Tues 1st March: Please do not adopt unless.....

As much as I love living where I do on Lamma, any outing that takes me out beyond Hong Kong Island inevitably means having to leave home early and getting back late, and that was what happened today when I journeyed out to the New Territories, including our Tai Po Centre, and by public transport. I couldn't even access my phone which was safely tucked away in my backpack, so the first opportunity I had to try and catch up was on the bus section of the trip back. (In case you don't know, there's a bus (307) that goes directly from Central to Tai Po, and it's very convenient and easy).

Many of the emails I'm receiving at the moment are from people letting me know that our website is down and asking about volunteering or adoption.  All of the relevant email addresses are listed at the top of our Facebook page if you want to ask specific questions, and it's as frustrating for all of us at HKDR as it is for anyone wanting to contact us. In fact it's more than frustrating, it's upsetting to know that we have dogs that might be missing out on homes and we are trying our best to sort out a new website as quickly as we can. 

Regarding the beautiful Chung Hom Kok collie, Big, I heard back from his ex-owners after I had found the original emails and sent a message asking if Big had been lost.  I was horrified to read that they had advertised him on AsiaExpat, no doubt as free, and had given him to a Filipina (assume domestic helper).  Thankfully she had not processed the change of owner on the license, and I'm guessing never had any intention of doing so, so when Big was picked up as a stray she couldn't claim him back.  The expat ex-owners showed no interest whatsoever in what had happened to their dog, and they gave him up because they "may" be leaving Hong Kong some time this year.  

I can't express in words how situations like this make me feel, the total lack of any thought as to the dog's safety or well-being, not to mention the emotional trauma of being ejected from your home and family.  These people live in an expensive apartment on Hong Kong Island yet are unwilling to take their dog back to Europe if and when they leave, and made no effort whatsoever to at least ensure that Big went to a good home when they passed him over.  However kind and nice the woman who took him might be, domestic helpers are not reliable and suitable dog owners simply because of the legal aspect of their visas and their accommodation situations.  That is why those who do have dogs, unless the circumstances are exceptional and the employers agree, never have them registered under their names.  They know their living-out circumstances are illegal so they can't apply for things like dog licenses. 

At least Big is safe now, and hopefully will only need to stay at Tai Po for a short time before moving on to a real home, and with a family he will stay with for the rest of his life.  He is not only beautiful, he is soft and sweet and a genuinely lovely dog inside and out.

With yet another puppy-now-year old on the verge of being returned to us, I have to ask - beg - that unless you know for certain that you will not give up your dog no matter what (genuine reasons excepted) please don't adopt.  If you think or even suspect that you will be moving or leaving Hong Kong without a guarantee that the dog won't be left behind, don't adopt.  You can foster a dog that needs a temporary home without the lifetime commitment, and in that way it works for everyone.