self-employment, which will allow you to have more control over your time.
The camaraderie was a key factor in student Atiqah Gafar, who lives alone, adopting a pet last month. She chose a hamster because it is easier for her to care than a cat. Her mother died of leukemia last year and her father died 10 years ago.
The 22-year-old, who has four older siblings but chooses to live alone, says: “Most of my friends who have cats were puzzled and amused when I told them I wanted a hamster. They were also concerned that hamsters were short-lived. But dealing with the loss of my parents has made me stronger and to accept that people and animals will die one day. “
Cat Welfare Society President Thenuga Vijakumar, 35, has also noticed an increase in adoptions.
While it does not run a shelter, it facilitates adoptions through its website and Instagram account. According to online posts, adoptions are about 20 per month from phase two, compared to 10-15 before the breaker.
Ms. Vijakumar says, “I think people just had the time to fully consider all the requirements for adoption. For example, one requirement is to mesh the house to ensure the safety of the cat.
“With the work-from-home arrangements, we found that people had more time to research and implement these steps.”
At the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, adoptions in June and July averaged 76 per month, less than the monthly average of 86 adoptions in the last six months of 2019. It suspended adoptions during the early part of the switch and resumed them in phase two.
But there was a tenfold increase in brood applications from 120 to 150 during the breaker, from 10 to 15 a month earlier.
For those who cannot commit to long-term pet care, nurturing is an alternative to help animals in need.
That’s what 33-year-old Ms. Sushma Soma did.
Pre-Covid-19, the Indian classical vocalist regularly traveled to India, Europe and the United States for trainings and performances, which were curtailed when the pandemic broke out.
She raised a dog through Chained Dog Awareness, caring for him from August 1-18 before she found a potential adopter.
She says: “Parenting allowed me to learn how to care for a dog and ease my feelings of uncertainty about my job and the future.
“But the biggest lesson from the experience is learning to let go and live in the present moment.”
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