Thurs 25th July: Dogs on the waiting list

You may have noticed that I've been trying to promote some of the dogs that aren't actually with HKDR yet, in the hope that they can find homes before that happens.  Both our Tai Po and Kennedy Town Homing Centres are already very full, and with the larger dogs especially it's very difficult trying to squeeze them in, as well as being unfair to the dogs themselves.

I'm very happy to report, therefore, that at least one of the dogs I've been writing about has moved to her new home, and that's Ginger, adopted from HKDR as a puppy before being placed in a boarding kennel not long afterwards. 

The two poodle brothers are also on the waiting list to come to us, but again we want to have somewhere for them to go to rather than putting them through the stress of the over-full Homing Centre.  These boys are seven years old, and ideally we'd like them to stay together but it's not essential.

I had this conversation today regarding the difference between male and female dogs, because there really is a difference, even if as always there are exceptions to the rule. Boy dogs tend to be more independent, meaning they may have other male friends but aren't especially bonded.  That changes if it's a male-female couple when the relationship will be closer, but even so it's female dogs who form very tight groups.

As an example, two more ex-HKDR puppies that I've mentioned several times are brothers Lennox and Lewis.  They were abandoned by their adopter at a year old, and eventually ended up coming to Lamma because there was nowhere else for them to go.  I was told they were very bonded and would have to be homed as a pair, but now that they have been with me for a couple of weeks I can see that's not the case.  The smaller of the two, Lennox, has found himself a new partner in Hetty, who coincidentally looks very similar to Lewis in size, shape and colour.  I don't think that's what attracted Lennox to her though, it's more their energy and personalities, as they both love running and playing, and are very sweet and affectionate dogs.  They love to run at high speed, chasing each other back and forth, and it's really lovely to just watch them having so much fun.  Lennox is a fantastic little dog, weighing no more than 10 kilos, with an amazing personality.  If you want a small dog who would be a great hiking partner as well as a snuggle companion, please consider Lennox. 

Meanwhile Lewis is taking a but longer to adapt and settle, although he too is a sweet dog who loves to be petted.  He hasn't found a new friend yet, while his brother has moved on with Hetty. 

Once again it shows that dogs have their own personality and character, and that's something they're born with.  It's the reason why we don't recommend certain dogs to potential adopters, because too many people choose a dog based on looks rather than their suitability.  After you complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/, we can assess the situation and environment and then suggest the dogs that we feel will be the best fit for the home.  We just ask that potential adopters are realistic about the size of the their home, their lifestyle, and other important factors such as whether there are young children in the family. 

Mon 22nd July: Revisiting my past

 (Please see the comments for photos)

Today I did something I haven't done for a very long time, and that's going to the AFCD Centre in Pokfulam.  If you have been following HKDR since the early days you'll know these visits used to be a regular thing for me, especially when we had our kennels right next door (up until 2010), and a few times a week I'd check the new arrivals and take as many of them as possible.  That all stopped with Covid, and also the fact that most of our dogs and puppies now come from other sources. 

The reason I was there today was because two of my Lamma dogs, Plum and Phaedra, needed to have their licenses renewed, which means having a rabies vaccination.  I'd been asked a few weeks ago if we could accept a black puppy girl, but at that time it wasn't possible and I hoped another organisation had taken her in.  Apparently that wasn't the case and the puppy was still there, all alone, something which is awful for a young puppy.  Once I had seen her I felt so bad that I checked with our Kennedy Town Homing Centre to see if it was possible to fit this puppy in somehow, and receiving a positive reply, I left with the puppy (now Carly) in the van. 

I also want to mention that there are many many turtles at AFCD and in need of homes, and I know that there are a lot of people who keep turtles, so if you would like to adopt one or more, please let me know (sallyandersen@hongkongdogrescue.com).  These are red-eared sliders, and there are all sizes, from small to very large. I would like to mention that turtles are not ornaments, or to be kept merely for good luck, and if they're treated well they can become very tame and almost like dogs.  Check the Instagram page @ sergioturtle for a great example of how lovely a turtle can be. 

As well as new girl Carly, we have so many beautiful puppies waiting for homes, and you can see the photos from Sunday's puppy party here Puppy Adoption Day 21st July 2024.  Our regular photographer Jimmy Tsang stepped in at the last minute to be there, and as always his efforts are amazing. 

We also have the litter of what were newborns when they first arrived, and who are now almost three weeks old.  Obviously they're not ready to be adopted as singletons yet, but anyone who wants a pair to be with them from almost-birth can adopt at any time.

As mentioned yesterday, there are also two Jack Russell puppies still available, a girl called Miriam and a boy, Badger.  They would also make a fantastic pair if you have the time and space for two high-energy youngsters.

We have an urgent need for a home for Ginger, adopted from HKDR as a puppy and then within a few months sent to a boarding kennel where she has been for a long time.  Ginger is a lovely girl and only medium sized, so please contact us if you can offer her a home. Life is so unfair for some dogs, and Ginger is still a young girl whose life fell apart due to a marriage break-up. 

