Residents of HDB flats need to be a bit more conscientious in pet care, compared to those who live in private properties, in order to minimize complaints. For the dog's well-being, owners have to make sure that their dogs get enough exercise outside the house. Depending on the breed, this could entail several long walks a day. We know that not everyone has enough spare time to keep going on walks, and that's probably one of the many reasons why the HDB has certain regulations regarding permitted dog breeds.
Until recent years, the list of dog breeds permitted in HDB homes included only small-sized purebred dogs. Unfortunately, most of HOPE's rescues are local crossbreeds, Singapore Specials - crossbreeds that are usually medium-sized. So we were absolutely thrilled when the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) started Project ADORE.
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| Mary is HDB approved under Project ADORE and still waiting for her forever home |
Project ADORE (ADOption and REhoming) gives local crossbreed dogs the opportunity to be adopted into families living in HDB apartments, even if they do not belong to a breed from HDB's pre-approved list.
To qualify for HDB adoption under Project ADORE, a dog has to:
- Be a local crossbreed/“Singapore Special”/mongrel
- Be at least 6 months old
- Be sterilized, vaccinated, and microchipped
- Be medium-sized at most, with a maximum weight of 15kg and shoulder height not exceeding 50cm
- Undergo compulsory Basic Obedience Training by AVA-accredited trainers
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| A microchip is about the size of a rice grain, implanted in the back of the dog's neck |
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| Using a microchip scanner, you can scan the dog's microchip number |
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| This local crossbreed is 47cm in height, making her approved for HDB living |
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| This is how you take the height measurement, from the shoulder down |
The dog's potential owner will have to:
- Pay an adoption fee ($350) to HOPE. This covers a full medical checkup for heart worm, tick fever, kidney and liver functions, microchipping, vaccinations and sterilization.
- Sign an adoption agreement with one of the affiliated organisations: SPCA, Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD), Save our Street Dogs (SoSD). HOPE's partner organization for Project ADORE is SPCA. Adopters will be required to pay a $25 admin fee to SPCA.
- Apply for an AVA license to certify that their dog is sterilized ($15 per year)
- Sign the Code of Responsible Behavior (CORB)
- Sign up for a Basic Obedience course with one of the trainers on SPCA's accredited list ($250)
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| Most street / rescued dogs are ear-tipped or ear tattooed during their sterilization. This is to identify that they have been sterilized. (This dog's left ear has been tipped / clipped). |
The goal of these criteria is to keep dogs, owners, and neighbors happy, healthy, and safe. To date, hundreds of local crossbreeds have been adopted out to families living in HDB flats. We're glad that Project ADORE has given so many rescued dogs an opportunity at a happy life.
So, if you are one of the 80% of Singaporeans who live in an HDB flat, and are thinking of getting a dog to complete your family, why not consider adopting one of our local crossbreeds under the Project ADORE scheme? All the successful Project ADORE owners will happily attest to the fact that "rescue" is definitely the best breed, and you will not regret having a local dog in your HDB flat!
View our available dogs here.
