Fri 6th May: Why we changed our systems

I have at least found records that show Taco was adopted as a 6-month puppy

I don't think there is ever a day when there isn't one sort of emergency, or at least a difficult case to deal with.  Today it concerned a chihuahua that I was told had ended up in a pet shop cage after having been abandoned on Lantau and picked up by someone.  The background story is still unclear as phone reception is terrible where I live and I only picked up bits and pieces, but the situation is definitely that there is a little dog who seems to have been passed around, eventually dumped and who ended up being rescued (and is infected with heartworm).  The story in itself isn't unusual, sadly, and you may wonder how this involves me and HKDR.  Well it turned out that the chihauhua has a microchip and that I am still the registered owner.

In the very early days of HKDR we didn't have the systems that we have now, and back then when a dog was adopted we used to hand over the license with instructions on how to arrange change of registered owner.  After it became apparent that this wasn't happening and dogs were turning up at AFCD and elsewhere with my name still on the license, we changed our procedures and now handle everything ourselves.  This chihuahua came to us in 2008 while we were still based on Pokfulam, and now I have to start going through all old emails to see if I can find who actually adopted Taco. We have two foster homes recorded, one of which has offered to take Taco back to see him through his heartworm treatment, but that doesn't change the fact that this poor little guy has had a very tough time and I'm on the warpath.

Thanks to everyone for a great response to the urgent requests to send emails of support for the Proposed Amendments to the Cap139b Animal Trader Licensing Laws, and for those of you who weren't able to get anything done in time don't worry, there will be a need for further support in the coming months.

My Weather Widget has promised good weather for the weekend, which is good news for the PAWsome dogs going to Tamar Park in Central today, as well as all of the new and older puppies that will be having fun at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday.  Of course we want to see as many being adopted as possible, but if you can't offer a lifelong home then we are also urgently in need of foster homes. Older puppies Sophie and Babette have been staying at Whiskers N Paws full time since January when they were very kindly offered temporary accommodation during the time I was ill and off work, the assumption being that they would be adopted from there.  However, with the downturn in adoptions across Hong Kong during the early part of 2016, Sophie and Babette are still waiting, as are many of their contemporaries like Banjo, Jill and Athena.   Sophie and Babette's stay has been extended many times in the hope that they will be the lucky ones, or failing that one of the other older pups will leave the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and create a space for the girls to move in, but so far that hasn't happened.  This Sunday is the deadline and we really, really have to get at least two of the older puppies into homes, whether just for now or for ever, so please come along to meet them all if you are in the market for a wonderful four-legged companion.

There are so many older puppies still waiting to be chosen