Some animal welfare organisations in Singapore say they are experiencing a dip in donations, both financial and in-kind, as Singaporeans start conserving their funds for overseas travel. Image Credit Japan Post
The beneficiaries of Singapore‘s largest pet food drive organised by the Pet Lovers Foundation (PLF), namely the Animal Lovers League (ALL), Cat Welfare Society (CWS) and Mercylight Animal Rescue and Sanctuary Limited (Mercylight) are urging Singaporeans to stay the course for the long haul when it comes to supporting animal welfare.
This is the 14th Annual Pet Food Drive organised by PLF together with Pet Lovers Centre (PLC) in support of the various animal welfare groups in Singapore.
“PLF and PLC aim to benefit as many organisations as possible through the annual pet food drives,” says Crispian Leong, Head of Marketing at PLC. “Last year, we exceeded the target of 33,000 kg, bringing in 39,908 kg. This year, we hope the spirit of giving during the Christmas period will again see us exceed our target to benefit even more caregivers,” he adds.
CWS is one of the Pet Food Drive’s beneficiaries which has observed a downward trend in food donations. “As COVID-19 continues to impact many caregivers, we have seen an increase in the number of caregivers reaching out for assistance on food donations,” says Thenuga Vijakumar, President of CWS. “Last year, we were able to distribute the donated foods to 220 responsible caregivers. This year, we have over 300 responsible caregivers seeking assistance and hope the public will donate generously to help them.”
ALL has also experienced the same plight, seeing a dip in donations of food to support over 500 animals under its care. “During COVID-19 we had been receiving an average of 10 to 15 bags of dog feed weekly or fortnightly. Lately, with the economy opening up, we have been receiving only 5 to 6 bags,” says Mohan Div Sreedharan, founder of ALL.
For Mercylight, they hope to raise some pet food for their Trap and Neuter programme through which they rehome dogs. “We believe this pet food drive will go a long way in providing among other things donated food to the independent feeders who have been feeding out of their own pockets during these uncertain times,” says Alyssa Lim, Mercylight Director.
The pet food drive launched on 26 November 2021 and lasts until 12 December 2021.
