Zoe Tay “Couldn’t Speak To Anyone For Days” After Her Pet Schnauzer, Whom She Had For A Year, Suddenly Passed Away

According to Zoe, Tong Tong was suffering from two stomach conditions but did not show any symptoms until it was too late, so her death was very unexpected.

“I was shocked ‘cos I didn’t know her condition was that critical,” said Zoe, who spent the whole night caring for Tong Tong “like a nurse” — just like her character in Angel — as soon as she noticed the pup wasn’t feeling well before taking her to the vet the next day.

Sadly, the doc declared that Tong Tong “may not pull through”, and sure enough, she passed away on March 2.

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Like the star’s other two fur-kids Pepper and Snowball, Tong Tong, a retired breeding dog, was adopted from an animal shelter.

The pooch was with the Chionhs for about a year before her untimely demise, but Zoe is still “thankful” to Tong Tong for giving them so many “beautiful memories” within that short period.

“I’ve always loved Schnauzers so when she retired to the shelter, they approached me and I went to meet her, and she was such a darling.” We imagine Ah Jie smiling over the phone. “I wanted to have her even though the other two were already such a handful, and she brought us so much joy.”

Since Tong Tong was a breeding dog who basically never really had “a good dog’s life”, Ah Jie really wanted to give her one, and she was pleased to report that she could see Tong Tong, who used to be “very timid”, becoming “livelier and happier” over time.

We then bring the conversation back to You Can Be An Angel 4, in which Zoe’s character Ruo Jun takes on a new position as the Assistant Director of Nursing in a nursing home and senior care centre.

The latest instalment of the popular medical series has a case of art imitating life as we see the COVID-19 pandemic ripping through the community, with Ruo Jun contracting the disease after heroically saving a woman’s life.

Thankfully, Zoe herself has managed to stay clear of the illness so far, although not everyone in her household has been so lucky.

“My eldest kid [17-year-old Brayden Chionh] got it, but he recovered in three days,” she shared, adding that all three of her boys have been vaccinated, with Nathan still waiting on his booster dose.

Up next on Ah Jie’s agenda: Star Awards 2022.

Without any nominations this year (then again, she’s already nabbed three Best Actress gongs in the past five years), Zoe is looking forward to a stress-free day where she just shows up looking fabulous.

“Every year, my wonderful friend and stylist will source something for me, and every year, I won’t know what I’m wearing until the fitting session closer to the show,” she said. “The only thing [my stylist] prepares me for is to go on a diet! (Laughs)”

You Can Be An Angel 4 premieres March 18 and airs weekdays, 9pm on Ch 8.
It will also be available on demand for free on meWATCH from March 14.

Photos: Mediacorp, Zoe Tay/Instagram