Free health screening for over 100 pets whose owners are from low-income households

SINGAPORE – More than 100 furry friends were given free health screenings on Saturday in an initiative by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to support owners from low-income households.

Held in Marsiling, the event was the first in a series of 10 such screenings aimed at assisting owners who are on financial assistance or living in rental flats across Singapore.

A total of 77 cats, 25 dogs and other smaller pets including hamsters were treated on Saturday.

Carried out by SPCA’s team of veterinarians and nurses, the tasks included physical examinations, vaccinations and microchipping. Blood tests were provided for animals whose health required further evaluation.

Ms Aarthi Sankar, executive director of the SPCA, said the rising cost of veterinary care and the shortage of veterinarians may “deter pet owners with financial challenges” from seeking treatment.

“With early detection and treatment of health issues, pet owners will be able to avoid hefty veterinary bills in the future. We hope this will also help stamp out cases of pets being abandoned due to inability to afford medical attention,” she said. 

SPCA said these fully subsidised screenings will be held monthly, and that it aims to hold subsequent sessions in Boon Lay and Chai Chee.

“We have set aside $150,000 to run this initiative. We are using the money donated to us because we want to be able to help animals beyond those in our shelter,” Ms Sankar said.

She added that SPCA had plans to help 100 pets per session, but the first one drew registrations for 110 animals.

“We saw some pets come to us with dental issues, which occur when their teeth are not properly cleaned. There were also some animals which were quite senior and had skin conditions,” she noted.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad, who was at the event, said: “This initiative bolsters our efforts in caring for our community, especially those in need, as well as their furry companions for a better quality of life.”

Two animals treated on Saturday – Simba and Goku – are mixed-breed cats and two years old. Their owner, Ms Ilya Idina, 23, who lives in Marsiling, said: “I am appreciative of such an initiative in the Marsiling neighbourhood as it helps me to save on having to make a trip down to the vet, especially since visiting the vet is not cheap.”

She added that she forks out around $200 to $300 a month for her cats, and was relieved to find that Simba and Goku are both healthy after the screening.

In 2022, SPCA investigated 511 cases linked to animal welfare and cruelty issues, of which over 60 per cent were related to poor welfare conditions and neglect. That year, it recorded 96 cases of pet abandonment, and 38 dogs were surrendered to the shelter.

In the first three months of 2023, SPCA has already logged 81 cases of abandoned animals and 11 dogs being surrendered.