By the way, Jackie's a good-looking, 14-month-old English cocker spaniel. And his pals Snowball and Snowy are -- you guessed it -- also of the canine kind.

In the days before Pet Safari, Jackie and his four-legged pals couldn't even put a furry paw inside any shopping centre.

They would have been shooed away.

But in September, all that changed. Pet Safari is the only shopping centre in Singapore that welcomes "patrons" like Jackie.

They can roam about freely. Bark, if they so desire and, generally, have a good time.

	The 10,000-square-foot pet paradise at Simei houses five major pet retailers in Singapore like Pet Lovers Centre, Fluffy's Choice and Sam Yick and Company. "All the store owners are trained to handle dogs. Whenever they pee or poo, it will be cleaned up almost immediately," said a spokesman for Pet Safari.
SMELLS GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT : Jackie sniffs out some doggy treats.

Makeup artist Jane Koh and her husband Jon Hoo can take Jackie to be groomed at the air-conditioned shopping centre.

That done, Jackie is allowed to sniff the merchandise for the stuff he wants.

And there's plenty to sniff at.

There are doggy raincoats, designer wear and formal attire for the pampered pooch.

Tired of shopping? Jackie can interact with other dogs and pets like Persian cats, hamsters, long-haired guinea pigs, rabbits - which, according to Jane, happen to be Jackie's favourite.

Jon, 29, freelancer, said that Jackie likes the place so much that he knows how to go to the Pet Safari all by himself.

"He loves the rabbits. He just stares very intently at them," Jon said.

Most of the pet owners interviewed like the concept.

Jon said: "Yes, I think it is a good idea. Dogs for once are allowed into an air-conditioned place."

Mrs Audrey Lim, 43, takes her daughters, Amelia, 15, and Atrina, 10, and Snowy, their two-year-old Maltese, to Pet Safari twice a week.

"This is a very new concept. Something that's different. We can take our dog to most places," said Mrs Lim.

Ann Bwee, 26, a customer service officer, takes her one-year-old Maltese, Snowball, to Pet Safari every evening.

She Said Snowball gets to meet a lot of friends outside the pet shopping centre where a lot of dogs and their owners will gather.

"This is very convenient. I can get everything here. In other places, I have to hide her (Showball). Here, I can just let her walk," Ann said. However, there is room for improvement. Mrs Lim said the place is too small and should have been bigger. She was also not sure whether she could move out of Pet Safari to the other shops in the shopping centre. "I can't bring my dog along when I want to have a bite to eat, " she said. So here is the good news : Coming soon is a pet cafe. Owners can enjoy some Italian food while their pets are "parked" and cared for by trained staff. Do I hear a woof of approval?

DOES IT FIT? : Snowy tries on a new outfit at Fluffy's Choice.