Thinking of getting a pet? Here’s why adopting is better
You’ll save lives
While the estimates vary, approximately three to four million dogs and cats are euthanized (“put to sleep”) each year in the United States because too few people spay or neuter the pets they have, too few adopt, and too many give up their pets.
Because space at shelters are limited, they must make the difficult decision to euthanize healthy animals that are not adopted within a certain amount of time.
You’ll get a great pet
Animal shelters and rescue groups have plenty of healthy, well-behaved animals waiting for a home.
Most shelters examine and vaccinate animals when they arrive, and many shelters spay or neuter them before adoption.
It is a common belief that abused animals or those that misbehave badly, ends up in shelters.
In truth, most animals in shelters are there because of “people reasons”: divorce, moving, lack of time, and financial constraints are among the most common reasons why pets lose their homes.
Save money
Adopting a pet from an animal shelter is much less expensive than buying a pet at a pet store or through other sources.
Buying a pet can easily cost $500 to $1000 or more; adoption costs range from $50 to $200. In addition, animals from many shelters are already spayed, or neutered and vaccinated, which makes the shelter’s fee a bargain.
You Won’t Support Puppy or Kitten Mills
Puppy and kitten mills are factory-style breeding facilities that put profit above the welfare of animals.
These mills that raises most animals have poor housing conditions and improper medical care.
They are often in poor health and have ongoing behavior and health problems due to lack of human companionship and inbreeding.
Pet stores, the internet, and newspaper advertisements shows/sells mill animals to unsuspecting customers.
By adopting instead of buying a pet, you can be certain that you aren’t supporting puppy or kitten mills.
Singapore can be quite hot sometimes, what better way than to cool your fur kid by going to the pool! Here are some dog pools in Singapore and what to do or expect when you are there.
Sunny Heights houses a dog daycare, consisting of a boarding centre in addition of Fur’N’Away – which is a pet grooming salon, Ah B Café – which is a pet-friendly café, and a pool area with cool water features.
photo by sunny heightsphoto by Vanillapup
What you need to know before going to Sunny Heights Pool:
To enter, only dogs with current Annual records will be allowed entry
Due to COVID-19, the number of people allowed at any given time is 10 Pax.
The Bone Pool @ The Wagington is secreted away among the verdant, lush foliage amidst the ambience of the hotel. The distinctive resort courtyard settings are also designed for us pawrents to relax, wine & dine – all while being entertained by your fur kid.
photo by wagington
What you need to know before going to The Wagington:
The pool is 1.2m deep, chlorinated
Pawrents can enter the pool and swim with your fur kid in approved swimwear only
Want to have a meal with your fur kid, but don’t know where to go? Here are some restaurants in Singapore that are dog-friendly so that you can bring your fur kid for a date!
If you are looking for a place to have brunch with your fur kid, then head over to Canopy Garden Dining Bar. Well, you can’t dine indoors with them, but you are able to dine in their alfresco dining area! Its Brunch menu is served until 2pm daily.
Sun Ray café has a menu of healthy food that you can share with your fur kids! Therefore, their food is made using human grade meats and vegetables, and cooked without seasoning. In case your fur kid gobbles any food you drop, don’t worry as they restrict any ingredients that are toxic for them.
If you want to hold any celebrations with your fur kid, Sun Ray café also bakes cake for them, with 2 days’ notice at least. Price ranging from $15 to $30.
This place is where you can just feel relaxed with your fur kids, family, and friends. Their outlet in Telok Kurau is located next to heap of pet stores, so you can grab your coffee and some treats for your fur kid. You can also enjoy their dishes in the comfort of your home by ordering from their website.
In Singapore, one of our favourite social activities is having a break from life, be it travelling or hiking. Now that we can’t travel out of Singapore, we are always trying to look for a staycay to get away from the hustle and bustle of life but a staycation for a pawparent is not complete without our babies.
I’m sure every pawparent know about this resort as it is one of the most famous staycay that is not just pet-friendly, is also very near the Sentosa beach for whoever that wants a beach day staycation with their fur babies.
The rules are pretty standard across all the hotels. Pets are not allowed to visit public facilities and enclosed spaces such as the reception, the gym, the swimming pools, spa and dining outlets. They welcome dogs and cats of all sizes. Pawparents who are thinking of going with their babies are required to purchase the relevant package: Pampered Paws for dogs or Pampered Meows for cats.
Capella Singapore (Sentosa) is currently having a pamper pet spa-cation for your pet. It is really the ultimate pamper sess that you can ever give to a dog.
