“It’s especially fulfilling when I see children with special needs spending three to four hours here with their family and often refusing to leave,” she said.
“Their family members would talk to me and thank me for opening the museum because they would see a positive change in their child.”
In addition to her own collection of turtles, Ms Tan had accepted donations of turtles from pet owners but she is now reluctant to do so given their motives.
“There was this lady who came to us three times, twice when we were at Chinese Garden and once when we moved here with the same reason that she didn’t know her turtles would grow so big,” she said.
“She said that they were cute when they were small but not when they are big, so she said she would donate them to me, but it is not a donation to give away your pets. Do you give away your child?”
Ms Tan is aware that some online question the hygiene of the museum and make other criticism, but she takes it in her stride as she believes the museum has a lot to offer visitors.
Ms Tan said she was not inclined to respond to those who said the museum is “smelly and boring” as she questions their motives.
She also added: “If you tell me that an animal facility is not smelly, then I don’t know where you have been.”
Ms Tan also spoke about those who commented on the alleged poor condition of her turtles.
“They are not in any position to gauge my turtles’ health and they do not see what goes on behind the scenes when the turtles are taken out for some sunlight.”
Still, Ms Tan acknowledges that the current facility is in need of some repairs, but she is “reluctant” to spend money to fix the place as she would rather spend it on the new facility.
“Current operational costs are already eating into the funds for the new place and it is dangerous especially when the money is already less than half of what we need,” she said.
Since her video went viral, Ms Tan has received more than S$54,000 in donations and she is grateful for the help she has received thus far.
While she may be working towards her goal of S$1.8 million, Ms Tan is aware she may fall short and be forced to close the museum.
She desperately hopes this won’t be necessary, and said: “We are a Singapore brand and if we close down, it will be heartbreaking and a loss to everybody.”
