DECEMBER 2012 Animal Cruelty Happy Ever After Guinea Pig Care
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DECEMBER 2012
Animal Cruelty
Happy Ever After
Guinea Pig Care
14/09/2013
Letters to the editor / pet care corner ......... 3 Hello junior members,
Happy Ever After ................................. 4 - 5
This is an issue which celebrates that special love
Handy and Manuka ............................... 6 - 7 we have with our furry friends. From our loyal
Centre Spread ........................................ 8 - 9
canines, to elegant felines and adorable guinea
pigs; we have them all. Read how these exclusive
Guinea pig care ...................................... 10 - 11 relationships have tranformed the lives of the
Ferraro .......................................................... 12 owners and filled their homes with joy, happiness
and laughter that only a pet can bring.
SPCA happenings .......................................... 13
Monfort jumble sale ..................................... 14 Sadly, although this issue celebrates that unique
Animal cruelty .............................................. 15 bond that pet owners have with their furry friends,
we also see many cases of abuse where pets are
often left neglected and unloved. If you do see
any animal in distress, please do not keep quiet.
Be the voice of the voiceless and speak up for our
animal friends. If you see an animal
in distress, call the SPCA at 62875355. If you do
not speak up for them, who will ?
Let’s hope 2013 brings us better treatment for the
animals.
2Dear Editor,
I just recently adopted a dog from the SPCA and I
love her very much. She is a Jack Russell Terrier and
although they are known to be very hyper dogs, my Sam
is the total opposite. She is very comfortable sitting by
me as I do my school work. She is really my best friend.
We go for walks together too. Now that I have a dog,
I cannot understand how people can be so cruel to them.
All they have is love to give. They don’t expect anything
in return. I think dogs are amazing.
Sonya Devi
My maltese is so cute but he’d be even
cuter without those reddish-brown
streaks under his eyes. Do you know why
that happens?
There are several reasons but the most
common is if hair grows too close to the
eye, it can irritate the eyes and cause the
dog to tear.
Regardless of breed, white dogs like your maltese are more likely to have visible tear
staining on their faces, because the pigments in their tears can easily
dye light-colored fur. Also, dogs with long hair on their faces may be more
prone to excessive tearing. If your dog’s tear stains are developing because
his eyes are always irritated, getting rid of the source of irritation will help.
This might include keeping hair near the eyes trimmed very short. But do not do it
yourself, make sure you get a groomer or adult to do it for you.
Regular washing of your dog’s face will help too.
3Fred
Fred has been acclimatising to my home since he arrived. He loves tummy rubs and
comes out when he feels it's okay and will rub himself against your legs. Fred has
become more and more vocal these days, showing his Siamese genes. He has developed
a very bad habit of waking us up in the middle of the night. He will come up onto
the bed and meow into my ear a few times a night. Just like a baby! We're still
wondering how we can break him out of that habit. He's also a lot more active when
it's night time. Sometimes we put a leash on him and allow him to walk along the
corridor. Thanks for taking good care of him when he was at SPCA!
You guys are doing such a great job there. Thank you for being a blessing to
Singapore.
~ Ariel & Danny & Fred
4Q
In 2002 my wife and I were living in Singapore and we adopted a female dog from
you, which we called "Q" as at the time we were living in Kew Avenue in Bedok. We had
visited the SPCA to have a look around but never intended to adopt another dog as
we already had one, which we had brought with us from Hong Kong, however little Q
caught the eye of my wife and it was instant love. Q had a great time in Singapore
and we would go for walks down Rifle Range Road and in the woods behind the
Singapore Polo Club. We left Singapore in 2003 to return to England and Q came
with us. We lived in central London and Q has walked in many of the London parks
such as Kensington Gardens and Wimbledon Common, when I was posted abroad for
work to Dubai in 2006 Q came with us and enjoyed life in Dubai for four years
before we returned with her back to England in 2010.
Sadly in 2011 she succumbed to blindness, but never lost her cheeky inquisitiveness,
for a little dog, Q had a big character. Unfortunately she passed away on 23 July.
Q has given our family so much love and we have enjoyed so many fun times that it
is still such a shock to lose her. The joy that she has brought us is beyond price and
we are blessed with the time that she chose to spend with us. Q has seen a lot of the
world and led an extraordinary life and we thank the SPCA for bringing
her into our life.