The package includes:
One-night accommodation in a villa
Daily in-room breakfast for two guests
One Ayurveda Pet Spa session with 2-way transport to Petpawronifor one furkid
Complimentary overnight parking per room for the duration of stay
Complimentary Guest Benefits
Price: $1,550 no matter if it’s on the weekday or weekend.
Things you need to note:
Valid for stays from 1 July 2021 to 31 January 2022.
All package inclusions are to be utilised during the stay.
Addiction Pet Foods welcome pack is available for dogs and cats only.
Maximum pet weight of 33 lbs or 15 kg is allowed for each stay.
Pets will not be allowed to visit public facilities such as The Living Room, pool, spa and dining outlets.
There’s a lot other things you should note before booking so do read carefully on the website before booking. This pet spa-cation is definitely more on the pricey but it is a great package if you are looking into pampering your pet.
If you want to try something unique other than staying in hotels, you can try glamping! It’s like camping but more atas and glamp, hence the name. So far, out of so many glamping companies, only Heavenly Glamping is pet-friendly and has a lock on the door if you want to take your pet on a walk. You have to contact them directly to check on what’s the prices of their tent and to double confirm if they are pet-friendly. You can also request for add-ons if you’re planning for anniversary or even birthday.
Couple Tent:
1x 4M Bell Tent
1x Queen Air Bed
Head Pillows & Cushions
Bedsheets & Pillow Cases
2x Battery Operated Fans
1x Mini Foldable Table
Indoor Fairylights
From my own knowledge, the couple tent would cost about $200 – $300 and you have to apply for a permit (free!) under NParks before the company can proceed on with planning the glamping.
Four Seasons Hotel allows one pet per room however, pet must weigh maximum of 25lb (~11.3kg) or less, must be fully trained, up-to-date on all age-appropriate vaccinations and leashed at all times. Like the rest of the hotels, pets are not allow pets in the food & beverage outlets, the Health Club or pool areas. This is not applicable to guide dogs, but the Hotel recommends that guests with guide dogs offer advance notice so that the staff can best accommodate them. Pawparents are requested to clean up after their pets while on the Hotel premises and within the surrounding neighbourhood.
On top of that, there is a one-time charge of $100 for Deluxe, Boulevard and Premier Rooms, and $130 for suites, required for specialized housekeeping procedures for the room after the guests’ check-out. Pawparents have to call the hotel to check on whether the hotel will be able to accommodate to your pets in advance.
Price is as low as $304 if you advance book but do note that there is a 10% service charge that is intended to cover a portion of costs associated with their employees.
Gallop Kranji Farm Resort is located at the north-west of Singapore and it is a great option for pawparents who are hoping to get into nature and away from the hustle and bustle city life.
Prices are as low as $150 for 2D1N, They are pet-friendly, however, it is best to confirm with them before booking as it’s not stated on their website.
Photo from InterContinental Singapore Heritage Room
InterContinental Singapore offers a paw-fect staycation at the heritage room or suite for 2 adults and 1 fur baby.
Package includes:
One night accommodation at the heritage room or suite for 2 adults and 1 fur kid
Welcome amenities basket for pet
Breakfast for 2 adults
Complimentary WiFi
SGD 50 nett in-room dining credits (exclusive pet-friendly menu available)
20% savings on ala-carte menu items at Ash & Elm, Man Fu Yuan and The Lobby Lounge, non-inclusive of seasonal offers, brunch menu or any other promotions.
Things to note:
Pawfect staycation is available for direct booking with InterContinental Singapore only.
Only canines amenities will be provided.
Each booking is entitled to one set of complimentary pet amenities, additional set is chargeable at $100.
No more than two dogs are allowed per room.
Extra cleaning fee might be incurred
Pets are not allowed in the hotel gym, swimming pool area, Club InterContinental Lounge and F&B outlets.
Pet owners will need to keep their fur kid leashed or in a carrier at all times.
Regent Singapore is able to accomodate pets in (any) guest room provided that your fur baby has to comply with the local legislation requirement and is less than 15kg, fully trained and leashed at all times.
It is best to check in with them regarding your pet and also the booking of appointment as it seems as though they are fully booked till next year.
8. [Currently Closed!] CSC at Loyang (Seaview Bungalow dog friendly)
Photo from CSC Loyang Seaview Bungalow Dog Friendly
CSC Loyang is a great place if you’re having pawties (hah!) as there’s a big space (and many rooms) for your furbaby and his/her friends to run around. It is also linked to East Coast Park at the corner, so you don’t have to worry if they wants to pee and poo regularly.
