Adopting a dog in Singapore – or a cute cat or rabbit!

Living in Singapore and want to get a pet? There are plenty of animals up for adoption here; dogs, cats and even rabbits. It’s definitely worth considering adopting a dog or a cat rather than spending big at pet shops. We’ve also got some tips from a vet about what you need to know before you go ahead with your dog adoption.

Cat adoption in Singapore

Adopting cats is in some ways easier than dog adoption. You don’t have to take them for walks, and they can keep your lap warm – which is just what you need in Singapore! Here are a couple of cats for adoption from Project LUNI.

MOMO

Age: 2 years

Momo is an affectionate and gentle cat who’s best suited to a quiet home. During the day, he loves to take a nap in a cool dark spot or snuggle up to his human companion for a head rub. In the mornings and evenings, he loves playing and running around. He’s in good health, de-sexed, tested negative for FIV-FeLV, dewormed, de-flead and vaccinated

MATILDA

Age: 4 years

Matilda is a tricolour who was found starving on a cargo ship. She was nursed back to health and has learnt to trust humans. Matilda is shy at first but opens up to become a playful companion. A small-to-medium-sized home where she is showered with affection and playtime would be ideal. Matilda is fully vaccinated, microchipped, de-flead and sterilised. While she has tested positive for FIV, her personality and health are like any other cat, and she can live a normal healthy life with a loving home!

SAMANTHA & KODAK

Ages: 8 months & 10 months

These two met in foster care and became besties who keep each other company. Samantha knows how to get her human’s attention, which includes play biting at your hands and feet. She loves snuggling with her favourite blanket and purring. Kodak is a sweet boy who will follow you, greet you at the door and chirp to get pats. He’s slightly shy at first, but is the most loyal kitten. Both have been sterilised and are vaccinated.

LUCY & DIXI

Ages: 4 years & 1 year

This mother-daughter pair were rescued from farms at Sungei Tengah. Their ideal home is an active adult household. Lucy enjoys treats and is very chilled until Dixi wants to play – they will then “wrestle” together and chase each other around. Both are dewormed, de-flead, microchipped and sterilised. Lucy has early-stage chronic kidney disease; while it’s not curable, a kidney-friendly diet and a blood test every three to six months will give her many good years to see her daughter grow up.

OSCAR & CHLOE

Age: 6 months

Oscar and Chloe are siblings who’ll do well in a home with older kids or a resident cat. Both can be afraid of loud noises like the vacuum and thunder but are a joy to have around. They love to climb the cat tree and play together, and they enjoy nap time and Netflix! Chloe is full of energy – playtime is never long enough; Oscar takes time to warm up but is a great cuddle buddy. Both have been dewormed, sterilised, microchipped, deflead, vaccinated and vet checked.

ABOUT PROJECT LUNI

Project LUNI is a registered non-profit animal welfare organisation in Singapore that focuses on the care of street cats and kittens. Its four main pillars are:

1. TNR (trap-neuter-return);
2. medical care for sick or injured street cats;
3. responsible daily feeding of stray and community cats; and
4. rescuing, fostering, socialisation and rehoming of street kittens and abandoned cats.

These strategies are crucial in Singapore, where more than 60,000 street cats face high abandonment numbers and suffering – accidents, illnesses, starvation and abuse. In 2021, Project LUNI was responsible for feeding 700 cats, rescuing, fostering or rehoming 414 cats and kittens, sterilising 164 cats through its TNR programme and providing medical care. If you’re keen to meet any of the cats available for adoption on this page, visit project-luni.com for details.

Adopting Dogs in Singapore

ABOUT OSCAS

OSCAS (Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter) is a registered Singapore charity set up in 2006. All the adoption dogs have been rescued from the streets or from being culled. About 100 dogs are currently living under OSCAS care. The shelter runs purely on the support of volunteers, sponsors and donors, while the dogs wait for a forever loving home. There are five main ways people can help: sponsor, donate, volunteer, foster and – the ultimate way to help – adopt. As much as the OSCAS team tries their best to bring joy to the animals in the shelter, they know that a loving forever home of their own is the ideal place for them to be. If you’re looking to adopt a furry family member, email rehoming@oscas.sg. You can also visit the Adoption Gallery and learn more about adoption procedures at oscas.sg/adoption-gallery. oscas.sg

Advice before adopting a dog

Once you’ve chosen your new furry friend, it’s worth getting it checked by a vet for a few things before dog adoption expecially. The Vets for Life team helped us put together a check list:

• Any sign of tick fever might mean your dog will not be allowed into another country when the time comes to relocate.
• It also needs to be checked for heartworm, so find out what vaccinations, if any, are required, and what else needs to be done.
• Is it sterilised? Unless you want the pitter-patter of small paws, (or the wrath of the next door neighbour who’s pet has been impregnated) it’s advisable to get this done.
• Luckily, there’s no rabies here, so immigration to most countries is fairly simple, though note that some countries do still request a vaccination.
• Whether your dog is a “Singapore Special” or a pedigree, you’ll need to watch for skin irritations – they’re prevalent here because the increased humidity causes accelerated bacterial growth. Dust mites and grass are the main irritants, though some people believe irritations are linked to the type of food the dog is fed.
• Vets for Life Animal Clinic has two outlets, one in the east and one on River Valley Road. Their internationally trained staff can help you get off to the right start.

Rabbit adoption

House Rabbit Society Singapore (HRSS) is an all-volunteer, non-profit animal welfare group dedicated to rabbit adoption, welfare and education. HRSS does not operate a shelter. Rather, it relies on a foster parent network to care for its rescued rabbits while they await their forever homes.

Can’t commit to forever? Then how about fostering one as they await rabbit adoption? HRSS will provide the training, setup and food supplies. The minimum fostering period is six months, but ideally it will be until the fostered rabbit is adopted. And remember, you should never give an animal as a present without the recipient knowing ahead of time and wanting the pet.

If you’re interested in rabbit adoption or fostering, email HRSS at betty@hrss.net

Singapore Cat Festival 2023

In addition, if you’d like to help out as a volunteer for an animal adoption cause, you can apply to manage sales for SPCA merchandise. Help to raise funds for the animals under their care at this year’s Singapore Cat Festival! Located at Great World, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, the event takes place in the late afternoon from 5 to 9pm. Interested parties can submit their names and contact number to ingrid@spca.org.sg or WhatsApp 9131 2475.

For more, go to expatliving.sg and check out our noticeboard. To post an ad, email your text and a photograph if available to noticeboard@expatliving.sg. It’s free!  

Related: Is pet adoption the right choice for your family?