Animal Corner At Farmart Centre

Farmart Centre is a farmers' market of sorts where one can buy fresh produces such as eggs, live seafood and vegetables. During my schooling days, I go there quite often and I even brought my classmates there a couple of times during the school holidays.

Although the farm is near to where I stay, its location at Sungei Tengah is rather inaccessible if you do not drive.

Thankfully, Farmart Centre provides daily shuttle bus service and I remember the fare used to cost 50 cents. When we alight from the shuttle bus, the driver would hand everyone some discount coupons which we could utilize at the shops.

Those were the days and in the twinkling of an eye, 19 years has passed since my last visit. As the second day of 2017 is a public holiday, I decided to make a trip there for old times sake.

From their Facebook page, I learned that from 2017 onward, the shuttle bus service will only be available during the weekends but the ride will be complimentary.

Urgent: Funds Appeal For 38 Rabbits After Caregiver Dies

If you have paid due attention to the news, you would have learned about the unfortunate case of Ms Pauline Chin - owner of a makeshift shelter at Farmart - who was found dead in her shop in an apparent asthma attack.

She has left behind hundreds of caged animals in her shelter including rabbits, guinea pigs, cats and dogs.

According to the other tenants at Farmart, the animals had been abandoned outside Ms Chin's shop thus she had no other alternative except to take in all of them.

Although the dogs have already been claimed back by their owners, the remaining 38 rabbits, 4 guinea pigs and 50 cats are still in dire need of help.

The moment news about the plight of the animals got out, local animal welfare groups began springing into action.

The rabbits and guinea pigs had been taken in by the HRSS (House Rabbit Society Singapore) while the cats are in good hands with the CWS (Cat Welfare Society).

Despite that, there is only so much the societies can do due to a lack of fundings and resources as the people running them are basically volunteers.