This month, more than any other, we celebrate our love for those dearest to us—our spouse, partner, friends and even our children. Taking no lesser part of our affections are our four-legged and winged friends who give us unconditional love, Valentine’s Day or not.

Call them our furry valentines, our feathered friends, our four-legged therapists or simply our best buddies, this group gets special attention this February as Melissa Gail Sing speaks to five animal-loving individuals about their relationship with their precious pets.

Tiara with Mark, their daughter, and their dogs Eva and Owen.



Tiara Shaw
Sales Director at Savills Residential, and owner of Belle, a 13-year-old Labrador, Eva, a six-year-old Shi Tzu and Maltese cross, and Owen a one-year-old Labradoodle

How did you meet your pet dogs?
I met Belle when I met husband Mark about eight years ago. She’s actually his dog but I love her just as much as the others. Eva the "mal-shi" was a birthday present from my husband six years ago. Owen is a labradoodle we brought in from Perth a year ago.

What do you love most about them?
They love you unconditionally, are extremely loving and they just make your world a happier place.

What’s the most challenging thing about being a pet owner?
To me, the hardest thing is to say goodbye, especially when your pet is very sick and suffering, and you have to make that decision to end their pain. Knowing when your pet has lost the will to live, or that their quality of life is so compromised that it would be better to end their suffering rather than force them to hang on just because you can’t let go. It’s always hard to say goodbye, or to even have a part in helping your pet end their suffering because they become part of your family and you love them so much.

The dogs keep guard as baby takes a nap.


Did you always love animals as a child?
Yes. My childhood household was always filled with different animals. I had a pet hamster, a rabbit, two dogs, fish… but not necessarily all of them at the same time. We had a German Shepherd called Whiskey who would follow me everywhere when I was in primary school. She would play hide and seek with me, I would walk her around the estate, and she was so affectionate. If I wasn’t in the kitchen by 6am for my school bus to pick me up, she’d come up to my room and check on me. And she’d be waiting for me at the gate of my house when the school bus dropped me home every afternoon at 1pm. Even when I was away during the school holidays, my nanny would tell me that she’d wait at the gate every afternoon at 1pm hoping to see me come home.

What lessons about life have your pets taught you?
Unconditional love, contentment, simple joys of life, loyalty.

What secret does your pet know about you that others do not?
Probably all my secrets! Whatever it is, you can confide in your pets and they never judge you and still love you just as much.



Vincent with May and Ryan.



Vincent Ong
Managing partner of Evia Real Estate and owner of parrots

How did you meet your pet birds?
My helper caught a wild lovebird 15 years ago. In attempting to pair the lovebird with a mate, my wife May and I went to a bird shop. There, May fell in love with all the other adorable parrots there including a baby African grey parrot. She continued to adopt other parrots and soon, we had a mini bird park at home.

What do you love most about them?
Parrots are like two-year-old children. Most of them have the intelligence of a two-year old human and nearly all of them can vocalise some words! These birds mimic human behaviour and to complete package, they throw the occasional tantrum associated with the "terrible twos". Once you understand them, they make great companions with their funny and adorable actions.

A younger Ryan flanked by the colourful birds.



What’s the most extreme thing you have done for your pet?
Before our son Ryan was born, our grey and umbrella cockatoo would sleep in the same bed and cuddle up with us. Our macaw with his long tail feathers would sleep in a baby cot. We had to place a blanket on him and provide him a pillow to rest his head on (no kidding!). The African grey would cuddle up to my neck to keep warm.

Do you have any “rituals” for your pet?
My parrots get their two hours of sunshine and are fed fruits in the morning, and in the late afternoon, they get nuts and kibbles. They get their shampoo every weekend culminating in a quick blow dry, trimmed feathers and manicure to blunt their claws.

What lessons about life have your pets taught you?
Unquestionable loyalty, total trust, unwavering love and lifelong responsibility as parrots can live for up to 70 years.

What’s the best advice you’d give someone looking to have a pet bird?
Start with a smaller parrot, preferably one which has just been weaned, and spend as much time with her as possible.

 


 

Chin with Oliviero, their daughter Ornella and their dogs Belle and Ciccio.



Chin Chelliah Bottinelli
Owner of Asiatique Collections and pet dogs Belle, a chocolate Labrador, and Ciccio, an English bulldog

How did you meet your pet dogs?
Belle, our chocolate Labrador, came with my husband Oliviero. Knowing how much I loved dogs, he invited me to have a play date with Belle! She is now 14 years old. Our second dog Ciccio was a gift for my husband’s 40th birthday in 2012. Oli has always loved English bulldogs because they are adorable and make great family dogs.

What do you love most about them?
The companionship, their loyalty and how they welcome you home each time you return.

Your pet needs you as much as you need it. It wants you as much as you want it. You can get your best pet by spending good time with them. There is a reason why they are called man's best friend!

What’s the most extreme thing you have done for your pet?
They put on their tie to meet guests that are visiting.

Do you have any “rituals” for your pet?
They have their daily walks, playtime, treats and they love their head massages.

