Purr-fect day at Responsible Pet Ownership event

East Coast Parkway was awash with the furry kind yesterday.

Over 2,000 people turned up at the Responsible Pet Ownership roadshow held at Big Splash, many with their pets in tow.

Cats perched on shoulders, felines walking on leashes, dogs running around - it was all part of the fun.

Organised by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore, together with 10 animal welfare groups, pet owners and their furry companions got to enjoy a range of activities, such as booths that sold all kinds of pet treats and apparel.

One of the highlights was a Cat Walk. Literally. The event saw some 16 cats and their 14 owners strutting around - though the cheers from the crowd had to be muted so as not to scare the model cats.

One participant, Mr Nicky Bay, 36, a freelance photography instructor, received appreciative squeals when he appeared with his cat, Cola, perched affectionately on his shoulder.

Cola had his own fan to keep him cool. The 1½-year-old male cat was calm even though he and his owner were swamped with photo requests, Mr Bay said proudly.

Mr Bay's wife, Adeline Tan, 31, a business manager, participated in the Cat Walk with Cola's older brother, Duatau, 3. "Everybody wanted to pet Duatau!" said Mr Bay with a laugh. The cat's name means "big head" in dialect.

There were also adoption drives organised by several organisations, including the Cat Welfare Society and Voices for Animals.

"Adopt, don't buy," was the message from Ms Joanne Ng, 41, chief executive of the Cat Welfare Society.

There were close to 100 cats and dogs at the event.

Mr Derrick Tan, 34, founder of Voices for Animals, said the dogs had been saved from puppy mills. "Response was very positive," he added.

The two organisations said they would be screening prospective adopters before releasing the animals for adoption.

Ms Brenda Adams, 23, who works in public relations, took her adopted cat, one-year-old Ebi, out for the very first time on a leash.

She said: "I think this is great and more events like this, where needy animals can be adopted, should be organised."