A pet's life : the liminality of companion animals in post-war Singapore

• Main Author: Chee, Zong Ze
• Other Authors: Faizah Binte Zakaria
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Humanities::History::Asia::Singapore
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/152962
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The practice of owning pets and interacting with these animals is highly woven into our social and cultural fabric, yet there is so much more we have yet to discover and learn about it. Pet keeping is a phenomenon that has increased exponentially over the past few decades, one can find a pet shop near every residential estate, and owners come from every social class. However, a brief look into its history reveals many details and complications that have influenced its present state. The government and public have taken on roles as both the proponents and opponents of these creatures, labelling them as companions in one instance and vermin in another. Thus, pet animals occupy a liminal position as their meanings and existence continue to be shaped by forces of society and state. The study of animals falls comfortably within environmental histories, but their ever-developing connection with humans enables its entry into cultural histories. In tracing the developments of the pet-ecosystem in Singapore, this thesis seeks to investigate the interactions between human-pet relationship and nation building in Singapore.