BE CURIOUS! Use the Questionaire interview questions to guide you (adapt accordingly), and post the findings (do not paste image of worksheet) in detail in your respective columns to be ready for the session on 28th April.

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Pets offer companionship, emotional support, physical activity, and even social connection. But behind every happy pet-owner photo lies a deeper story. Caring for an animal is a long-term commitment that comes with responsibilities, sacrifices, and challenges.

Animal welfare also goes beyond pet ownership; abandonment, animal cruelty or strays are very real issues in Singapore too.

In your design thinking based VIA project, your goal is to go beyond the surface. What’s it really like to care for a pet every day? What worries or struggles do pet owners face? What keeps them going, and what kind of support might they wish they had?

📌 Main Questions for Pet Owners:

1️. What made you decide to get a pet, and how has your experience been different from what you expected?
🖊️ Notes:

I didnt decide to get a pet. One day, when my brother was coming home from the gym, he saw a cockatiel at one of the plants infront of my house. He then went to shower first and when he went back to go check on it, it just flew into my house. Since we owned pet budgies previously, we decided to take care of it until we found the owner. The cockatiel was very well-mannered and well-trained. He could sing songs like If youre happy and you know it, September, The Magic Flute, and a lot more songs! However, after one month of searching for the owner by social media, missing pet websites and asking most of our block, we couldn’t find the owner so we decided to keep him. I thought it would be pretty easy to take care of a cockatiel as I previously owned a budgie and it wasnt that hard, but I didn’t expect how much time they need for social interaction every day. Cockatiels get lonely and sad if they’re left alone too long.

2️.What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a pet owner?  Why is that a challenge?  How do you deal with it?

🖊️ Notes:

The biggest challenge is dealing with my cockatiel’s need for constant attention and his occasional loud chirping. It’s a challenge because when he feels ignored, he starts calling out loudly and won’t stop until he gets company.
I deal with it by taking him out of the cage whenever I’m free or playing songs he likes on youtube and spotify.

3️. Have you ever thought about giving up your pet? If yes, what made you feel that way? What stopped you?

🖊️ Notes:


I did feel overwhelmed once during exam season when I barely had time for myself, and my cockatiel became very clingy and noisy. But I reminded myself that he’s just looking for love and attention, and it wasn’t his fault. Also, seeing how happy he gets when I spend time with him made me realize I could never give him up.

4️. What kind of support or resources would make pet ownership easier for you? What advice would you give to someone thinking of getting a pet.

🖊️ Notes:

More online communities and local bird clubs would help a lot, so new owners can ask for advice and share tips. It can feel lonely when you’re the only one you know who has a bird!
My advice is that cockatiels are amazing, but they are not just "pretty cage birds”, they need daily time with you, mental stimulation, and lots of love. Be ready to commit to building a real friendship with your bird.

1. what are your daily activities

   • i ensure that my pet is eating and that it’s well fed, i take care of the wellbeing of the pets, ensure that their healthy.

2. any problems/difficulties that you’ve faced

   • not enough time to take care of the pets, due to school/exams etc

3. how do you overcome these problems

• ask parents to help, manage my time better, allocate at least 15minutes to play/take care of them each day

4. if you were the worker of an animal orphanage, what suggestions would u provide for the animals

• i wld ask them to treat the animal as their own and be compassionate towards the animals, this will allow the animals to adapt and be comfortable with their surroundings and people taking care of them.

What made you decide to get a pet?

One day, a bird flew into my house. The bird kept staying in there and didn’t fly out. My grandma decided to keep it. She went downstairs and bought a cage to store the bird in it. At first we didn’t want a pet because we think it will be very troublesome, but we saw her cute eyes and colourful feathers, so we decided to keep it. She was a rosy-faced lovebird, and although she didn’t know how to sing songs, talk, etc. she was very chirpy.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced as a pet owner?

We regularly have to stock up bird food, and refill her water. Sometimes it gets very messy and dirty, so we have to clean it up. We also have to regularly shower her, taking up a lot of time. Sometimes, she will also keep chirping when I want to concentrate on my homework.

How is your pet doing now?

She died unfortunately 1 year ago. She looked normal a day before she passed away, and did not show signs of tiredness or anything like that. However, the next day after I finished my tuition and returned back home, I realised that my bird wasn’t moving anymore, and realised that she had died. 😭😭💔💔🕊️🕊️🙏

Question 1: How do you juggle between work and play(e.g)

Answer: I typically pet them when I reach home and play with his toys with him and make him feel engaged. This is to ensure that my dog does not feel unengaged and started to feel bored and uncared for. The dog would start barking loudly if it is left without attention and care for it. After playing with my dog for a while, I go into my room and start on my work.

Question 2: How would you feel when the pet you gave away was found on the street.

Answer: I would feel very mad and sad when I see my pet on the street when my pet has been treated to such an extent. I have taken care of my pet with such love and care and to see him treated so badly would be heartbreaking for me and extremely crushing. Every pet owner would want the best for their dog and if they see that their dog ends up in such terrible living environments, it would make giving away pets to others a much harder thing to do.

