SINGAPORE \u2013 After two sleepless nights, Mr Matthew Teh was finally able to rest easy on Dec 9 after learning that his missing pet dog, Kiko, had been found. <\/p>\n
The undergraduate was in Vietnam with his family when they were alerted at about 8pm on Dec 7 by dog daycare Woofworks that their chow chow had gone missing. <\/p>\n
The dog was seen in an online video wandering on the CTE.<\/p>\n
When contacted, Mr Teh, 24, said that he had not been able to sleep and was extremely stressed and worried.<\/p>\n
Although the family was supposed to return only on Dec 11, they flew back to Singapore on Dec 8 to begin searching for the dog. <\/p>\n
His family, who have had Kiko for five years since the dog was a three-month-old puppy, had offered a $5,000 reward for Kiko\u2019s safe return.<\/p>\n
After two gruelling days, a Telegram group set up to coordinate search efforts blew up with the news at about 3pm on Dec 9 that Kiko had been found.<\/p>\n
A member of the group sent a video showing Kiko walking inside a drain near 8 Mar Thoma Road.<\/p>\n
In another photo update at about 3.20pm, the dog is seen out of the drain and standing next to his rescuer. The owners were also said to be rushing to the scene, with durian and water in tow.<\/p>\n The man who found Kiko, who was seen inside a drain near 8 Mar Thoma Road.<\/p>\n PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM KIKO IS FOUND\/TELEGRAM<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Mr Teh, in a message to the group, thanked everyone for helping in the \u201ctireless and determined search for Kiko\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are bringing him now to a vet just in case to check for any abnormalities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mr Teh said his family had left Kiko with Woofworks on Dec 5 at about 10am. Kiko was a regular at the daycare, attending twice a week for two years.<\/p>\n But Mr Teh added that he has now lost trust in Woofworks, which is located in Kim Keat Avenue.<\/p>\n Mr Matthew Teh\u2019s family had offered a $5,000 reward for Kiko\u2019s safe return.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF MATTHEW TEH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Woofworks declined to be interviewed when contacted, saying it was prioritising search efforts.<\/p>\n In a Facebook post on Dec 9, it said that Kiko had been attending a party for another pet under its care \u201cwhen an exit wasn\u2019t secured properly by a visiting guest, and Kiko slipped out\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cOur team chased after him immediately, but he was too quick, and we lost sight of him,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n The daycare added that it has been \u201csearching non-stop\u201d, including putting up posters and alerting the community and the authorities.<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand how distressing this is for his family, and we are deeply sorry this happened under our care.\u201d<\/p>\n It said it is also reviewing and strengthening its safety measures, such as using smart tag locators, adding barriers and having stricter visitor protocols to ensure the dogs under its care are safe.<\/p>\n Kiko was also spotted on the CTE near 6 Mar Thoma Road at 6.46pm on Dec 7, based on footage from a car\u2019s rear camera. <\/p>\n In the video posted on the SGRV Facebook page, a dog can be seen walking on the CTE, with the caption saying the video was taken at 4.37pm. Cars are seen stopping as the dog cuts across the lanes to the other side of the expressway. <\/p>\n The Telegram group coordinating Kiko\u2019s search, set up on Dec 7 by a stranger, had at least 800 members.<\/p>\n Search efforts were concentrated around 6 Mar Thoma Road, near the now-closed St Wilfred Sport Centre off Serangoon Road. <\/p>\n Search efforts were concentrated around 6 Mar Thoma Road, with the red line in the image marking Kiko\u2019s last confirmed location.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF MATTHEW TEH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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