Singapore (CU)_ Singapore has opened the country’s first ever animal rehabilitation center with the focus of assisting stray animals to adjust to human households. According to reports, the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation, which was opened by the National Parks Board’s (NParks) Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), is the nation’s first specialized center for animal behavior rehabilitation.
The center covers an area of around 1,522 square meters, features a visitor’s lounge with a completely furnished living room and dining room meant to mimic a house atmosphere, and assist stray animals to get practiced to pet life. In a safe atmosphere, dogs will also be trained to get used to ordinary household things such as furniture and electronic appliances like a vacuum cleaner and a television.
Additionally, dogs will be taught acceptable household behavior, such as how to remain calm when people come at the door and how to behave near the dinner table. This environment will help stray dogs in becoming accustomed to the appearance, smell, and sound of a regular household, thereby reducing their fear and anxiety when adopted.
Additionally, there are many exercise rooms for teaching basic obedience skills, two dog runs, and compartmentalized kennels with blinds. The kennels are purposely built to provide canines option and control over their living atmosphere. They are constructed of sound-absorbing materials, have privacy shutters, and do not face each other. All of this is done to ensure the pets’ privacy and security.
The Center for Animal Rehabilitation contributes to the ongoing national Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) initiative and promotes the success of Project Rehab, which is a pilot canine rehabilitation program. As part of the TNRM program, AVS aims to rescue and resettle a number of captured and sterilized stray dogs. Since the launch of Project Rehab in November 2019, more than 70 stray dogs have been successfully rehabilitated. Despite the fact that many stray dogs are scared of people, apprehensive, or exhibit violent behavior, following rehabilitation, the dogs are quite soft to humans and learn to live securely in a household environment.
