Vivian Lai Is Mutt About Dogs

The actress-host has six dogs and volunteers at a rescue shelter with her two daughters

- Joanne Soh

Actress-host Vivian Lai is a big animal lover and has always wanted a pet dog – and a big one too, like a giant poodle.

While getting a dog in her native Taiwan was relatively easy and affordable, she could not have one due to parental objections.

It was not until she moved to Singapore over 26 years ago and was crowned the female champion in talent show Star Search in 1999 that she got her first pet.

“I used some of the prize money to get a female Shih Tzu, which I named Pipi,” the 48-year-old Singaporean tells The Straits Times.

Pipi was her companion for about 12 years until a traumatic experience put her off pets for almost five years.

Lai had returned home late after a Chinese New Year show rehearsal in 2012 and discovered Pipi lying motionlessly in a pool of blood.

“Her belly was split open and I thought someone had killed her,” Lai says, adding that it happened after her family had gone to bed.

She covered Pipi in a plastic bag as she was still bleeding and rushed her to the animal hospital. But Pipi could not be saved and the veterinarian was unable to determine the cause of death.

That episode scarred Lai and she became fearful of having any more pets.

However, in 2013, her friend asked her if she could adopt a four-year-old female bichon named Baby who was badly abused by her owner. “I was told the owner would take his anger out on Baby and constantly beat her,” Lai says.

Lai, who is married with two daughters aged 15 and 19, was initially apprehensive because of Pipi’s death. It was her elder daughter who convinced her to adopt Baby.