Sat 1st Jan 2022: Only good news to start the year

Today is going to be a good news day only in celebration of the fact that a new year has started, and there are several adoptions to share.

Adorable Jilly now Mui Mui (the small one)

We already knew that Jilly would be going home because there were two potential families, and that was hardly surprising as now-Mui Mui is really a gorgeous little terrier type.  In fact she would have been adopted many times over except for her initial shyness, and I'm happy that she's gone to a home with two "brothers" who can show her around and teach her about her new life.  It's always reassuring when a dog or puppy goes to a home where there's already a happy dog (or two). 

Finn's stay was a short one

French bulldog Finn didn't have to wait long to be chosen by his new family, in fact his stay at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre was just long enough for him to have his skin checked.  He's a sweet little dog and still very young, so I guessed he would be an in-and-out case.

Tinsel has a happy life ahead of her

Tinsel was picked up from our Tai Po Homing Centre after her adoption had already been confirmed, and you can see from the photo what a change has taken place in just three months since her arrival.  It's really very sad that simple treatment and basic care is all it takes to transform a dog from looking like a mangy stray to a healthy youngster, because many dogs have stories like Tinsel's.  Anyway her life from now on is going to be the best, and we're all so happy for this wonderful, funny and adorable girl. 

Pilot's been given another chance

Husky Pilot was given yet another chance at making things work, and his adopter was given all the information about his behaviour and why he'd previously been brought back.  Pilot isn't a bad dog, he's just a typically demanding husky who wants lots of attention and needs to be kept mentally and physically busy.  Huskies can also have a strong hunting drive meaning they see small animals as prey, so although there are exceptions as always, in general this breed are a danger to cats and even small dogs outside the home. 

As I'm sure you all know by now, not all adoptions work out no matter how much information and post-adoption support we provide.  There are a variety of reasons why dogs are returned, and sometimes there's no way of knowing how any dog will react to certain people or situations.  When dogs stay at the Homing Centres they adjust their behaviour to the environment, knowing that in a multi-dog scenario they have to fit in with the crowd.  If we see that dogs aren't coping with living as part of a group, we'll move them to a quieter place, as with Ringo and Rumble, two small dogs from the same family who are currently staying on Lamma.  They reacted badly to being with so many dogs in a small space, and since their relocation they're very happy and have no behaviour issues.  We're lucky to have this out-of-the-way facility, even if it means the dogs staying there can't be seen that easily.   Some of the dogs staying at the Lamma Home for Small Delinquents had difficult lives and subsequent behaviour issues that made them unsuitable for adoption, but they have all changed to become very sweet characters (even if funny little Banjo still likes to bite shoes). 

Ringo doesn't like crowds

Conversely, some dogs behave like angels at the Homing Centre and only start to show their individual behaviour after adoption.  Bichon frise Bertie is one of these, an adorable little boy who is as sweet as anything at Ap Lei Chau, but who really needs a home that understands that some dogs hate to be disturbed while sleeping, and who need their private space to be respected.  For this reason we now know that Bertie can't be in a home with children, or a small place without an area where he can nap undisturbed, even if in general he's a very sweet and loving little dog. You can see photos and descriptions of all the dogs mentioned at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/dogs/

Riley was adopted from Tai Po recently

I received this update on recently-adopted Riley today, and it summed up everything perfectly:

"Riley is settling into the routines at home after the initial settling-in period. We are still learning more about each other - and it is amazing to see how Riley is learning and doing something new every day. While Riley is our second dog, we’ve learned to appreciate she is her own dog and it would be unfair to expect her to behave like our last one. We are learning how to adapt to her needs and likings. Every dog is truly unique!" 

The first puppy party of 2022 takes place this Sunday