Of Dogs: Singapore Tails

As a continuation of my previous post, I will like to say the following:

When we consider why we want a dog, we must also understand what a dog wants from us. I am a strong advocate that any good and functioning relationship must be one that is mutually beneficial.

What I believe is that us humans must provide dogs with enough exercise. Cesar Millan’s fans will know that his catchphrase is “Excerice. Discipline. Affection. In that order.”.

Dogs, like humans, require a lot of exercise. The key to having a well-balanced, obedient and happy dog is to bring them out for daily walks of no less than 1 hour (I will tell you why in a later blog post).

Hence, I have decided to set up a dog walking business - something that will benefit the pooches of increasingly busy Singaporeans.

I can serve the West and North areas, but contact me at 93261040 or singaporetails@gmail.com to see if I am able to serve you or to find out more!

I await your call or email!

Here is my promotional poster:

Of Dogs: Why People Want Dogs

People used to ask me why I want a dog. I used to be unable to answer them with an answer that I felt was reasonable or practical.

Wanting a dog just seemed to be something instinctive. Something just compels you to want a dog. One that you can call your own.

But, after some experiences, some turbulences, some incidents, I think I realise why there is sometimes no real, "practical" or "reasonable" answer. A dog is just "man's best friend" - and that is a tall order to fulfil!

I realise that a dog is fiercely loyal. You can rely it to be your forever companion. A dog will never hold grudges for long. It forgives and forgets. It protects. It loves.

A dog is also a loving companion. You slowly realise that a dog will always be there when you need to tell someone your grievances, your secrets, your wants - and the best part? You know you can trust your dog completely. Often, people will say that this is because your dog can't speak. But, I will rather like to think that your dog keeps your secrets because it loves you and it knows you have placed full trust in it.

A dog is also your friend. Many a times, when you feel lonely and sad, you realise that a physically present human friend might not turn out to be a "friend" after all. A dog, on the other hand, is  someone you know you can rely on. Someone you can just hug, just rant to. People often say that dogs have a 6th sense, and even though I do not have one yet, I do believe they know - they know when you feel sad, when you need company, and they know when you just want them to cuddle beside you, giving you the love that you need. A dog is capable of all that.

Of Cats: My Experience with Singapore Strays (Part 4)

When, us, stray cat feeders feed, we often feel very conspicuous, as if we are doing something immoral, something unethical and something bad.

Yet, time and time again, we still return to the same spot, feeding the community cats, checking their health and ensuring everything is okay.

But, there is a reason why we feel so conspicuous, and that is because, in a country like Singapore, most people feel that stray cat feeding is considered illegal. Well, in this post, I will like to tell you that community cat feeding is NOT illegal.

Minister K. Shanmugan (Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs) recently announced a stray cat feeding spot in Chong Pang, his constituency. It shows how the community can get together to tackle stray issues in Singapore, especially when supported strongly by Cabinet Minister and MPs (e.g.: Tan Chuan-Jin).

You can view the article here.

However, I must warn you of the following points when feeding community cats:

STRAY CAT FEEDING

Currently, the many naysayers who vehemently oppose feeding stray cats argue on the grounds of

(1) Dirtying the environment

(2) Encouraging further breeding

KEEPING THE ENVIRONMENT CLEAN

Feeding community cats is NOT considered illegal. However, under Singapore's Law, littering is. Hence, it is strongly recommended that you always bring a spare plastic bag to dispose of uneaten food, as well as to use a box.

Always use a small container to store your food

As community cat feeders, taking care of the environment is essential. As mentioned, once we ensure that we are responsible feeders as well, the opponents of stray cat feeding will not have a basis to argue that we are dirtying the environment, etc.

ENCOURAGING STERILISATION AND SPAYING OF STRAY CATS

Cat welfare organisations often have many problems in getting cats sterilise. The challenges include the lack of manpower and the lack of knowledge. 

In my experience, it is regretful to note that many community cats have yet to be spayed, but this is because they belonged to "The Wild" group (categorised in Part 1 of this series) and they know how to evade people and are extremely wary of any strangers.

Hence, it is essential that we support community efforts such as Spay Day, organised by the Cat Welfare Society. It is an annual event where the cost for sterilising community cats will be fully borne by the CWS. There are some really good (and cute) pictures taken during the event, and you can find them here.

A sterilised cat
Source: Skitch.com

A sterilised cat will always have clipped ears. If you are wondering whether it will hurt, the CWS has clarified under their FAQ that the cat's left ear is clipped while it is under anesthesia, and hence, it will not hurt. 

Anyway, having a direct physical trait is the fastest way anyone can differentiate between a sterilised community cat from an unsterilised stray cat.