Sun 27th May: Holidays ahead

Every year there are periods when we see a major slowdown in adoptions, and especially puppies, due to the approaching summer holidays, and today we found out that it's already started.  Not the actual exodus itself, but the planned getaways that mean taking on a puppy right now isn't going to work.  Of course the pups that are at their perfect adoption age now will be well past that stage after the summer, and hopefully they will meet other familes who are staying in Hong Kong for the hot season, or who can make alternative care arrangements.  Timing is everything when it comes to puppies finding homes, and it explains why I have so many leftovers living with me on Lamma. 

Trilby (l) and Carlo are friends at the Homing Centre

Luckily there are now only two older puppies still waiting, best friends Willy and Cello, although I keep forgetting Trilby as she always fooled me into thinking she was younger when in fact she's six months too.  She's such a sedate and quiet dog with a distinctive dachshund-like face, but today for the first time I saw her playing with the others.  It wasn't for long and she soon retreated to the shade of the bench but it was lovely while it lasted. 

Willy and Cello are best friends

Ivory (l) joins Margaux-now-Cello (right) in her home

Ivory went to a foster home last Sunday and was adopted today by the foster parent's friend, who had herself adopted puppy Margaux the previous weekend.  Ivory and Margaux (now also Cello) had enjoyed their play dates so much that they are now officially "sisters".  Ivory came to us as such a scared girl and her transformation has been quite remarkable.  The short stay at Whiskers N Paws as a live-in guest helped for sure, but there must have been a sweet and loving puppy under that veneer of shyness all the time.

Sailor and Benny went to a foster home

Although there was only one on-site adoption, two of the Chai Wan Cemetery puppies, now recovered from tick fever, were taken for fostering with Martha making the third, and cuddly baby Wonton also went to a foster home.  Older puppy Bertie (brother of Anna staying at Whiskers N Paws) had been pre-booked by his now-foster, so there were quite a few pups who didn't have to return to Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre or Lamma.

Wonton is the cuddliest of puppies

Martha is as sweet as she is beautiful

This week's volunteer photographer was Helen Kwok and here are the lovely results Puppy Adoption Day 27 May 2018