Pawsible Enrichment School / Provided
Pet lovers in Singapore are paying pandemic premiums of up to SG$12,800 ($9,000) for puppies.
Dog trainers say that bookings for puppy training classes have tripled during the pandemic.
Singaporeans are also booking swimming lessons, spa sessions and enrichment classes for their pups.
Kimberley Kan, 30, is a business manager in the wealth planning industry in Singapore. When she went to a pet shop in the middle of the pandemic, she was shocked by how fast dogs were being sold: People would just look at the dog and buy it. It was like buying a top on the spot at a shopping mall.
The pandemic has triggered a boom in pet ownership as people are spending more time at home and a spike in pet sale prices due to the restrictions.
On a positive note, animal shelters are also seeing a spike in interest to foster or adopt during this period.
Merchants bearing more costs to import pets
According to the Chinese daily
Lianhe Zaobao, low supply and high demand have led to prices of popular breeds.
A 25-year-old pet shop owner, only identified as Liu by
Zaobao, notes the spiked public interest in pet ownership but also highlighted the additional costs that merchants have to bear during this period.