I'm sure there are strange people in all walks of life, but we certainly see plenty of them in the animal rescue field. It's the main reason I'm not on any of the dog-related Facebook groups where people post all sorts of incorrect advice, inappropriate comments and even abuse, and I really have no idea why anyone would ask a bunch of strangers questions that they should be asking of their vet or trainer, or someone who actually knows what they're talking about. I know a lot of people won't agree with me on this, but I really do prefer to stay out of the arguments that often break out. There's someone currently posting on every available dog-related Facebook page about the adoption of a pair of puppies from HKDR which she's decided isn't good, and I'm being sent many screenshots of such posts by well-meaning dog lovers who are concerned for the welfare of the pups. Please be assured that we're fully aware of the situation, and that's all I'm going to say on this particular matter.
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| Ethan, Edward and Evan |
The three puppies, all boys, born to one of three dogs being kept by a couple who don't believe in desexing came today. It was the husband who had asked on Sunday if we would accept them, but both husband and wife came today, with the wife making a big scene about how we couldn't take proper care of the puppies, including that Iris was too young to know what she was doing. I won't give away Iris's age but she's very experienced in dog care, that's for sure. The wife was demanding to take the puppies back so I told Iris to do just that, but in the end the couple left without the puppies, who were later taken for fostering. They're almost six weeks old, so it won't be long before they're available for adoption. I just wish the owners of the adult dogs would do the right thing and have them desexed.
Mr Big the Alaskan Malamute also came to our Tai Po Homing Centre today, and he's ready to go to a new home at any time. Usually for such dogs we have lots of enquiries, but so far it's been very quiet. Luckily the weather is perfect at the moment for such a breed, but Mr Big's been a family pet living with three other dogs (a labrador and two dachshunds) so I'd really love him to find a new home very soon. The other three dogs will also be coming to us as soon as their licenses have been updated.
We're getting a lot of adoption enquiries again from single people who are working from home once more, and want to have a dog. I'm honestly quite reluctant to place dogs in such situations, where one person is responsible for everything (with exceptions as always, as many singletons are great dog owners). With bars and restaurants etc currently closed, spending days and evenings with a dog for company might seem like a lovely idea, but we know that this isn't going to be a forever situation (at least I hope not), and then what happens? What happens when holidays abroad become a reality again, or even just evenings out with friends, or going to the gym? What happens when offices re-open and working from home ends, or becomes a two-day thing? On top of that, apartment complexes that previously turned a blind eye to people keeping dogs when it wasn't strictly permitted, are now issuing notices to dog owners reminding them of the rules, and I fear we're going to see another period like the SARS one, when pet owners started to give up their animals, either by choice or because they were forced to. One adoption enquiry today was from someone who lives in Public Housing, and although she knew that dogs weren't really allowed, she said she saw many residents who kept dogs. Not for much longer I fear.
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