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With its upgraded clinic, SPCA moves one step closer towards its vision of providing affordable animal healthcare, and will continue to raise funds for its operations at the Tux for Tails ball this month. Organising committee members share what the health of community animals mean to them
A Singapore where all needy animals have access to healthcare—this is a vision of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), according to executive director Jaipal Singh Gill. And in a step towards realising it, Singapore’s oldest animal welfare charity has opened the doors of its upgraded clinic, which will provide comprehensive veterinary services to community animals here.
Gill explains, “Some animals may not have access to veterinary care due to costs. The SPCA clinic bridges this gap for needy animals. We will provide, at affordable and subsidised rates, much needed preventative care, standard diagnostics such as X-rays and blood tests, as well as medical and surgical treatment for injuries and diseases. There are thousands of community cats and street dogs in Singapore being cared for by dedicated caregivers. These animals need access to healthcare like any of our pets would, but the costs can be a strain on the caregivers. Our clinic has always served these animals but we have struggled to cope with the volume.”
To support the operations of the clinic, SPCA will continue its fundraising efforts with the Tux for Tails Fashion Ball on November 30, at The St Regis Singapore. Organising committee members, led by chairperson Gerti Iwatake, tell us about the animal healthcare concerns in Singapore, and why those looking for a pet should open their hearts to give a home to homeless animals. (And the good news: all the animals featured in this story have been adopted.)
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Above Gerti Iwatake and Viking
Gerti Iwatake and Viking
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Love For Community Animals
“Community animals lead painful and lonely lives in large part due to human actions. We should do as much as we can to help them. Shelters and volunteer feeders already do a lot to improve the well-being of our community animals, and with the SPCA clinic, we are now able to help more animals survive illnesses, injuries and stay healthy. These animals will receive vaccinations, sterilisations and treatments as necessary, and have a much greater chance of adoption and finding a new home.”
—Gerti Iwatake, with Viking
Above Brandon Barker and Arizona
Brandon Barker and Arizona
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For Humanity's Sake
“The unconditional love that my pets have for me has opened up my heart in ways I never thought possible. Once you have experienced that love, it is very natural that you love them back. It’s magical. Providing for the well-being of animals is really a natural extension of our humanity.”
— Brandon Barker, with Arizona
Above Carla Barker and Missy
Carla Barker and Missy
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Affordable Animal Healthcare
“Good health is key to the welfare and quality of life of every animal. Veterinary services can be very costly in a private practice setting, making healthcare often inaccessible to animal welfare groups. With the upgraded facilities and equipment, we would be able to make quality healthcare more accessible for more animals, fulfilling our mission to support not only SPCA animals but all community animals.”
— Carla Barker, with Missy
Above Elena Iwatake and Wyoming
Elena Iwatake and Wyoming
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Home For The Homeless
“A pet brings incredible joy and love into a home, irrespective of where they have come from. But the added fulfilment of adoption should make anyone consider it as their first choice. Many of the animals in shelters are happy, healthy and well‑behaved. They are there due to the circumstances of their first families who may not have been ready for a pet, a “gift gone wrong”, or due to a separation or relocation. Giving these animals a second chance is extremely rewarding and you will literally see and feel the gratitude and love when you provide them with a new loving home.”
— Elena Iwatake, with Wyoming
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Above Andrea De Cruz and Marybeth
Andrea De Cruz and Marybeth
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Adopt, Don't Buy
“All three of our shih-tzus were adopted, and our youngest Cookie was adopted through Voices For Animals. At nine months old, she was the size of a three-month-old puppy, severely underweight and undernourished. We initially wanted to foster her to good health and then rehome her, but who’d have thought that within weeks we’d made up our minds to keep her for good. Dogs that have been adopted from shelters seem a lot more grateful, and the unconditional love and joy they give to us humans have no limits.”
—Andrea De Cruz, with Marybeth
Above Jesmine Hall with Berry and Mochi
Jesmine Hall with Berry and Mochi
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Animal Protector
“With animal welfare, it’s not just about promoting adoption and love for animals, we need to educate people that animals cannot just be cute all the time and shouldn’t be abandoned just because they are ill and medical costs are high. With Tux for Tails, the aim is to provide an avenue for pet owners to have quality medical care for their pets at an affordable rate, with the hopes that this will minimise abandonment. For animal shelters, having a lower cost option for their animal rescues allow them to allocate donations received to other need areas.”
— Jesmine Hall, with Berry and Mochi
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As Senior Editor of Tatler Singapore, Hashirin champions and refines the storytelling across platforms—curating and crafting compelling profiles, cover stories and features that spotlight visionaries shaping culture, business and impact. Driven by curiosity, she draws inspiration from the artists, changemakers and trailblazers she encounters through her work. Beyond the pages of Tatler, she is an avid supporter of local theatre and delights in seeking out art in every city she visits.
