Saviour was born without front legs and gets around with a mobility aid made by owner Michael Tan (right). They were at the SPCA's World Animal Day 2012 carnival.
I wanted to show your this article as we need to tend to our pet's needs as we may give them the wrong needs.
Nearly half the reports of alleged animal abuse here are due to pet owners being unaware of their pets' needs.
In such "unintentional" cases, pet owners do not know what constitutes neglect, said Ms Corinne Fong, executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
Ms Fong said: "If a dog needs medical attention but the owner doesn't take it to a vet, thinking it can become cured on its own, (that) is neglect."
She was speaking to my paper at the SPCA's World Animal Day 2012 carnival, held at the East Coast Park yesterday. The SPCA also celebrated its 65th anniversary at the event.
Other animal-welfare groups, such as the Cat Welfare Society, Super Cuddles Clubhouse and Action for Singapore Dogs, also joined in the celebrations.
Among the pet owners spotted there was 50-year-old Michael Tan, owner of a five-month-old mongrel which was born without its two front legs.
"Every living thing should be given a chance, he's no less than a regular dog," said Mr Tan, who works in sales.
He adopted the puppy, which he named Saviour, from the SPCA when it was about 10 days old.
In order to help Saviour get around, he handcrafted a mobility aid using plastic pipes and wheels.
Mr Tan said: "The frame has been enlarged five or six times, as Saviour outgrows it every two to three weeks."
From June last year till this July, the SPCA has helped 1,383 animals find a home through its adoption programme.
In the same period, it investigated 1,027 cases of alleged animal cruelty.
Ms Fong said that the majority of pet breeders here are "appalling".
She said: "In spite of broken hips and broken bones, some still continue to let animals breed.
"If you're thinking of buying a pet... ask the sales attendant where it is from, and ask to see the facilities. If the breeder is a good one, he or she will invite you to the facility."
Ms Veron Lau, president of the Cat Welfare Society, stressed the importance of cat sterilisation in order to prevent a "population explosion".
She said: "(Some cat owners) don't know what to do, so they let nature take its course. When there are too many cats in the house, they just take a box and put them outside."
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