Mon 16th May: Parker and Rudy

Goodbye Parker, lucky boy

Two dogs left our Tai Po Homing Centre today, although in very different circumstances.  Parker took the usual and favoured route of adoption, and I'm sure he'll do really well as he's a lovely boy.  He got his name because he was abandoned in a dog park as a doglet and was one of the lucky ones that we were able to take in.   Now his story is complete and yet another file can be closed, joining the thousands of others from previous years.

I can't help thinking that Rudy is probably in a better place now

Rudy's final chapter didn't have the same happy ending after he was rushed to Acorn in the morning after being found pretty much unresponsive, and never regained consciousness.  He had been with us since the very early days of our Tai Po occupancy although not many volunteers would even have known him as he was one of the very timid dogs who avoided human interaction.  A large part of me believes these types of dogs, who never accept being domesticated, should be living free even if it means a short life, and although it was Rudy's real heart that gave up, maybe his emotional heart did too.

Paddy pre-makeover

Our new Maltese boy, Paddy, went to Whiskers N Paws today for a complimentary makeover today, and although he is totally blind he is a very sweet and happy boy.  We have no way of knowing how long he has been unable to see, but dogs that are born blind or lose their sight at an early age are no different to other dogs.

Roley has absolutely no idea that he can't see

  My born-blind Lamma dog Roley even has better "eyesight" than his seeing counterparts, and nothing escapes him.  It amazes me that he knows if I am holding something, however small, and can chase and retrieve a stick or ball with 100% accuracy.  Jeremy, on the other hand, suddenly went blind quite recently at eleven years of age and he is still really struggling to cope.  Overnight he went from a very healthy and fully active dog to one who barely walks more than a few tentative steps, and I have to lead him in and out of the house for his toilet needs.  It's very hard for me to see him as he is now and I can only hope that he will eventually gain some confidence in his other remaining senses.

Although it's not exceptionally hot at the moment, I need to remind everyone about the dangers of leaving dogs in cars, even in the shade.  There have already been a few cases of this happening so far this year, and no matter what the outside temperature is, when shut inside a car it only takes a very short time for a dog to suffer heatstroke and die. Please don't leave your dog inside a car with the windows closed, or even sightly open, as it's a terrible way for an animal to die.   If you see a dog in a car like this please call the police, or even break a window if you can see the dog is already in distress.