About 40 cat fosterers approved under new pilot scheme as rescuers weigh benefits, restrictions

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SINGAPORE: About 40 cat fosterers have been approved under a new pilot scheme that formally recognises them, out of around 90 applications received in its first two months.

About 30 were rejected or withdrawn as of Oct 9, group director of the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) Anna Wong told CNA.

These included applicants who did not meet the eligibility criteria or pass the assessment, as well as those who withdrew because they were no longer able to foster cats or were temporarily unable to commit, she added.

Another 20 applications are being reviewed.

The two-year pilot, which began on Aug 3, allows cat fosterers to keep up to six cats in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and 10 in private premises, including their own pet cats. The previous household limits were two cats in HDB flats and three in private premises.

While some cat fosterers welcomed the formal recognition and additional support, others raised concerns about restrictions that could limit their ability to help cats in need.

Accountant Lee Sok Khoong, whose application was approved, said that the free licences for cats under the pilot scheme help fosterers, particularly those who look after multiple cats. As part of the pilot, AVS is waiving licensing fees for cats fostered by approved applicants.  

“It formalises what I'm already doing and registration doesn't cost anything,” the 34-year-old said.

Ms Lee, who has been fostering cats for over a year, typically cares for one to two cats at a time and is expecting to foster one soon.

She is among those who hope for the fee waiver to continue beyond the pilot.

“Fosterers give their time and space voluntarily,” Ms Lee said. “Keeping the fee waived not only allows fosterers to dedicate more resources to supporting their fosters, but also shows that foster work is valued.”

Another successful applicant, Ms Fiona Hsu, 33, said that the scheme gives fostering a clear framework and sets positive standards for how cats in foster care should be looked after.

Some of the scheme's requirements include prior experience looking after cats, sufficient time and financial resources to care for them and ensuring that all cats in the household are sterilised and microchipped at the time of application.

“I see it as a meaningful investment in cat welfare, and a safeguard for cats who might otherwise be fostered in poor conditions,” said Ms Hsu, who works in human resources.

“Being recognised at a national level is also important to us,” Ms Hsu said, adding that it is “reassuring” for agencies and fosterers to work towards a shared national standard.

“It also gives adopters, cat owners and other welfare groups confidence that the cats in our care are being looked after to a high standard,” said Ms Hsu, who has been fostering cats for over a year and recently fostered a bonded mother-and-kitten pair.

While she is supportive of the framework, she hopes for AVS to consider flexibility on the household cat limit in the case of an emergency, such as taking in a rescued mother with a litter of kittens.

She also suggested incentives for those who adopt from approved fosterers, such as waiving the first licence fee, so that more foster cats find permanent homes and fosterers can make room for the next cat in need.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) welcomed the greater access to veterinary support under the scheme.

It said that the framework could help ensure that foster homes are adequately equipped to care for cats with more complex needs, such as those that are injured, abandoned or surrendered.

“While the eligibility criteria and terms may seem onerous at first glance, they are not meant to encumber but to empower fosterers for success right from the start,” said SPCA.

Independent cat rescuer Jenna, who has been fostering cats for six years and wanted to be known by only her first name, said that basic requirements such as home assessments and checks on fosterers’ ability to care for cats would help ensure appropriate standards of care.

However, she was concerned about the six-cat limit for HDB fosterers. While approved fosterers living in private premises can appeal to keep more than 10 cats on a case-by-case basis, those in HDB flats cannot do the same.

According to AVS, around two-thirds of applications come from HDB residents, with the rest from those living in private housing.

“I’m not suggesting that fosterers should be allowed to keep an unlimited number of cats. I just think there should be room for individual assessment,” said Ms Jenna, who lives in private housing and plans to apply for the scheme soon.

She suggested AVS consider factors such as home size and condition, standard of care provided and whether there were complaints when assessing appeals.

Ms Jenna, who has six pet cats and is currently fostering a pair of kittens, said foster homes are hard to find and independent rescuers rely heavily on them.

“Ultimately, foster homes are part of the safety net for cats that have nowhere else to go,” said Ms Jenna. “Sometimes, whether a foster space is available can directly determine whether a cat can be rescued at all.”

Similarly, Ms Lynnett Yip, who has been fostering cats for six years, disagrees with the household limits.

“I feel the scheme acts more like a band-aid than actually solving the problem itself,” said the 36-year-old cat sitter, who has not applied for the scheme as she is taking a break from fostering.

While she acknowledged that the scheme could prevent “unintentional hoarding” and abuse, Ms Yip felt that it does not address underlying issues, such as cat abandonment and overpopulation.

“For a lot of us in the community, it feels like it’s easier for people nowadays to just spend the money to buy a pet and it somehow feels like that makes it easier for them to abandon the pet when there’s a problem,” said Ms Yip.

She called for greater engagement with those on the ground to understand these challenges better.

Cat rescue group Luni said that it welcomed the scheme, though it has not seen a noticeable increase in fostering applications since it was announced.

“We see the support for microchipping and sterilisation as helpful for independent fosterers,” a spokesperson for the non-profit organisation said.

Luni added that these benefits may be less relevant to its own fosterers, as the group already covers their veterinary expenses through partner clinics that offer discounted rates for rescued cats.

SPCA also said that formal recognition alone would not fully address all the challenges faced by fosterers, including the time commitment, financial costs and risk of burnout.

It pointed out that neonatal animals may require feeding every two hours, while sick animals require close monitoring and potentially costly veterinary treatment.

“Since fosterers would have firsthand experience of any challenges and mitigating factors, we urge the government to involve them thoroughly when evaluating the pilot scheme,” said SPCA. 

“If the pilot scheme yields positive outcomes, it may be proof of concept to raise animal welfare standards across the board for all pet guardians, bringing the requirements into alignment with those asked of cat fosterers,” it added.

“This would improve pet welfare at the upstream level, minimising the chances that these pets will ever fall through the cracks and become candidates for fostering.”

However, Luni said the scheme is unlikely to significantly influence people's decisions to foster.

“Fostering is rewarding but demanding, and prospective fosterers weigh their time, finances and capacity when deciding whether to volunteer,” the Luni spokesperson said.

Applications for the pilot scheme are assessed by AVS, the Cat Welfare Society and HDB, if applicants are staying in HDB flats.

The agencies will review the scheme following the pilot to assess whether it meets the needs of fosterers and gather feedback from the wider community. 

“The findings will inform the longer-term approach to fosterer recognition, including the limits for cat fosterers,” said Dr Wong of AVS.