Speech by MOS Desmond Lee at the Singapore Heart Foundation’s inaugural Woof-a-Thon

Apr 12, 2015

Good afternoon.

I am very glad to be here today at Singapore Heart Foundation’s (SHF) first ever Woof-a-thon 2015.

We can all lead a healthier lifestyle by building exercise into our everyday routines. We can do so by eating right, going for appropriate and regular health screenings and avoiding smoking and other habits that contribute to heart disease. Our heart is at the centre of our cardiovascular system, and therefore vitally important to our health. By taking good care of it, we are able to enjoy better quality of life.

I am also told by my colleagues and Professor Chua earlier that there are many published reports that draw associations and correlations between pet ownership, in particular dog ownership, on the one hand, and good health, including the possibility of decreased heart risk, on the other hand. These are often explained by the greater likelihood of dog owners engaging in more walking and physical activity when you take your dogs out for walks, or better, for runs, and by reduced stress levels when you interact and play with your companion animals. So, if these studies and statistics are anything to go by, all of us here this afternoon ought to be in fairly good stead!

Of course, while there are many benefits to pet ownership, all of us know, in fact everyone here ought to know, that it is a serious life-long commitment, and not everyone may be prepared to be a pet owner. At MND and the AVA, together with our Animal Welfare partners, we certainly want to emphasise the message of responsible pet ownership, and to discourage people buying or adopting animals as pets on a whim. We have also introduced limits on the sale of pets to people above the age of 16, and at point of sale, shops are required to go through a checklist to ensure those who buy a dog or a cat do so knowing that it is a responsibility as much as it is a joy. We also have enhanced laws that tackle animal cruelty. Taken together, these should lead to lower incidence of pet abandonment and animal cruelty, and reduce the number of animal-related disputes that we see in our neighbourhoods and in our communities.

I am happy to know that we have over 200 of you have come with your dogs for the 2km “Buddy Walk” today, which will take place in a short while. I hope that you will have fun, and do some exercise with your companion animals and bond with your pets and your families at the same time. With that, I thank you and let us all work together towards a hearty, healthier and happier Singapore!