Fri 12th May: The BBT (Big Breeder Throwout) continues

BBT golden retriever and close friend

I was expecting the golden retriever and poodle coming from a breeder to arrive on Sunday, and had a potential adopter lined up to meet the larger dog.  However due to the many messages and the unreliability of the breeders, who change their minds on a whim, both turned up today and caught the Tai Po team by surprise.  Still, once they were there we could see what sweet characters they were, and also extremely close.  The poodle wanted to be by the retriever's side all the time, even though enjoying the attention and a shower/shampoo.   Luckily a volunteer agreed to take the pair home for fostering until Sunday when the potential adopter is coming, so for now that case is sorted. for the retriever at least.  The poodle will still need a home, and with a large dog if possible.

Another breeder is throwing out some labradors, two or three, we won't know until they arrive, and they are coming on Saturday.  I posted the vague information on our Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) Facebook page and have some interest, so I hope these dogs won't be with us for long.

I do have to remind all potential adopters of ex-breeder dogs that they usually (almost always) come with superficial infectious skin problems (mange) and ear mites, both of which are luckily easy to treat.  Heartworm is more difficult in terms of time and expense, but there isn't much that can't be fixed with standard treatment, so we ask that you overlook all of these and pay attention to character instead.  If there is one thing I can say in favour of breeder dogs it's that they are very sweet, and I assume that's because it would be too much trouble to keep problem dogs in a cramped environment.

Raisin heads off to start his new life

The one year-old surrendered poodle that I had called Raisin was adopted almost as soon as the doors of the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre opened, and after a lot of thought Cindy and I agreed on a home for Alexa, the dachshund with the weak leg joints.  We had a lot of very nice offers for this sweet girl, but as they all had other dogs we were worried about the potential for injury if the weakness progressed into something more serious.    It seems strange to want a home without other dogs because a dogs friend is something we usually prefer, but in this case Alexa will have to make do with cats.

Adding 6 in one go expands the numbers dramatically

The weekend looms and we have potential adopters coming to meet various dogs, and to say that we need to get more than a few into homes would be an understatement.  The same applies to puppies, as the recent intake of a litter of six (who incidentally also came from a breeder and were obviously mistakes), as I have so many.  There is something for everyone, from a pair of adorable "koala bear" babies to the handsome and placid Stanley Barracks family.  Of course you can meet them all at Whiskers N Paws, Horizon Plaza, 2pm to 5pm.