Mon 4th June: It's raining .....poodles

Suddenly it's raining ....... poodles.  We've gone from having hardly any small dogs to having a lot, and there are more on the way.  Happily they are all sweet dogs, some with very sad stories that we know about, although to end up homeless means they all have their own sad story to tell if only they could talk.

One of the poodles coming on Tuesday

Linus will look good after a haircut

I was at AFCD in Pokfulam today to pick up a couple of licenses, and it was finally time for a long-stay poodle to be released.  There is now a system which means that any dog that has a microchip but no license is held for weeks, just in case a maybe-owner appears to claim it.  This poodle is almost eleven years old, hardly straight out of a pet shop, yet those are the rules apparently.  Anyway. after a long time in prison now-Linus is finally free, although looking very shaggy and overgrown now.

I was also told the story behind Rocket, the white poodle boy I took out of AFCD last week.  He has been surrendered in a terrible condition, with a completely matted coat which was solid with poo, inches thick and so immovable that Rocket couldn't even open his mouth to eat.  The AFCD staff took four hours to cut the solid covering off, after which Rocket was given a bath so when I saw him he was clean and white.  The most amazing thing is that Rocket is such a happy boy, and so playful despite his ten years.  I can't imagine how he must have felt to suddenly be able to move around, jump, play and eat normally.  It must have been the best feeling in the world, so I understand why he's now behaving like a puppy.

Winkle needs a foster home too

We have more small dogs (young adults) coming on Tuesday, three poodles, a Yorkie and a papillon, so we really need foster homes now, either for the small dogs or the puppies that are staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre.  As always, please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you can help. All food, bedding and bowls will be provided, as well as Acorn vet bills covered.

Martha is also staying at Ap Le Chau

For some reason there has been a surge of interest in the malamute Hercules, but I'm happy to report that he will not be coming back to Tai Po.  He's currently in a great foster home where he is learning house manners as he has never lived in a home before.  When he came to us he had spent his whole life living outside with minimal care and attention, so being inside (with air conditioning) and having all the comforts of a real home is an entirely new experience for him.  He had to learn not to pee randomly on the floor and to eat his meals slowly and politely.  We're extremely grateful to his foster parent for being so patient, and even if the new forever home doesn't work out when Hercules moves there in a couple of weeks, his current foster has said he can always go back there until another home comes along.

Hercules first day in a real home and hugging the water bowl