Currently, they are closed as it is all occupied by Persons Under Quarantine (PUQ).
Prices are as such:
Members
Public Officers
Public
Off-Peak: Mon – Thurs (excluding school holis, eve & on P.H.s)
$321.20
$385.44
$462.53
Peak: Fri – Sun (excluding school holis) Mon – Thurs (school holis)
Photo from Citadines Balestier (Serviced Apartment)
Citadines Balestier is a different type of staycation, it is a serviced apartment. You can cook and even wash clothes.
They are pet friendly but there’s a pet levy charges will apply at SGD150+ per pet for stays less than 14 nights. For 14 nights and above, pet levy will be SGD300+ per pet.
Falling sick and going to see a doctor is a costly thing, so is the same as our pets falling sick and furthermore these things are out of our control. Pets are like humans, they may fall sick, get injured or meet with an accident. We have medical insurance while there is pet insurance for them.
Do you know that when the pet is stolen or lost, the costs involved in search & retrieval of our pet, having a pet insurance can help with the costs involved? You didn’t know? Neither did I prior to doing research. Like most people, I thought pet insurance would just be like ours, able to claim medical bills whenever I fall sick and is hospitalised and that’s it.
The insurance is quite limited and is covering dogs or cats only.
AIA Paw Safe
CIMB My Paw Pal
Liberty Insurance PetCare
AON Happy Tails
Breed
Dogs
Cats & Dogs
Cats & Dogs
Cats & Dogs
Age
3 months to 7 years old
3 months to 7 years old
2 months to 9 years old
4 months to 9 years old
Eligibility
1. Must be licensed 2. Must not be any of these breeds: mastiff, bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, pit bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, Dogo Argentino, canary dog, American bulldog or dogs crossed with any of these breeds and/or wolves 3. Maximum of 1 policy for each dog you own, up to a maximum of 2 dogs per household
1. Must be licensed with AVS and microchipped 2. Fully vaccinated and neutered/spayed 3. Must not be a working dog (not for the purpose of racing, breeding, law enforcement, guide dog, guarding or for other commercial use)
1. Microchipped 2. Must be residing with you 3. Must not be a working pet or one used for breeding
1. Microchipped 2. Fully vaccinated 3. Must not be a working pet or one used for breeding
What do they cover?
Accidental injury and/or death Cremation and/or burial fees due to accident Vet fees due to accidents Loss of dog due to theft 3rd party liability
Basic Cover Accidental injury and/or death Cremation and/or burial fees due to accident Vet fees due to accidents
Add-ons: Option A: Lost of dog due to theft (+S$32.10/annual) Option B: Medical and cremation/burial expenses due to illness (+S$321.00/annual)
Accidental death Vet costs for accidental injury and/or illnesses Loss of dog due to theft 3rd party liability
Clinical and surgical Chemotherapy Final expenses (euthanasia, cremation, funeral service and handling charges following death of the Pet) 3rd party liability
Superior: S$750 **the payout amount will be different for different tier
For dogs: Fur: S$337.82 (Limit of S$3,500/year) Furry: S$410.22 (Limit of S$7,500/year) Furball: S$482.60 (Limit of S$12,500/year)
For cats: Purrfect: S$299.69 (Limit of S$5,000/year)
Coverage Period
Until 8 years old
Until 13 years old
Until 13 years old
Lifetime
Co-insurance and deductibles
Co-insurance refers to the portion you have to pay when making a claim. For example, if your pet goes for a surgery and the total bill comes up to S$3,000. Your pet insurance plan offers 20% co-insurance on all vet surgeries.
The 20% means you have to cover it by yourself and they will reimburse you the remaining 80%, in this case S$2,400.
Deductible is the amount paid out of pocket by the policyholder before an insurance provider will pay any expenses. For example, third party liability, if your dog has escaped and ran into someone’s house and broke an ancient vase, they are claiming $5,000 from you.
Your insurer offers a deductible of $1,000 on all third party liability claims, which in this case means that your insurer will pay you $4,000 after the claim instead of the full $5,000.
Co-insurance and deductibles help insurers lessen the financial burden on the individual policyholder and its family and also bring down premiums by making sure that only policyholders who need to make a claim pay their share. Otherwise, the costs will be passed on to everyone, making all policyholders pay higher premiums.
