Every Stray Deserves A Home
Causes for Animals (CAS) was formed in 2013 to support the needs of local animal welfare. Read on to discover what pushes Marcus Tan, the shelter manager of CAS, to work for the stray animals of Singapore.
Written By: Kaylyn Lim | Photos By: Kaylyn Lim
The Start Of Causes For Animals
Formed in 2013 by five experienced volunteers, Causes for Animals (CAS) was created to bring other organisations together to push for the adoption of strays.
Marcus Tan, 34, a full-time vet technician and a certified dog trainer, manages the onsite operations of their adoption centre.
They were worried about funding when they started. "We can spend up to $40,000 a month on medical supplies, while other costs don’t go more than $8,000," he said.
"However, we managed to push for a lot of publicity," he said with a smile. "The (current) amount of donations now covers almost all our costs."
The Journey From Then On
In 2019 alone, CAS has managed to rescue 160 strays and rehome 120. They have attended to 140 medical aid cases and vaccinated 2,108 dogs and stray animals.
Additionally, under a government-supported Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programme, they have sterilised 264 dogs.
"Some dogs come in very worried; they hide in a corner and struggle when they have a leash on their neck," said Marcus. "Hence, it's very fulfilling when animals come out of their shell.”
After treating the strays and getting them used to being on a leash, CAS can then re-home the animals. Currently, CAS's rescue and adoption programme has a success rate of 98 percent in their adoptions.
"Getting them out of that fear stage is generally the most memorable feeling for me," said Marcus.
The Future Of Strays In Singapore
CAS hopes to achieve a stray-free Singapore, along with many other resolutions that contribute towards their main goal.
"Stray-free Singapore means shelters will be closed down, which is not a bad thing. It means there are no more animals to take in," Marcus explained.
Another challenge for them would be changing the mindset of the public towards street animals. "A lot of people don't know that if you leave stray animals alone and move away from their territory, they'd leave you alone,” he shared.
He added that if the public sees a stray animal in need, they can bring them to the vet themselves. CAS would be able to help them to raise funds or assist in the adoption process.
Lastly, Marcus also hopes that more Singaporeans will give rescue animals a chance for adoption, especially for older animals.
"Even if it's not from CAS, you can go to other welfare groups as well. As long as a stray gets a good home - a happy home - we're happy," he said, beaming.