There are also many large-sized dogs who are waiting to be able to come to our Tai Po Homing Centre, and for which we currently have so space at all.  These include several huskies, and a young white German shepherd.  If you're looking for any size of dog please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ so we can help to recommend those that will be most suitable. 

Sun 21st July: So many surrenders

(Photos still won't upload so please see comments for all photos).

 I'm going to start with an adoption that took place at Whiskers N Paws today, a first-timer at the regular Sunday Puppy Parties. Benny and his siblings, Brodie and Beryl, have been in foster care since first coming to us as very young puppies, and they're now old enough to head off to start their new lives as forever family members.

We have to trust that forever really does mean that, because sadly it's not always the case.  I had written several times about two puppies-now-doglets who were adopted together and then abandoned by their adopter who did a sudden disappearing act.  With nowhere else for Lennox and Lewis to go, they're now with me on Lamma, but this isn't a situation that is ideal for them, or for me or HKDR. 

Most of the recent surrender requests have been for huskies for some reason, with one being only two years old and who is no longer wanted because of a new baby in the home.  

We also have a just-turned one year-old white German shepherd girl, bought as a puppy by someone we have recognised as a serial surrenderer. 

At the other send of the size scale, there are two poodles from the same home also looking for a new family.  The reason given for this surrender was financial, which is a good reminder that even small dogs need the basics of food, tick, flea and heartworm prevention.  There are also vet costs that need to be taken into account, and all of these cost money. 

The Jack Russell puppies aren't a surrender case as such, we are just trying to help find homes for the two remaining, a girl (Miriam) and a boy (Badger). 

For all adoption enquiries, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.

Tues 16th July: Happy days at our Tai Po Homing Centre

(For some reason I can't upload photos, so please check the Facebook comments to see the lucky dogs mentioned). 

 It's always exciting when dogs are adopted from our Tai Po Homing Centre because these are mostly larger sized adults, and not the types that are suitable for most homes.  I should mention that we also have puppies staying at Tai Po, as well as medium-sized dogs like Stacie, for example.  She was a recent addition from AFCD, and not only is she quite small and only eight months old, but when she went to Acorn to be desexed the other day her vet notes included the comment "Lovely dog!". 

Back to today's great news, and that was the double adoption of Nigel and Vera, both large sized dogs. Vera has been with us since she was a very young puppy, and she's a graduate of the Kennedy Town Homing Centre, while Nigel came to HKDR as a young adult.  They became friends at the Homing Centre, and now they can continue that friendship into old age. 

Another ex-Kennedy Town puppy was also adopted, and even though at first it was puppy Navy who was expected to be chosen, in the end Poppy was the lucky girl.  The kind adopter said she knew that black dogs were too often overlooked, even though they're almost always lovely characters and very smart, so Poppy can look forward to an amazing life now.  It's true that Navy is a very special puppy, pretty and really incredibly sweet, but she will find a home for sure. 

More good things happened at Tai Po when Dr Damien and Dr Angel Cheng from Peticare (www.peticare.com.hk) visited the Homing Centre to give FREE vaccinations to dogs that were due their 3-yearly boosters, and they managed to vaccinate forty seven dogs during their visit.  Not only did it save us a huge amount of time and trouble, but also a lot of money during these very difficult times.  We're very grateful to Peticare and the two vets for such a kind and generous contribution. 

We have another adoption event coming up this Saturday for the smaller dogs, so if you're interested in any of them you can drop by, or of course meet the candidates any other day at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre, Shop 4 Brilliant Court, Sai Hong Lane, 28 Praya Kennedy Town.  Please remember to complete the questionnaire before visiting either venue, and you can find it at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

Adoption Day & Charity Sale!

1880 Hong Kong near One Taikoo Place (*Near Quarry Bay Exit A)

Date: July 20 (Sat)

2pm-4pm

Sun 14th July: Weekend round-up

Little India 

 With three separate events taking place this weekend it was a busy time, as expected, and with many volunteers away on holiday we were doubly grateful for the help offered by others.  One of our missing volunteers is Elena Mathew, who arranges the photographers schedules and then edits and posts the photos.  We'll still be able to share the albums of Saturday's Small Dog adoption event, and Sunday's Puppy Party, but in the meantime I'll use photos taken by our on-site volunteers. 

Jimmy Tsang's photos will be posted soon 

Minty 

Griffin is a gorgeous boy 

On Sunday we also had another small event taking place in Chai Wan,  GOODEST X POLAROID pop-up event, and our Ambassador dog was the gorgeous Griffin.  He's a very easy boy even though he's still young, and I don't know why he hasn't been chosen to become someone's family member.  You can meet him at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre any day of the week unless he has another assignment, like today. 

Raphael and new family 

Asher has been waiting a long time for this day

Dogs who did hit the jackpot of a new forever home were Raphael the chihuahua, and Asher at Tai Po.  Asher has been with us since he was a young puppy, and just as a reminder we do have some puppies staying at our main Homing Centre at 6 Shek Lin Road, Tai Po. 