It is important to understand this and remember this as it will affect the cost that you have to bear even with this.
AIA Paw Safe (Dogs only):
Accidental Death
S$1,000 or purchase price (whichever is lower)
Vet fees due to accident *deductible of S$150
Up to S$1,000
Cremation or Burial Expenses due to Death by Accident
Up to S$250
Loss of Dog Due to Theft *deductible of S$250
S$1,000 or purchase price (whichever is lower)
Third Party Liability *deductible of S$1,000
Up to S$1 million dollars
CIMB My Paw Pal (Cats and Dogs):
Basic ($74.90)
Accidental Death
S$1,500
Medical Expenses Due To An Accident *minimum claims of S$100
Up to S$3,000/year
Cremation Or Burial Expenses Due To An Accident
Up to S$300
Third Party Liability
Up to S$250,000
Option A (+S$32.10)
Loss of Dog Due To Theft
Up to S$1,500
Option B (+S$321)
Medical and Cremation/ Burial Expenses Due To Illness
Up to S$3,000/year (inclusive of basic plan)
Liberty Insurance PetCare (Cats, Dogs):
Standard (S$350)
Enhanced (S$450)
Superior (S$750)
Accidental Death
S$1,000
S$2,000
S$3,000
Accidental Injury *deductible of S$50
S$500
S$750
S$3,000
Loss of Dog Due To Theft *not applicable for cats
S$300
S$500
S$1,250
Vet fees for non-surgical treatment *co-insurance of 50%
S$500
S$750
S$3,000
Vet fees for surgical treatment *co-insurance of 30%
S$1,500
S$2,000
S$10,000
Third Party Liability *deductible of S$500
S$100,000
S$250,000
S$500,000
AON Happy Tails (Cats, Dogs):
Fur (S$337.82)
Furry (S$410.22)
Furball (S$482.60)
Purrfect (S$299.69)
Maximum annual coverage
S$3,500
S$7,500
S$12,500
S$5,000
Clinical and surgical benefit Limit for room and board expenses Limit for post-surgical treatment benefit
S$2,500 S$250 S$150
S$6,000 S$600 S$300
S$10,000 S$1,000 S$500
S$3,800 S$380 S$200
Chemotherapy
S$1,000
S$1,500
S$2,500
S$1,200
Final expenses
NA
S$250
S$250
S$250
Third party liability
S$100,000
S$250,000
S$500,000
S$250,000
Co-insurance (Cats and Dogs)
Before Age 4
20%
Before Age 7
30%
Before Age 9
40%
Deductible
Cats & Dogs; Any age
$250
With all the pet insurances and what you can claim from them covered, let’s talk about deciding which policy is best for your pet.
Some factors you have to think about:
Age: it is better to get your pet insured the earlier the better as the pet insurance won’t allow you to purchase a policy for your pet if there’s pre-existing health conditions.
Pet Breed: It is good to look into whether your pet breed is known to develop any health issues at their later stage of health, if yes, it’s best to get one that covers the health issue.
Medical History: If your pet is prone to falling sick, you should look for one that has higher medical bills coverage
Accidents: If your pet is accident-prone or like to escape from the house, it is best to look for one that covers this and third party liability
Cost: This is an important factor as you have to calculate if the policy is something that you can afford and at the same time keep some money aside for emergency.
Lifetime: It would be great if all the policies are covering pets their lifetime as who would know what’s going to happen towards the last stage of their life. If you would like to have lifetime coverage for your pet, you can look into getting AON Happy Tails
This is considered an important decision so you should take some time to think about the policies before making decisions.
We all enjoy a good meal, it could be something as simple as sushi or a 9 course meal at a Michelin star restaurant. We always strive to put the best nutrients in our own body. The same thing should be said about our fur babies, we should ensure that they are nourished with the right kinds of nutrients and vitamins to allow them to live a longer and more substantial life. As vets advised, we should not share our meals with our dogs. The things we eat can be eaten by them as well however because of the seasonings we put into our meal, it makes the meal too rich or fatty for their systems.
If you are thinking of changing your dog’s meals to home-cooked food instead of plain old kibbles with toppers or mixer on a daily basis, you should always consult your vet as some dogs cannot handle high amounts of protein and there might be things that your dog are allergic to.
Why?
The different variety you can cook for your dog is endless! By cooking at home, it offers what commercially bought food cannot and that is an assortment of different flavours and textures and those variety of vitamins and nutrients that you can only get from fresh ingredients and not from a bag of dog food.