RIP Q dog, 2002-2012
~ Kwok Li
5Handy
On 8 November 1997, 1997, aa three-month-old
three-month-old mongrel
mongrel puppy named Handy adopted us
as his named
puppy family. Handy
When adopted
my then-girlfriend and nowWhen
us as his family. wife visited the SPCA that morn-
ing, the other puppies
my then-girlfriend and andnow dogs
wife were verytheexcited
visited SPCA and eager for attention, except
for
that Handy.
morning,He the
was other
sittingpuppies
at the and
end dogs
of hiswerecage,
verylooking intently at us, as though
he was the one choosing who he wanted for his owner. The moment we entered his
excited and eager for attention, except for Handy. He
cage, he started tugging at our laces and we immediately knew that he had chosen
was sitting at the end of his cage, looking intently at us,
us. He was there for all the key moments in our lives. He was there when my wife
as
andthough
I werehemarried,
was theenjoyed
one choosing
a ride who he first
in our wantedbrand
for his
new car, through the highs
owner. The moment we entered his cage, he started
and lows of our relationship, through career switches. He was tugging at the only constant
our lacesalland
through we uncertainties.
life’s immediately knew that he
We could had count
always chosenonus.him to be eagerly awaiting
our was
He return from
there for work
all theand
keywhenever
momentsweinshared our He
our lives. problems with him, he would sit
was there
there my
when listening
wife andwithIawere
look married,
of understanding
enjoyed a inridehisinlight-brown
our first eyes.
brand new car, through the highs and lows of our relationship, through career
In mid-2010,
switches. He wasHandy was constant
the only diagnosedthrough
with anallaggressive form of skin
life’s uncertainties. cancer
We could and
always
despite several operations to remove the tumours, the cancer kept coming back.
count on him to be eagerly awaiting our return from work and whenever we shared
Being the fighter that he was, he remained strong throughout the operations and
our problems with him, he would sit there listening with a look of understanding in
came back stronger each time, determined to overcome the disease. He never
his light-brown
stopped eyes.
doing his “job” of taking care of the family. He made sure he kept us safe
when we took him out for walks; was always ready for a game of fetch. As the
In mid-2010,
cancer continuedHandy was diagnosed
to ravage with
his body, he an aggressive
gradually form
lost weight butofnever
skin his
cancer
zest and
for
life. He several
despite slowed down considerably
operations and needed
to remove to restthe
the tumours, more duringkept
cancer the coming
day, butback.
was
always the
Being ready to greet
fighter thatusheatwas,
the he
gate no matter
remained how throughout
strong lethargic hethefelt.
operations and
came back stronger each time, determined to overcome the disease. He never
Handy’s
stopped condition continued
doing his “job” to worsen
of taking from
care of thethe startHeofmade
family. 2012.
sureOnhe7kept
September,
us safe
he suffered a massive hemorrhage from one of his tumours. The bleeding eventually
when we took him out for walks; was always ready for a game of fetch. As the
stopped, but we knew it was only a matter of time. During the early hours of 8
cancer continued to ravage his body, he gradually lost weight but never his zest for
September, the tumour started hemorraghing again and this time, he felt that he
life. He slowed
was ready to go.down considerably
His breathing and needed
became to rest and
more laboured moreheduring the day, standing
had difficulty but was
always
up. We ready
cleaned tohimgreet us ataway
up, washed the the
gate no matter
bloodstains howfurlethargic
on his and tookhehimfelt.
on
what we knew to be his last trip to the veterinarian.
After 15 long years, at 1.55pm on 8 September 2012, our dear companion Handy
took a well-deserved rest. We paid $95 to adopt him, but received so much more
than money could buy in return.
~ Michael Kwok
6Handy’s condition continued to worsen from the start of 2012. On 7 September,
he suffered a massive hemorrhage from one of his tumours. The bleeding eventually
stopped, but we knew it was only a matter of time. During the early hours of
8 September, the tumour started hemorraghing again and this time, he felt that he
was ready to go. His breathing became more laboured and he had difficulty
standing up. We cleaned him up, washed away the bloodstains on his fur and
took him on what we knew to be his last trip to the veterinarian.
After 15 long years, at 1.55pm on 8 September 2012, our dear companion Handy
took a well-deserved rest. We paid $95 to adopt him, but received so much more
than money could buy in return.
~ Michael Kwok
Manuka
We’re pleased to share a photo of our gorgeous little girl, Manuka. She’s settling in
so well. She has a lovely little tartan bed in the corner of our room which she
snuggles into all night. We’ve had a few cheeky jumps onto our bed and we’re trying
to discipline her from doing this (but something tells me she’ll be snuggled in with
us in the coming months – HA!).
She loves her new home and is so
excited about walks (she loves to run
when I jog with her too). She loves
her toy we’ve named “Woz”. She drags
Woz with her everywhere, it’s very
cute.
She’s a bit shy of prams and bicycles
but otherwise she’s not fazed by any-
thing or any noise. She’s best friends
with all the dogs in the neighbourhood
already. We really do love her; she’s a
little bundle of happiness and joy.
– Jane Perry
7Important Information:
Although guinea pigs are prolific breeders, they are delicate small animals that may recover poorly from
surgeries such as sterilisation. However, guinea pigs thrive on the company of their own kind.
