LOVING HOMES FOR VETERAN PAWS

Diesel, a former Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) sniffer dog, began life afresh with his new family in March this year. Things are definitely different now that he has retired - instead of Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) looking after him, he now has the Karunas, whose lives revolve around his.

Homemaker Janet Anirudhan, 52, takes the eight-year-old Labrador out for a morning walk every day at 7.30am without fail. In the evening, her husband Karuna Ramanathan, 51, goes for a 45-minute jog with the dog. And their daughter Marrissa, 23, would forgo outings with friends just to accompany the dog at home. In return, Diesel has brought much joy to the family.

Family for life

About 10 to 15 SAF military working dogs retire each year because of old age or health issues. The Military Working Dog Unit (MWDU) runs an adoption programme all year round to find new homes for them.

"We believe it would be better if these dogs could stay with a family for the rest of their lives," said Corporal (CPL) Thia Su Han, 20, a vet assistant who runs the dog adoption programme.

Master Sergeant (MSG) Liang Renhao, 29, Head of Veterinary and Administrative Section in MWDU, added: "The dogs need to go out, and in a home environment, they can roam freely."

Said Mr Karuna: "We are fortunate that we have this rare opportunity to provide a home for Diesel... Diesel has given his time serving the country and he deserves a good retirement package."

Life-changing

Not only has Diesel brought much joy to their lives, he has also made a "big change" to the Karuna family's lifestyle. Mr Karuna used to have dinner appointments three to four times a week, but nowadays he would be home by 7.30pm to jog with Diesel.

"It's amazing and good for leading a healthy lifestyle," said Mr Karuna, a Senior Principal Organisational Development Consultant in Public Service Division, Prime Minister's Office.

Added Madam Janet: "I used to sleep in, but now I wake up early to walk with Diesel. A little bit of adjustment and change (was needed), but it's really good 'forced exercise'! Otherwise, I would be sleeping in instead of exercising."

Their son 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Kieran Karuna, a 20-year-old NSF, looks forward to seeing Diesel after booking out. Said the recce commander in 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment: "Every Friday when I come home, he is the first 'person' I see when I open the gate. He's always wagging his tail. He's a bundle of joy. Whatever (bad things that) happened in the week, they just disappear when I see him."

Loving home

Another retired military working dog who found a new loving family was Diesel's "sniffer dog colleague" Bliksem. The nine-year-old Labrador has brought much joy to the Soh family since he entered their lives in June.

Ms Crystal Soh, 23, a fresh graduate, said: "Every time we come home, he'd come to the door and greet us, so he brings us a lot of joy. Everyone in my family - my parents, sister, two brothers, aunt, and our helper - loves him."

His daily routine includes walks in the morning and night. Apart from playing some fetch games in the day, Bliksem enjoys a comfortable life lazing around. His greatest indulgence is food - especially bread.

"He's quite pushy when he sees you with food," said Ms Soh. "But I always tell my family that we shouldn't feed him too much, lest he gets too fat. My mum would give him one treat, my sister would give one, everyone would give one and he ends up over-eating!"

Bliksem has become an integral part of the Soh family. When he had to be away for a day surgery, the family missed him dearly.

"What we love about Bliksem is that he is constantly looking for an opportunity to snuggle up to anyone he sees or to ask for belly rubs whenever he turns and lies on his back. Rather than thinking that we are merely providing for him, he makes us feel that we are wanted and loved," said Ms Soh.

​​About the adoption scheme

The retired military working dog adoption scheme is carried out all year round. Only sniffer dogs are available for adoption. They comprise gentle breeds such as the Springer Spaniel, Labrador, Golden Retriever and Pointer.

Interested adopters can call the MWDU hotline 6424-6623 to arrange for a visit to view and select a suitable dog. They will have to fill up a questionnaire. Subsequently, a house visit will also be conducted to ascertain their suitability.

"We are looking at how well potential adopters can interact with the dog, as well as their living environment," CPL Thia explained.

"Is there ample space for the dog to roam? Does the family have previous experience having a dog? How often will the dog need to be left alone?"

The close scrutiny is also necessary to avoid abuse. "The moment we sense that this guy is not sincere or has other agendas, we will say, 'Thank you for your time, your application is unsuccessful'," said MSG Liang. "The purpose of the scheme is very clear: We want to help our dogs find a better environment for retirement to enjoy the rest of their lives."

If the application is successful, there will be a four-week waiting period to process the necessary paperwork.

After the adoption, the MWDU continues to keep in close contact to check on the dog's well-being. A vet assistant and a technician will conduct a follow-up visit at the adopter's home after two to four weeks. Subsequent visits may also be conducted.

Dogs that have not been adopted continue to be cared for in the MWDU. They are each assigned a handler, and go for their daily exercises and regular grooming. Full medical care is provided. "They have worked for us for so long, it's only right that we care for them," said MSG Liang.

​​​​​A chat with the families

What are the benefits and challenges of adopting retired military working dogs from the SAF? We speak to the Karuna and Soh families to find out.

PNR: Did your dog give you any problems, especially when he was transitioning into a "civilian"?

Janet: Diesel is toilet-trained and listens to commands well. He is so well-behaved and amazing. He just wants to be walked, to be loved.

If you are feeling upset, he knows it. And in order not to upset you further, he would behave himself. He is such a good boy.

Marrissa: At first, we were afraid that Diesel might not get along with our other dog, a Shih Tzu. We kept them apart, fearing that they might fight.

But when we let her go closer to Diesel, all he did was to sniff at her a little bit. We often see them sitting next to each other on the floor. It was very surprising!

Crystal: Nothing major. Bliksem didn't even mark his territory anywhere in the house. The only thing that happened was that he kept humping!

He is extremely friendly with people. Whenever we go out, if someone wants to touch him, he would just jump on or even walk away with the person!

PNR: Would you encourage others to adopt a retired military working dog?

Marrissa: I was initially reluctant to adopt Diesel because of his old age. I was wary of becoming overly attached. If you get a dog when he is eight, you'll keep thinking that you just have eight more years with the dog.

But I think it's very worth it after everything that Diesel has brought into our lives. People should open their hearts and minds if they have the opportunity to open up their homes to these dogs.

Crystal: Most of the dogs in the shelters are trained. We thought that the SAF dogs are equally well-trained, if not better.

But for people who want to adopt a dog, whether from the SAF or any other shelters, it's not just about bringing a new dog into your home... You must really love the dog, invest your time and create a routine to care for him.