http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120923-373227.html
The 63-year-old owns Silver and Rover, a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old schnauzer respectively.
A year and a half ago, he was diagnosed with a fatal form of lung cancer, and doctors said that even with treatment, he had only about two years left to live.
Six months to his expected deathbed, he is now being told by the authorities that he must give up one dog to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
According to the Housing and Development Board (HDB) rules on public housing, each flat owner is allowed to keep only one toy breed dog on the premise, and the dog must not be more than 10kg in weight and 40cm in height.
While there are dog lovers who keep more than one dog in a flat, they are doing so illegally. But most manage to stay under the radar if neighbours do not complain.
However, Mr Tan's neighbours have taken a disliking to the dogs and have lodged numerous complaints against him in an effort to get rid of the dogs.
"One day, my neighbour from downstairs, I think he's a foreigner, knocked at my door. He said my dog was playing with a ball and the noise disturbed him," Mr Tan said.
He told the neighbours that he was sorry and that he would try to prevent it from happening again. He thought the matter was closed, but little did he know it was just the beginning of his troubles.
Not long later, a HDB lady officer called him, saying that they received a complaint that he has two dogs.
That complaint was soon followed by another two to three months later. This time, the complainant said his dogs "scratched the floor and disturbed the neighbours downstairs."
The family pleaded with the authorities to let them keep both dogs. However, HDB has not budged in its position.
"I don't want anything. I am old, I don't want any problem, I don't want any trouble because of these two dogs," he told RazorTV.
But instead of enjoying his last days alive with his only companions, he faces the headache of figuring out what to do with them.
"All my kids are married and have to work, so I was alone throughout the ordeal. I only had these two dogs to keep me company and give me happiness," he said.
His daughter Linda was devastated by the news of her fathers impending death. For her father, she tried to appeal to HDB to allow him to keep his two dogs.
The family's appeal was rejected.
"I don't have much time left. All I have are these two digs to keep me company. I hope they can be with me until my last day on this earth," Mr Tan said.
Now, Mr Tan's wish is to find new owners from Rover and Silver after he has passed on. He said he worries that when he's gone, there will be nobody left to take care of the dogs, and they will be put down.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law Mr K Shanmugam posted on his Facebook that he found the video heartbreaking.
Singapore has to find a way of accommodating the opposite interests of animal lovers and those who don't like animals, Mr Shanmugam said.
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