Did you always love animals as a child?
I’ve always loved dogs. In fact, if I were an animal, I’d probably like to be a dog. I do so appreciate the characteristics of dogs: they are loyal, sincere, kind, affectionate, fun and naughty.

When Belle came into our lives, she was so sweet, loving and smart. She accompanied me to work almost every day until a customer locked me out of my boutique as she was petrified of dogs!

What lessons about life have your pets taught you?
What you give is what you get.

 


Angel enjoys a cuddle with Whiskey.



Angel Carew-Jones
Jewellery designer and owner of Two Pigs Jewellery, and owner of two miniature dachshunds, Spicer and Whiskey

How did you meet your dogs?
Pre-children eight years ago, when my husband Sam and I were living in New York, I wanted a little friend for company because I was not working. I walked past a pet shop in the village and saw a beautiful black and tan miniature dachshund. I grew up with a dachshund so I love them. This dog just looked at me and it was love. They say that pets choose their owners and not the other way around. It was certainly the case for me. I phoned Sam at work and said, "Guess what… I found my puppy!"

When we moved to Singapore, we bought another dachshund, a long-haired red female. Sam named her Whiskey, after his favourite tipple. Whiskey is also the only other girl in the Carew-Jones family.

Angel's other dog Spicer.

What’s the most extreme thing you have done for your pet?
I once bought a very expensive pink cashmere dog sweater for Spicer. New York is very cold during winter and he rocked it in pink.

What’s the most challenging thing about being a pet owner?
As any pet owner knows, owning a pet is very expensive. Mine need to go to the vet quite regularly as they are eczema sufferers.

They also need love and attention 24/7 and we all lead busy lives. So I always try to allocate some one-to-one time for each dog. I normally show them love in the evenings when my husband and I are watching TV together and our boys have been tucked in to bed. We give them Mummy and Daddy time. I am the only one allowed to give them treats.

Did you always love animals as a child?
I had two dogs growing up in Jakarta. One was a standard dachshund. He was so quirky. He loved to sleep on his back with his paws up in the air and snore. He was also terrified of thunder and lightning. Although he was not permitted to come into our house, he would sneak in and hide by my bedroom door. He was so cute.

What have you learnt from your pets?
My dogs have taught me not to take life too seriously. They always make me laugh. Spicer will do anything for food and Whiskey will do anything to get one up on Spicer as she is the lowest in pecking order of our pack. When I am feeling down, I just have to look at them to smile.

What secrets do they know about you that others do not?
I love the way both my dogs know when I am going out for a long walk even before I emerge from my bedroom. Spicer knows when I am sad as he jumps up on me and literally hugs me. He also knew when the boys were arriving. I was in hospital at the time and my mum was in our apartment. He was very restless that evening and kept whining.


 

Miranda with Pixie.



Miranda Walsh
Doctor at Fullerton Healthcare and owner of Pixie, a 10-year-old local black-and-white, and Bob, a two-year-old local tabby

How did you meet your cats?
Our cats found us. Pixie was a stray rescued by a friend's brother who was leaving Singapore and needed to re-home a few cats he had adopted. My husband and I had a dog Daisy at the time, and within a few months, the cat and dog were BFFs, even sleeping together on the cushion! Our second cat, Bob, was less than one day old when we found him alone behind our boundary wall, in the backyard. He was smaller than the size of my palm, and I thought he would perish. I took him to the vet immediately and was given instructions on how to feed, toilet train and warm him. Bob turned out to be the most gorgeous kitten. Now, he is a good-sized, healthy and rambunctious cat who has never known a day's hardship.

Both cats follow us around the house. Pixie is more needy in terms of wanting reassurance from us. Bob is a confident cat, and very loving. They behave just like children do. We give them love, food, shelter, entertainment and we even have conversations with them. They respond to their names, too.

What’s the most extreme thing you have done for your pet?
When we moved from Sydney to Singapore in 2006, I took my late dog, Daisy (who passed away in 2012) with us. That was a traumatic journey. I’d say it is the most extreme thing I have done with a pet, and for a pet, because it essentially was for her benefit.  I would have never left her behind. I call it “extreme” because I would loathe for her to have to repeat the experience.

What’s the most challenging thing about being a pet owner?
When facing an international move, the entire process is challenging. I also miss my pets terribly when I go away on holidays. And because cats and dogs have shorter lifespans than humans do, dealing with the death of a pet is hardest.

Do you have any “rituals” that you share?
Our cats sleep with us. Pixie sleeps on my husband’s side of the bed while Bob sleeps on my side, perhaps because I’m seen as his “mother figure”. I find it very comforting and endearing. Our cats like routine. They have fixed times for waking up, meowing for food, and sitting at the front door waiting for us to return.  Who needs a clock?

Pixie and Bob.


What have you learnt from your pets?
Commitment, patience and that material things like furniture and household goods are really not important. Bob scratches and destroys things around the house. I used to get mad, but if I had to choose between the sofa/mat/countless-other-items-that-Bob-destroys, and Bob's life, I’d choose Bob!

What secret does your pet know about you that others do not?
These cats jump up to high spots in my walk-in wardrobe and know just exactly how much barang (belongings) I have.

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