Pawscue
Pawscue is a community-powered animal rescue platform launched in early 2026 by 19-year-old Singaporean Yan Yi Fan.[1] The platform enables members of the public to report animals in distress through a simple online interface, allowing neighbors, shelters, and trained responders to quickly locate and assist wildlife and pets in need across Singapore and beyond.[1][2]
Founder & background
Yan Yi Fan, a former student of Jurong Pioneer Junior College, has been rescuing animals for most of her life and is affectionately known as the "Snow White" of her friend group due to her love of animals.[1] Over the years, she has saved dozens of animals, including 12 birds in 2019 alone, to the point where animal rescue has become second nature to her.[1]
The idea for Pawscue crystallized after Yi Fan rescued a vulnerable baby Oriole in May 2024, just months before her GCE 'A' Level examinations.[1] Following this rescue, which gained attention on her social media, many people reached out to her when they encountered injured animals.[1] Yi Fan, whose childhood dream was to open shelters for animals, realized the limitations of working alone and decided to create a platform that could scale her impact beyond her individual capacity.[1]
Despite her extensive experience with animal rescue, Yi Fan is aware that she is not a professional. She has lost a few animals she tried to nurse due to time restrictions, especially during exam periods.[1]
"It would be best to bring the animals to organisations where they are guaranteed professional help."
As her next steps, Yi Fan plans to volunteer with established animal welfare organizations such as the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) once she starts university.[1]
While she may not be studying to become a veterinarian or zoologist, she intends to continue protecting animals in her own special way, now amplified through the Pawscue platform.[1]
Father-Daughter collaboration
Though Yi Fan is no stranger to rescuing animals solo, developing a functional website was a different challenge altogether. For this, she turned to her father, university professor Yan Jie.[1]
For one or two hours after his workdays, Mr. Yan sits down with his daughter to bring her vision to life. The father-daughter pair work as a team, with Yi Fan designing the Pawscue user interface and scripting content for social media posts, while Mr. Yan generates these designs and ideas into vivid animations.[1] Mr. Yan jokingly describes himself as his daughter's "tech support guy."[1]
"I was excited, because I took it as a sign that she matured. She always loved animals, but now she's thinking about how to make a bigger impact. I never imagined that I would be working with her on such a project."
Early rescue experiences
Yi Fan's animal rescue journey began years before Pawscue. While studying for her GCE 'O' Levels, the teen nursed an injured green pigeon back to health. When she released it into the wild, the same bird kept coming back to keep her company during her study sessions.[1]
Her affinity with animals extends beyond Singapore's borders. While on holiday, Yi Fan has retrieved a bird from freezing waters in Nanjing, China, and found a foster home for an orphaned kitten in Shanghai through her efforts on Xiaohongshu.[1] For Yi Fan, rescuing animals comes naturally. Purchasing their necessities, feeding them, and building them a temporary shelter are small sacrifices she willingly makes for their welfare.[1] She described the experience:[1]
"Knowing that that tiny life transitioned from a freezing garage floor to a warm bed, all because of a little bit of patience and a social media post, is a memory from that trip I will cherish forever."
Platform features & functionality
Pawscue's primary feature is its streamlined animal reporting system. In just one click, the platform enables the public to report an animal in need, allowing others to step in to help.[1]
The reporting interface includes:[1]
- A location tracker that helps quickly and accurately pinpoint where the animal was found
- Intuitive drop-down menus to indicate the animal's condition and other relevant details
- A simple, user-friendly interface designed to minimize barriers to reporting
Interactive map
Once a report is submitted, it appears on the platform's 'Map' page, complete with a location pin.[1] This allows neighbors, shelters, and responders to quickly identify animals in distress near their location and respond immediately.[1]
The platform keeps the process straightforward so that response can be swift, ultimately benefiting wildlife both in and out of Singapore.[1]
Rescue stories
On the website, there is also a section labelled “Stories” which is dedicated to Yi Fan’s encounter with different types of injured animals.[3] Take one entry where she wrote:[3]
“It was a normal afternoon walking home from school when I spotted it—a flash of gray feathers huddled on the concrete near West Coast Plaza. Unlike the other pigeons, this one didn’t fly away as I approached. It was injured, struggling to move, and completely vulnerable to the busy foot traffic.
I couldn’t just walk past. I carefully caught the bird and brought it home, where I set up a quiet space for it to recover. After cleaning its wounds and making sure it was fed and hydrated, the long process of fostering began. For a few weeks, my room became a makeshift sanctuary.
Slowly, the bird regained its strength. What started as a weak flutter eventually turned into a powerful wingbeat. When the day finally came to release it, seeing it take flight and return to the sky was the best reward I could have asked for.”
Now, Yi Fan is learning to troubleshoot issues and building her confidence in handling the platform's operations. Eventually, she hopes to take over the reins fully.[1]
Pawscue operates as a non-profit, community-based platform. This model ensures that the focus remains on animal welfare rather than revenue generation, while also keeping operational costs manageable through volunteer efforts and AI-assisted development.[1]
References/Citations
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 Rizal, Dayana. “19-year-old S’porean launches animal rescue platform after years of saving wildlife” Mustsharenews, 5 February, 2026. Accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ “Pawscue” Pawscue. n.d. Accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 “Stories” Pawscue. n.d. Accessed 19 February 2026.