Singapore animal shelters full as pet adoption drives cancelled because of coronavirus

With fewer dogs and cats being adopted, most shelters are unable to take in more animals and have also seen a drop in donations

Other reasons for the fall in adoptions include paranoia that pets could carry Covid-19, fewer people going out, and financial concerns

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A dog waits for its owner at a public housing estate in Singapore. With fewer dogs and cats being adopted, shelters that are already full or close to being full are unable to take in new animals. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:30pm, 17 Mar 2020Updated: 12:34pm, 17 Mar 2020

Most pet shelters in Singapore say they are full and unable to take in more animals as adoptions by members of the public have dropped for various reasons related to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Adoption drives have mostly been cancelled to prevent large crowds from gathering, leading to fewer pets being adopted and a reduction in donations collected at these events, animal welfare groups said.

Other reasons for the drop in adoptions include paranoia that pets could carry the coronavirus, fewer people visiting the shelters to avoid crowded spaces and other people who are unwilling to commit to a pet for financial reasons amid fears of a looming recession, they said.

A pedestrian walking a dog passes a group of people work out in a field at the Marina Bay financial district in Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg

With fewer dogs and cats being adopted, shelters that are already full or close to being full are unable to take in new animals.

Ricky Yeo, president of Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) said two adoption drives in which ASD had been involved have been cancelled since the outbreak started. Other planned adoption drives have also been put on hold “indefinitely”.

“On average we will take about 40 dogs to each event and may get eight to 10 dogs adopted in a good month,” he said. ASD runs two shelters with 130 dogs in total.