Adopting a Dog in Singapore - Part II

Welcoming a dog into your family is always a wonderful and heartwarming experience. If you are considering getting a new furry addition, why not adopt one from our local shelters? Read on to find out where you can adopt in Singapore, and the general adoption process!

And if this is your first time having a pet, do check out Part 1 of our post on adopting a dog – where we share some important considerations to take into account before adopting a furry pal into your family.

There are many Animal Welfare Organizations (AWGs) in Singapore that you can adopt your furry companion from. Here are some of the AWGs you can reach out to when you’re ready to adopt a new dog home!

Causes for Animals Singapore (CAS)
81 Seletar West Farmway 5, Singapore 798061
https://www.causesforanimals.com/

CAS aims to establish a repeatable and sustainable mode for rescuing stray animals, and promote responsible ownership of animals. The shelter also organizes an annual flag day event – CAS Animals’ Day Out; this year’s event is coming up shortly on 8 September and they’re still looking for volunteers!

Save Our Street Dogs Singapore (SOSD)
59 Sungei Tengah Road, Block T #01-42, Singapore 699014
https://sosd.org.sg/

SOSD organizes a Shelter Tour on the second and last Sunday every month at 12 noon sharp – so you can find out more about the shelter and meet their dogs up for adoption!

Animal Lovers League (ALL)
59 Sungei Tengah Road, Block Q #01-29, Singapore 699014
https://www.animalloversleague.com/ 

ALL is a no-kill shelter that is home to over 500 dogs and cats, and they aim to provide a home for their shelter animals while they await their forever home. 

Mdm Wong’s Shelter and Friends
59 Sungei Tengah Road, Block U #01-48 Singapore 699014
https://www.facebook.com/Mdmwongsshelterandfriends/

Mdm Wong personally goes down to the shelter every day to cook and prepare food for all the dogs and cats living under her care. If you are keen to meet the dogs living in her shelter, pop over to the Facebook page and drop them a DM to arrange something with the friendly volunteers that help manage the socials!

Voices for Animals (VFA)
59 Sungei Tengah Road, Block S #02-37 Singapore 699014
https://www.facebook.com/VFASIN/

Most of VFA’s dogs are ex-breeding dogs rescued from breeders and puppy mills, and tend to be 5 years old and above. The organization has adoption drives every month (details can be found on their Facebook page), and they do not accept walk-ins.

Singapore Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
50 Sungei Tengah Road, Singapore 699012
http://www.spca.org.sg/

Many of SPCA’s dogs were abandoned or given up by their previous owners to the organization, which takes them in with the aim of helping them find new homes. 

Uncle Khoe’s Shelter (UK9)
59 Sungei Tengah Road, Block B #01-03/04 Singapore 699014
https://unclekhoek9.sg/

UK9 was founded in 2012 by Uncle Khoe and a group of like-minded volunteers, with the hope of helping as many stray dogs as possible, one at a time, until there were none. Today, the shelter is home to 10 senior dogs who are still waiting for their forever home! Drop them a message on their Instagram if you are keen to meet them!

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With so many shelters, we’re sure you’ll be able to find your new pet addition to your family! In Singapore, not only are there many options of AWGs for you to take your pick from, the adoption process is also really simple! We’ve previously volunteered at a couple of AWGs to help out at their adoption drives and one of the most common concerns was whether or not adopting a dog is a difficult process.

Not to worry, we’ve put together a simple 3-step adoption process! (Do note that the adoption process varies across AWGs – some are stricter than others; you’ll need to check out each shelter’s website to find out the exact process!)

Step 1: Pre-Adoption Assessment

After contacting the shelter/heading down for the adoption drive to meet your potential new pet dog, the AWG will subject you to a simple pre-adoption assessment. This includes finding out about your family, house that your new dog will be living in, and whether or not you have/had a pet previously. This allows the shelter volunteers to understand potential adopters better, and helps them to gauge the suitability of your new dog in your household.

Step 2: Home Stay

Once you’ve passed the pre-adoption assessment, the next step is a home stay! This is typically accompanied with a home visit by the shelter’s volunteer to take a look at the new environment your new dog will be in. Home stays can be between 2 to 4 weeks, and is a good time for both you and your furry pal to determine if you are suitable for each other, and if your potential new dog can adjust to your home environment.

Step 3: Adopt a Dog!

Once you’ve finished the home stay, if your chosen furry is okay with you – you can proceed with the adoption papers! This includes licensing the dog under your name and home address, and may come with a small adoption fee depending on the AWG! (E.g. SPCA has adoption fees of $150 to $250 depending on the breed and age; while ALL does not charge any adoption fees at all.) For AWGs that charge an adoption fee, this typically covers the cost of vaccinations, microchip, and general care for the pet during their time in the shelter! (On a final note, some shelters have follow-up visits after your successful adoption, as they want to be assured that the dog is in good hands!)

We know that this 3-step adoption process might seem more complicated, as compared to walking into a pet store and purchasing a new pup on the spot – but shelter dogs tend to have certain backgrounds such as a past history of abuse or forced breeding, making them less trusting. As a result, AWGs tend to have some sort of screening process prior to adoption. Simultaneously, this also helps both you and your new pet dog establish a better beginning of a long and exciting journey together!

Leave a comment below to share your successful adoption stories, we'd love to read them!