Therefore, the SPCA advises that guinea pig owners only keep those of the same sex together.
General Information:
Guinea pigs make wonderful companions. These docile members of the
rodent family rarely bite and are known for squeaking with delight when
their favourite humans enter the room. Guinea pigs are sociable animals,
so it is better to keep a pair. Guinea pigs generally do not like to be held.
To show affection, spend some time daily petting and grooming your
guinea pig. If it is necessary to carry your guinea pig, start by
petting him first before picking him up with one hand over his chest
and supporting his bottom with the other hand. Hold him close to your body. Your guinea pig
needs plenty of exercise; let him loose in a confined area at regular intervals daily.
Housing
C & C Caging is a popular caging system made from shelf storage cube panels and corrugated
plastic, and is usually lined with fleece bedding. It is spacious and comfortable for guinea pigs
and is economical, versatile and easy to clean and maintain. The cubes can be bought from Daiso
or Jin Yu Trading Pte Ltd and the corrugated plastic can be bought from Art Friend or
Dam Enterprise Pte Ltd.
Guinea pigs love to hide when they play, so be sure to place cardboard tubes and/or small PVC
pipes in the enclosure for this purpose. All guinea pigs need a ‘cave’ or ‘hideout’ for sleeping and
resting, so please provide a covered sleeping box, readily available at a pet accessory shop.
Food
Your guinea pig needs fresh food daily. Hay is extremely important for your guinea pig and you
should have some available in the cage all the time. A balanced diet also includes pellets and some
fresh greens on a daily basis. You can buy pellet food for guinea pigs from pet shops. If feeding
fresh vegetables (e.g. capsicum, romaine lettuce, parsley, etc) , it is very important to rinse and
soak them in water for at least 30 minutes as there could be traces of insecticide which could
harm your pet. If diarrhoea develops, reduce the amount of vegetables being fed. You may wish to
search the Internet for a list of vegetables that guinea pigs can eat.
Guinea pigs also require vitamin C, which can be provided by foods rich in vitamin C (e.g. oranges)
/ or by giving supplements.
Fresh water must be provided at all times in a bottle, which can be purchased from a pet shop.
10Health
As with every pet, guinea pigs need a medical check annually, so make sure you take yours to a
veterinarian at least once a year. If there are any symptoms such as a lack of appetite,
persistent diarrhoea or skin problems, do not delay in seeking
treatment. Guinea pigs are prone to back injuries, so you must
remember to handle them very gently and do not let them fall. They
are also prone to skin problems such as fungal infection and fur
mites. As their teeth need to be kept trimmed, you need to buy a
gnawing or calcium block. A guinea pig’s anatomy is different
from that of dogs and cats. When in doubt about your guinea
pig’s health, always consult a small animal-savvy veterinarian as
soon as you can.
PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR PET
NEEDS YOU TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND
COMMITTED.
A PET IS FOR LIFE.
Biodata of the Guinea Pig:
Reproduction Age : From 4 weeks old
Gestation Period : 59 to 72 days
Average Litter : 1 to 6 babies
Weaning : From 3 weeks old
Lifespan : 4 to 8 years
11y Petal Eared Guinea Pig - Ferrero by Candice
On October 13 2012 I
adopted a peruvian guinea pig,
known as Tin then, from SPCA.
You can say it was love at first
sight when I saw him. Among all
the other guinea pigs there, only
he managed to catch my eye as he was the only one that rose from his
resting position, bravely walked up to the side of the cage, and looked at
me. After I brought him home, we never looked back. He is now an active
part of my family. My life changed completely. Tin, now known as Ferrero,
adapted to his new home quicker than I imagined. Within days, he was
part of my family, wheeking and running about excitedly whenever a
member of my family comes home from work or when I come home from
school. I became more responsible ever since he entered my life, as now,
I would have to buy veggies high in vitamin C for him weekly, personally
cuting the veggies into smaller bite-size pieces, and taking time to groom
him daily so his long silky fur would not get matted. Having a guinea pig
is a lot of responsibility, especially because they require more time and
affection, but it worth it. Everyone in my family chips in to interact with
Ferrero daily as being the only guinea pig around, he is lonely at times.
Ferrero is simply a one of a kind guinea pig. With beautiful colours and
a cheerful personality, he is bound to bring smiles to anyone!
Thank you SPCA for taking care of him. I might never have found such
a wonderful companion if I never saw him.
12SPCA HAPPENINGS
Happily Ever After for One and All
Love comes in all shapes, sizes, genders, ages and colours. Here at the SPCA, we've got them all!
Dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs are all waiting for their forever
homes. We love a good match, especially when it comes to loving owner and loyal pet!
