Licensing Your Dog ? Many People Have Their Dogs Microchipped But Do They Actually License Their Dog?

The story goes like this. You find a dog. It looks a little shaken but none the worse for wear. Despite finding it wandering around aimlessly on its own, it looks relatively well cared for so you hold on to the hope that it is only lost, not abandoned. You managed to cajole the pup to you and secure it. You take it to a vet to be scanned for a chip and hurray, you find that it has one. Happy that you can reunite the dog with its rightful owner, you key the microchip number into AVS' microchip number enquiry link, only to find that the chip has not been registered because the dog is not licensed. 

Image taken from Lost & Found Facebook

Now imagine that you are the owner of that lost dog. You have done everything right up to that point. You adopted a dog and microchipped it. Loved it with all your heart. Made sure it wanted for nothing. One day, you did not realise that the door was not closed properly and your dog took it as an invitation to go exploring. So used to being led and watched over by you, it did not realize that it had wandered off far enough that it did not know the way home. Some kind soul found the dog and took it to the vet to have it scanned for a chip. If you had licensed your dog with the AVS, a simple mouse click would close this story with a happy ending. If you had not, then you might never know how this story ends. 

Using a microchip scanner, scan the dog to check if he is microchipped. 

This seems to be a common story in Singapore. Flip through the classifieds and you will find many pets with microchips being posted in the lost and found section. Many pet owners think that just microchipping their pet is sufficient. However, there is little point if the microchip is not registered somewhere with the owner's contact details. The microchip registry can also store other important information, for example, whether your dog has a medical condition so whoever finds it can be made aware and care for it accordingly while they wait for you to come pick your dog up. In Singapore, the microchip is registered when the dog is licensed with AVS.

It used to be that licensing a dog was troublesome and not the cheapest thing to do. The license was only valid for a year, or a few years, and you had to renew it at the end of each period. In September 2020, to encourage more pet owners to sterilize and license their dogs, AVS introduced a one-time license for sterilized dogs. This means that, for a low one-time payment of $35, a sterilized dog can get a license that is valid throughout its life. No more having to worry about the license lapsing because you forgot to renew it! 

We are not saying that licensing a dog means that a lost dog will always be found and returned. We are in no way saying that you are free to let your dog wander about without a care as long as it is licensed. Besides, the rule on keeping a dog leashed and properly supervised in public spaces still applies. However, we all know that some dogs have the heart of Indiana Jones or Houdini and sometimes they manage to get away from us no matter how much we try to control them. Licensing a dog just makes it much easier to reunite a lost dog with its owner when found rather than never knowing the fate of your lost dog even if it has already been found. We just think that it is sensible and worthwhile to pay $35 once for peace of mind knowing that you have a better chance of reuniting with your dog should it ever get away, though we hope this never happens!

Licensing a dog also helps with traceability when there is an outbreak of disease, for example, rabies. Think of it as the TraceTogether of pets! Though it does not work quite the same way, it serves the same purpose in contact tracing in the event of a disease outbreak.

All in all, licensing a dog has many pros and no cons. And it is even so simple and affordable to apply for a license now. To find out more about licensing a dog in Singapore and what to do when you have lost or found a pet, visit AVS website at https://www.nparks.gov.sg/avs/pets/owning-a-pet/getting-a-pet/getting-a-pet.

Written by : Samantha Yap

Tribute to Matthieu

People often say that first love is the most unforgettable. If that is true, then Matthieu will live on in our memories forever. Our dear boy Matthieu died at home peacefully surrounded by family on 26 February 2021. He was 19.

As you may all know, Matthieu was HOPE's very first special needs dog. We were first alerted to Matthieu's plight in 2012, when Mr Aziz found him after a terrible accident on Jurong Island. The accident resulted in Matthieu's incontinence and his hind legs being paralysed. At that time, Matthieu was estimated to be around 10 years old but he displayed a tenacity for life typically seen in a much younger dog – he clung on to life and continued to thrive against all odds. It wasn't an easy journey – Matthieu had to undergo acupuncture, massage and hydrotherapy sessions before he could walk in a wheelchair. Through it all, he has maintained his sweet and charming nature, and is generous with his affection.  Because of Matthieu, we at HOPE have learned so much about what it takes to care for special needs dogs. He gave us the confidence to help other special needs dogs that came along – Sida, Harper and Donut.

Matthieu when he was first rescued 

Even as we celebrate Matthieu's life, we also want to express gratitude to the many people who gave him a second lease of life. Thank you, Flora, for taking Matthieu into your home and giving him a comfortable space to spend his golden years. It took us six years to find a forever home for Matthieu so we were overjoyed when Flora adopted him and showered him with so much love. Thank you for taking care of Matthieu all this time and being there with him in his last moments. 

MattMatt & his Mama, Flora 

Forever Love 

Thank you to Mr Aziz for finding Matthieu, for feeding him and keeping him alive, and for roping in your daughter to help. Thank you both for your kind hearts! .

Matthieu and Mr Aziz, in earlier days 

And to every supporter and volunteer who has helped Matthieu one way or another – thank YOU! We wouldn't have come this far without you.  

Goodbye is not the end 

Matthieu’s name means "Gift of God", which is extra meaningful considering how he has gifted us with so many precious memories and life lessons during his short time on earth. So thank you, Matthieu. We will miss you, our dearest Ah Pek.  

Written by: Vanessa Tai