Question 3: Does your pet control your life

Answer: No, as I feel that now I am more balanced with it. In the first few months I would give more attention to it, as the dog is in an unfamiliar environment which may cause it to be uncomfortable and seem hostile at first. However, with enough time and care for the dog, I will start to open up to you more as it becomes familiar to your scent and it would feel much more safe and comfortable in the new environment. After that owning a pet would be much easier.

Question 5: What is some advice you would give to new pet owners

Answers: ensure that you teach the dog properly and make sure it is disciplined. This is to make life much easier as a dog is like a child, and it does not know of discipline until it is taught to him. Teaching my dog discipline was not easy when I was a new pet owner as I had no knowledge on what to do. Looking back, I wished someone had taught me what to do. Another advice I would like to give to new pet owners is to learn their diet. This would allow them to learn what the dogs can and cannot eat. This is of utmost importance as some food might be dangerous to dogs and you might not know of it. I also wished that someone had taught me about this earlier as due to my lack of knowledge and experience, one of my previous dogs suffered from food poisoning. Overall, my advice to new pet owners is to consult in the experience of more experienced pet owners.

1. How’s it like owning a pet?
Owning a pet is a truly rewarding experience. It’s filled with unconditional love, companionship, and lots of joyful moments. But it’s also a lifelong commitment that needs time, effort, and compassion.

2. What responsibilities do you have regarding your pet?
We must ensure our pets have proper shelter, nutritious food, regular veterinary care, exercise, mental stimulation, and, most importantly, love. They depend entirely on us for their well-being.

3. Why do you decide to have a pet?
Many people adopt pets because they want a loving companion. For us at SPCA Singapore, it’s also about giving animals a second chance at life and showing them the kindness they deserve.

4. Any challenges faced? (3 challenges)

• Time commitment: Pets require daily attention and care, which can be tough with a busy schedule.

• Financial cost: Vet visits, food, grooming, and other expenses can add up.

• Training and behavior: Teaching pets good habits takes patience and consistency.

5. Any benefits?
Absolutely! Pets bring emotional support, reduce stress, encourage a more active lifestyle, and fill homes with love and laughter. They truly become family.

6. Special needs for your pet's health?
Some pets, especially rescues, may have special needs like specific diets, regular medication, or physiotherapy. Annual vet check-ups and vaccinations are also important to keep them healthy.

7. How do you train your pet?
We believe in positive reinforcement — rewarding good behavior with treats, praise, or play. It’s important to be patient, consistent, and kind when training a pet.

8. What advice would you give to new pet owners?
Be patient. Understand that every pet has its own personality and pace. Research about your pet’s needs before adopting. Most importantly, be ready to commit — pets are family for life.

9. How often do you spend time with your pet?
Daily! Interaction is essential for their emotional and physical well-being. Whether it’s playtime, walks, or just sitting together, it helps build a strong bond.

10. Adopt or Buy? - Why?
Adopt! There are so many animals waiting for a loving home. Adoption gives a second chance to animals who have been abandoned or mistreated, and it helps reduce the stray animal population.

11. How do you take care of your pet when you’re not present?
We ensure they are left in a safe, comfortable environment with enough food, water, and toys. If we’re away for a longer time, we arrange for a trusted pet sitter or boarding facility that provides good care and attention.

What made you decide to get a pet, and how has your experience been different from what you expected? Why do they prefer to buy a puppy than to adopt a dog?  Could you give me an example?

🖊️ Notes:

• Brother liked rabbits and they overheard someone not being able to take care of their pet anymore, decided to take in the rabbit

• Young and native back then, did not expect the workload that comes with taking care of a rabbit. 

  • Though that all she needed to do was to clean the waste, turns out she needed to maintain the cage, the fur of the rabbit and the environment the bunny was living in

    • Such as ensuring that there are no wires that the bunny can chew on

    • Having the correct foods given to the bunny

    • Taking care of the bunny when it was sick, giving it medicine, feeding it through a syringe 

•     Did not really care about it being an older rabbit, just wanted to give it a better life than what it was probably going through in its own household.

2️.What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a pet owner?  Why is that a challenge?  How do you deal with it?

🖊️ Notes:

• When the rabbit misbehaved, such as when it chewed through the charging cables, 

  • Had to put the wires in a thicker tube so that the rabbit can’t chew and bought other toys so that the rabbit had something else to wear down its teeth.

3️. Have you ever thought about giving up your pet? If yes, what made you feel that way? What stopped you?

🖊️ Notes:

• There was never a time she felt like this, even when the rabbit was troublesome, loved it too much to ever think about giving it up. 

•     Has a deep conception with the rabbit, thinks of it as a child that needs to be taken cared of 

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4️. What kind of support or resources would make pet ownership easier for you? What advice would you give to someone thinking of getting a pet.

🖊️ Notes:

• Having information on websites be consistent and correct

•    Lots of misunderstandings about how to take care of rabbits online, untrustworthy websites are everywhere and she is fearful of treating the rabbit incorrectly.

• “Make sure that you do lots of research before  getting a pet and make sure you can handle the lost of it.”