Couple spent S$60K to save their pet dog and had to sell off their HDB flat to pay their debts; Singaporeans express concern

SINGAPORE: On Sept 15 (Sunday), The Straits Times (ST) carried a story about a young couple who had paid around S$60,000 on veterinarian’s bills for their pet dog.

Unfortunately, their French bulldog, Wangcai, died when he was just four years old.

The couple had bought Wangcai from a backyard breeder for $4,800 in 2018 when he was just a puppy. It was their first time having a pet, and unfortunately, Wangcai had a number of health issues, some of which were quite serious.

During the four short years of his life, they spent thousands of dollars on vet visits, special food that would not make his skin condition worse, injections, MRIs, CT scans, and even surgery.

The couple eventually started a holistic pet food business due to their experiences with Wancai.

However, they also ended up selling their HDB flat to pay their credit card debt.

The ST piece is part of a series on breeding, ethics, medical treatments and costs in the pet sector industry in Singapore, and in it, attention was paid to the fact that warnings abound against buying pets from backyard breeders, some of whom sell animals illegally on social media and other sites or apps such as Facebook and Telegram.

The couple’s story with their beloved pet has gotten a lot of attention from commenters online, with many reacting to, commenting on, and even sharing the story of the couple’s journey.

Some commended the couple, whose love for Wancai can clearly be seen in the ST article. They were praised for going above and beyond in their care for their pet.

Others, however, said it would have been good for the couple to do some research before buying a French bulldog and that they should not have bought a pet from a backyard breeder.

“The reason why these dogs are cheaper is because these backyard breeders tend to practice inbreeding.

Similar to human beings, when breeders mate male and female dogs from the same family, their offspring tend to have genetic and skin problems,” wrote one commenter.

Another pointed out that backyard breeders “are not vetted for health and breed standards” and that French bulldogs are “extremely prone to health problems.”

He called for more restrictions or oversight for such breeders and better information for Singaporeans wanting to acquire a pet dog. /TISG

Read also: Pet dog receives wrong medication from hospital before euthanisation; owners appeal to review S’pore pet healthcare