Proteins
Best choice for proteins would be lean meat of either beef, turkey, chicken, pork or fish (fully cooked with bones removed).
We should always avoid fatty cuts such as bacon. By eating lesser fatty foods, we prevent the growing possibility of a heart attack. Fatty deposits from such foods will collect on the coronary arteries of our dogs. The coronary artery provides oxygenated blood required for the function of the heart muscles. If they become clogged with fatty deposits, we risk the chance of a heart attack or heart failure. Avoid giving meat like ham, as they are usually high in sodium and fat, which will cause your dog to get thirsty after eating, and high in cholesterol in the long term run.
The best types of fish for dogs to eat are salmon, whitefish and cod. Tuna is fine but at a tiny amount as it can cause mercury poisoning to them.
Vegetables
Many might not know this but simple vegetables are a staple in your pet’s diet. Raw vegetables are alright. These include grated or finely chopped carrots, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, bell peppers, individual corns and celery. For cooked vegetables, one may consider steaming, green beans, broccoli, asparagus and cauliflowers.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates like rice, potato, millet, these grains must be ground up or cooked just enough to allow your animal’s intestine to absorb it easily. This also helps improve the taste of the raw ingredients. You should give less amount of carbohydrates but more of proteins and vegetables.
Treats
Dogs, like us, enjoy a good treat once in a while. Peanut butter is a good snack for our pets as they give them a nice treat once in a while (moderately), and is proven to boost their morale. Bite-sized bits of whole wheat bread assists with their health. Fruits like strawberries, apples, pineapple, banana and raspberries, drizzle them some honey or yoghurt and they will love it!
A popular treat would be giving a dog a bone. However, many are unaware of the negative impacts of feeding your dog a raw bone. Firstly they can splinter into sharp pieces easily and may harm the digestive tract of your pet. Secondly, raw meat on bones can have disease causing germs which our naked eye may not be able to see.
Avoid
Raw dough can cause an upset stomach in our pets. Chocolates and alcohol (grapes too) are severely harmful to our pets, as they do not have the digestive juices available to breakdown the toxins found in both. Avocados, almonds, coffee, macadamia nuts, raisins, garlic, onions and mushrooms are some of the other things to avoid.
Important
We should always try to serve meat cooked, without any seasoning such as salt and oils. Avoiding undercooked and raw meat is paramount, as they may contain bacteria naked to the eye. This may lead to detrimental unforeseen bacterial growth which may harm your pet.
Vets don’t recommend a home-cooked diet for dogs under one year old. If they are do not eat the ample amounts of calcium and phosphorus, a young pup could develop significant bone abnormalities. You can find recipes online that fits to your dog’s diet, but it is best to run the recipe through a vet before feeding your dog the home-cooked food.
Our dogs cannot switch from store-bought food to home-cooked food overnight, it is better to transition slowly over a period of one week by mixing bit more with the old as the day goes. It is also important to remember to create a balance meal every time, do ask your vet to recommend some supplement product if the meal is not balanced.
Many consumers use the terms ‘best by date’ and ‘expiry date’ interchangeably. This has led to unnecessary food wastage globally. As similar as the terms may seem, there is a significant difference.
Firstly, the ‘best by date’, which often appears on food items which have a longer shelf life. They usually can be found on canned food, biscuits, & frozen food. It is an indicator of the food quality. Once the date passes, the food may not be in its most pristine condition. Its freshness, taste, aroma or nutrients may have been lost, but it is still edible.
Next, the expiration date states the last date when a product is safe for consumption. If a food product passes its expiry date, discard it immediately and do not consume. It can be dangerous to consume food products that have passed its expiry date as the date is determined by a multitude of factors, such as the types of ingredients used, the manufacturing process and the storing method of the food products.
How you should best store your food products to maintain its freshness even after its ‘best by date’:
Open the food packaging only when you are consuming the food immediately. If you were to open and close the packaging, remove the portion of food you are consuming, then close the packaging tightly.
Store your food products in a cool, dry place and avoid placing them in hot/humid conditions, as they may shorten product life.
Thus, to avoid unnecessary food wastage, it is advisable for you to firstly store the food products in appropriate conditions as stated, and next use your senses (sight, smell and taste) to judge if the food product is still edible. The product should be discarded if the taste has been compromised or the consistency has changed. Finally, good planning will greatly reduce unnecessary food wastage. Familiarise yourself with the ‘best by date’ and ‘expiry date’ to judge if food products are still consumable.
