You may have heard of Mr Akira, the elderly busker who went viral for painting umbrellas while singing in Tiong Bahru and Clementi.
As an animal lover, he often paints different types of animals on umbrellas. He also sells them to support various animal shelters.
Despite his financial struggles, Mr Akira has no qualms about taking in dogs unwanted by owners in Singapore.
Mr Akira also works closely with HOPE Dog Rescue Singapore (HOPE) to care for his dogs. Ever since going viral on social media, his acts of kindness have moved many.
According to a blogpost by HOPE, Mr Akira has been adopting dogs since he retired as an artist.
Source: HOPE Dog Rescue Singapore
A HOPE spokesperson told MS News that Mr Akira is known as a dog lover. If he knew of any unwanted, lost or unclaimed canines, he would usually take them in.
Mr Akira currently owns one senior dog, a beagle named Taco, as the others have passed on from old age.
Source: HOPE Dog Rescue Singapore
Although Mr Akira is happy to give these unwanted dogs a loving home, he struggles to provide for them financially. Coming from a low-income background, taking care of himself and his dogs hasn’t been easy.
However, HOPE has extended their support towards Mr Akira, providing him with financial aid to care for his dogs fully.
They would often supply dog food and support him financially regarding veterinary bills. HOPE mentioned that these clinic visits could range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars per visit, depending on the condition of his dog.
Source: HOPE Dog Rescue Singapore
HOPE also deploys volunteers to drive him or pays for his transport fees whenever he takes his dogs to the clinic.
Mr Akira’s story is remarkable. It is heartening to see that even with his struggles, he still strives to create a loving home for these disowned senior dogs.
If you would like to support Mr Akira and HOPE’s cause, you may contact them via their email at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.
We wish Mr Akira the best of health, and hope that both he and his dog will continue to remain happy.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from @arethalzy on TikTok and HOPE Dog Rescue Singapore.
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