Our YouTube video series, “The One”, launched in August, captures this entirely. If you haven’t
seen the three short clips in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, head over to
www.youtube.com/user/singaporespca.
KEEP THE LOVE, END THE NEGLECT
World Animal Day 2012
Since 1931, the fourth of October has been a special day for animal lovers around the world
as a day of solidarity to celebrate the special bond and respect between man and all creatures.
Here in Singapore, the SPCA celebrated World Animal Day at the East Coast Park on the 30
September.
World Animal Day was an opportunity to build community awareness of the issues facing animal
welfare and cruelty, providing opportunities for education and generally celebrate all animals,
great and small.
Although it was a sunny and extremely hot day, we weren’t complaining at all. It was a fun day
with a steady stream of supporters milling into the tentage site located by the beach. A key
highlight at this year’s event was our 65th year of service and dedication to the animal welfare
cause! There was a cake-cutting ceremony where one of our dogs, Viking was our Guest of
Honour and our animal guests were each given a piece of cake. It was such a sight to watch
them devour the little sweet cup cakes with much enthusiasm.
SPCA’s roving Information Officers were also present to answer any pet-care questions.
Children had colouring sessions, tattoo art and magic shows to entertain them. Our furry pals
had grooming sessions, doggy biscuits to munch onand took part in paw print art.
13On a more serious note, the SPCA took the opportunity to spread the message of - "Keep the
Love, End the Neglect". The message was clear. Love will prevail; neglect must end, right now!
We wanted to drive home the message that neglect is indeed abuse. The themed photo exhibition
aimed to drive home the message and give pictorial evidences and examples of the vast number
of ways a pet owner can end up neglecting his or her pet, sometimes unknowingly.
Animal welfare groups and agencies like ACRES, Action For Singapore Dogs, Cat Welfare Socety,
House Rabbit Society of Singapore, Animal Lovers' League, Noah’s Arlk Cares, Agri-Food &
Veterinary Authority and Singapore Kennel Club had been invited to set up booths and gave
enlightening talks on stage on responsible pet ownership, dog obedience and learning to live
harmoniously with the community animals and pets around us.
A big thank you and hugs to all the groups and individuals for contributing to
making World Animal Day a success.
The Great Montfort Sale
A jumble sale to raise funds for the SPCA was held in Montfort Junior School on 4 October,
the eve of Children’s Day and coincidentally World Animal Day. The school has been lending its
support to SPCA since 2002 by organising a Jumble Sale every alternate year. Donations in
the form of soft toys, board games, story books and bags came pouring in from the
ever-generous parents , pupils and staff of the school. A carnival-like atmosphere welcomed the
pupils on the day of the big sale. Parent volunteers were in full force manning the various stalls.
We are incredibly proud that these students have lived up to their school motto, Age Quod Agis
(Do well in whatever you do), by raising a whopping $3264 for SPCA, the highest amount raised
so far. Well done young men !
14ANIMAL CRUELTY
Investigations into alleged reports of cruelty are often fraught with difficulty - owners do not
always respond favourably to SPCA’s feedback or suggestions. Nevertheless, we are grateful to
those individuals who bring to our attention the plight of countless animals that may be suffering.
As SPCA has no enforcement powers, our role is to offer assistance and advice to owners
who need to improve conditions for their pets. If you witness an act of cruelty,
please contact us at inspector@spca.org.sg. If the animal requires immediate attention,
please call 6287 5355 [ext. 9].
Bald Parrot
The plight of a featherless parrot was brought to our attention in
June. It was one of many birds being kept by a flat owner. The bald
bird had rotten fruit in its cage with insects crawling over it. As the
owners did not respond to the note our Inspectors left behind, the case
was referred to AVA for further action. The owner has since taken
the bird to a veterinarian for treatment and AVA will be following up
on the bird’s condition.
Terrapin in Death Fall
SPCA received a report in June of a terrapin allegedly
being thrown from a block of flats at Jurong East. There
were no witnesses to verify this, however. Although we
visited all the relevant units covering all 25 floors in the
block, we could not locate the owners. Our appeal for
information notice was put up by the town council, but we
did not receive any response. From the layout of the unit’s
balcony, it was possible that the animal may have crawled
through the grills.
Rabbits Kept in Poor Conditions
In June, we were alerted to a case involving 11
rabbits being kept under poor conditions in an old
folks’ home. When we investigated, the rabbits were
housed in two cages no more than 1 metre x 1 metre.
The bases of the cages were grilled and dirty. Only
vegetables were provided. It was revealed that most of
the rabbits had been given to the home. We advised
the management extensively on rabbit care. On a
follow up visit there has been much improvement.
The rabbits have since been given two pens with much more space, and water and commercial
food is now available. The rabbits will also be sterilised.
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