Rescued by my rescue: The neglected poodle that stole her heart
In a new series, Stomp speaks to furparents who adopted rescue pets - and found that they were the ones who were rescued instead.
Within an hour of meeting Rex in July 2024, Elizabeth Goh was pushed to make a decision on whether to adopt the poodle.
Imported from Australia, the three-year-old's fur was severely matted, his skin was inflamed, and a strong smell emanated from him. "The owner asked me, 'So do you want him? If not, other people are coming.'" the 35-year-old tutor recounted of the brusque text from the owner, who was moving overseas for work and could not bring Rex along.
Unable to bear the thought of Rex ending up with "bad people", Ms Goh acted quickly, mobilising a friend to help pick up Rex as she did not drive. That was the adoption process: no fees or further assessments, just an urgent decision.
Rex came with a green dinosaur collar, a matching leash, and a black trash bag filled with kibble from an unknown brand. "I was expecting a poodle, but he looked more like a lamb," said Ms Goh, recalling how he had climbed into her lap the moment they met.
"It feels like he has known me for really long," she said. "Like he was telling me, 'You're here to change my life.'"
'Poodles are my soft spot'
When Ms Goh spoke to Stomp in early February at Punggol Point Jetty, a well-groomed and trim Rex sat quietly at her feet. Lily, a shiba inu that Ms Goh rescued three weeks after him, also sat nearby.
The jovial dog rescuer was clad in a white top with illustrations of both dogs printed on top, and sporting a tote bag with their names embroidered on it.
"Poodles are my soft spot," said Ms Goh. Her first dog was a toy poodle named Bb, who died last Oct just before turning 17.
Ms Goh was drawn to the pleading look in Rex's eyes when she first saw a photo of him on Facebook and had expected him to be much smaller, like Bb.
While Rex's exact breed is unknown, he weighed at least 11.4kg when Ms Goh adopted him. As he suffers from luxating patella, or dislocated knees, his weight was putting too much pressure on his knees. After a much-needed trip to the groomer and a carefully managed diet that Ms Goh and her husband implemented, Rex now weighs 8.8kg.
Even then, the couple carries Rex up and down the stairs to reduce the impact on his knees and has installed ramps at home for the same purpose. They are also ready to foot a five-figure surgery bill that will alleviate Rex's knee problems while he is still young.
Judging by his paws and yeasty skin, Ms Goh reckoned that he had not been groomed for at least two to three months when she first laid eyes on him. Moreover, his fragile state was such that he almost suffered heatstroke after his first vet visit.
Thankfully, in spite of his initial appearance, Rex remained cheerful. "He was quite happy from the start, and even happier after the grooming," recalled Ms Goh.
Impressed by Rex's mild temperament, people around Ms Goh were also interested in rehoming him. "But how could we after learning that he's such a sweet little boy who just craved for love and attention?" she asked.
The dog is so well-mannered, she said, that he refuses to urinate or defecate in the house, only doing it when the couple brings him out on walks. He also does not react when "bullied" by other dogs, and will instead look to Ms Goh with the same pleading eyes she fell in love with to seek help.
Do not 'short change' pets
Ms Goh estimated that she has spent "quite a few thousand dollars" on Rex since adopting him in 2024, with his first vet visit setting her back about $400.
"Having a dog is much more than just giving a shelter and providing food and walks," she said. She is adamant that spending on medical treatments and grooming is a matter of doing her pets justice and not short-changing them.
In the months leading up to her lfirst dog's death last Oct, Ms Goh spared no expense. "I worked very hard, and actually spent more than $40,000 on stuff like TCM treatments to make him as comfortable as possible."
While she acknowledged that everyone's earning power is different, she stressed: "If you have to sacrifice your daily bubble tea or your weekly Haidilao, it's something you have to learn to do."
Letting go of fosters
Ms Goh also runs Rescue with Love, an Instagram page dedicated to reuniting lost dogs with their owners or rehoming them. Initially beginning in Aug 2025 with a focus on dogs, Ms Goh now shares alerts on missing cats and birds too.
After adopting Rex in 2024, she realised that there were many more dogs like him, which led to her rescue and rehoming work. While she is saddened every time a dog enters and leaves her care, she has come to realise: "If I adopt every dog I rescue, I will have one less slot to help another."
She helps dogs search for their new home with this in mind, earnestly screening potential adopters and requesting regular updates. "That's why I get comments from people telling me that I'm a 'ma fan' (troublesome in Chinese) rehomer," said Ms Goh, who said she is focused on ensuring her foster dogs end up with the right owner.
"I look at the dogs and realise that it doesn't matter what other people think or say (about me). As long as I have them, it makes my life so much better."
Ms Goh later told Stomp over text that it was hard for her to talk about Bb as the pain of losing him had not gone away. "You live on and time will help you, but it doesn't get easier at all."
"But after losing Bb, it's dogs like Rex and Lily who really rescued me."
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