As always, if you're interested in adopting any of our dogs or puppies please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

Fri 12th July: A busy weekend ahead

 I thought we might be looking at the first typhoon of the year this Sunday, but hopefully it was a false alarm.  I know that for many people a typhoon is something to look forward to if it means a day off work, but for HKDR and other organisations with outdoor shelters it's a stressful time worrying about the dogs, and even the structures.  We have our Saturday Small Dog Adoption event at Whiskers N Paws this weekend, as well as the regular Puppy Party on Sunday, both from 2pm to 4pm, and hopefully they can go ahead as planned.  If it's raining we can be inside, otherwise it's fun on the terrace for the dogs and puppies. 

Something that wasn't planned or expected was the arrival of three new small dogs at Kennedy Town, and all I had was a message telling me they were already on the way.  The puppy Nesta is a very sweet five-to-six month-old, but I didn't have time to check the other two adults.  I can say that the Frenchie boy is very friendly, although he quickly turned his attention to a chew bone he found and started noisily gnawing away on.  

Ticket has found his family 

Poodle Ticket was the lucky dog for the day, at least at Kennedy Town, as you could say there were two other lucky boys.  These were Lennox and Lewis, and I've written about them a few times following their abandonment when the owner disappeared after leaving the dogs with a pet sitter.  I found out that this happened in April, so the dogs have been in a kind of limbo for three months while both Catherine's Puppies and HKDR were trying to sort something out.  In the end I agreed to bring Lennox and Lewis back to Lamma to give everyone some breathing space, and offer a kind of holiday to the poor dogs.  Luckily the resident gang were very welcoming, as well as interested in the new arrivals, and there was a lot of sniffing and inspecting going on.  If you're interested in seeing a short video of this you can check my personal Instagram @sallythedoglady. 

Tessie is a 6 month-old puppy, who is currently in foster

We have some serious adoption enquiries and meetings confirmed for the weekend, so hopefully I'll be able to share more happy stories over the coming days.  As a reminder, if you're interested in adopting any of our dogs or puppies, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

Thurs 11th July: There's the right dog for everyone

 I knew we would have a lot of adoption enquiries for the merle border collie puppy that came to us from AFCD today, and he has already been taken home by a family who live in a suitable and dog-friendly area, and who already have a dog to act as mentor for Merlin. 

Badger (male)

We have also received a lot of enquiries for the two remaining Jack Russell puppies, but like the border collie this breed need homes that appreciate and understand that they are sporting dogs, not lap dogs, despite their small size. 

Miriam, female

I understand that people are always attracted to breeds, but it's still sad that this is the case, especially when we have so many wonderful mixes of all ages and size.  For example, arriving with Merlin, the border collie, were young Minty and older puppy Stacie, both of whom are lovely.

Coming soon, 2 years old 

We are also expecting another little dog from AFCD that I think will be very popular, a two year-old Maltese girl.

Medium-sized Stacie is 8 months old

Puppy girl Minty has lovely markings 

Some of the applications we receive are completely unsuitable, while most would be fine for some dogs but perhaps not the particular ones that are requested.  Matching the dog with the potential home is an important part of what we do, because we see too many dogs that are adopted and then returned.  In fact all of the adult dogs that come to us have been through this experience, with many probably having had several previous homes.  This fact doesn't mean that there's a problem with the dogs themselves, it only means that they have been in the wrong homes.

Happy Hetty 

As an example, since my regular walking crew on Lamma have now all retired due to old age or ill health, I needed a new set of younger hiking companions to take their place.  I decided to start with the dogs that used to be called the Shy Squad when we had the Homing Centre in Ap Lei Chau, and who moved to Lamma when we relocated to Kennedy Town.  These include Miss Piggy, Alex and Gumbo. Those dogs were joined by others who found life too stressful at the small Homing Centre, or were just a bit too big for Kennedy Town, like Hetty and Simone.  At first I needed to keep the dogs on a leash because I was afraid that they would get lost, but within a very short time they knew the route and the path, and now they all run along very happily without me having to worry.  Hetty in particular has changed from being a very shy young girl when she first arrived, to being the happiest dog ever, and she's full of joy every single day. All she needed was the right environment to feel relaxed and confident, and it's wonderful to see all of the dogs enjoying their life.

This is an old photo which I'll be able to update

Two more medium-sized dogs will be joining the new walking group on Friday, as we have been unable to find a new home for the abandoned ex-HKDR puppies that were adopted together last year. With so many people away on their summer holidays, and the fact that Lennox and Lewis are tightly bonded so need to stay together, I'm hoping that this Lamma stay will only be temporary, and that once adoptions start to pick up again there will be a home offered for these two lovely boys.  In the meantime at least they will have each other, lots of space, and daily walks with the other dogs. 

For all adoption enquiries please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step.

Remember that adoption is for life, and if you can't commit to that promise then foster instead.