Tues 19th July: Stop the crop!

Doberman Tessa has been used for breeding

The new dogs arrived from AFCD Sheung Shui today, and once again I was left saddened and angry about the condition of them.  Like the golden retriever Gaby, who came with the last group from the same Animal Management Centre, the doberman girl (now Tessa) has clearly been used for breeding as her teats are long and disfigured. She also has cropped ears, a totally meaningless and unnecessary cruelty that needs to be banned, just as it is in many European countries.  Ironically, I received an email just today from someone who adopted a poodle from HKDR and is planning to move to Switzerland, where docking tails and cropping ears in strictly forbidden. I was asked if we could provide evidence to show that the poodle was adopted with his tail already cut because mutilated dogs are not allowed to enter the country.  Good for Switzerland.

Lena and Skye

The two year-old golden retriever, who has been called Lena, has heartworm and a skin problem, and may well have been kept outside.  She is actually not a pure golden retriever, but so many people buy puppies without knowing the first thing about them that breeders can get away with calling a dog anything they want.  We have seen all sorts of mongrels and mixed breeds with licenses showing them as fancy breeds. It makes no difference to the dog of course, and I can honestly say that you wouldn't find a sweeter and more loving character than Lena, but she isn't a "real" golden retriever.

The Scottie has chronic ear problems, which we had been told about beforehand, and he will need surgery on the ear canals.  It may be too late to be able to salvage what is left of them but I know the dog is in the best hands with Dr Tony.

The dog with the least problems, in fact none at all, is the mixed breed Skye that came as part of the group, but I'm still betting that the others will be chosen first.  I can't wait for the day when breed "racism" is as outdated as the human kind, but I don't think I'll live to see that happen.

Penny was adopted on Sunday

Luckily there are more and more people who know that a dog is a dog and that whatever handle it comes with means absolutely nothing, or is even a guarantee of high vet bills and ill health.  So thank you to the family who chose Penny on Sunday, and to our now-double adopter and failed foster Anne who confirmed the adoption of puppy Creamy, who is now Bella.  Anne had already taken Stanley home in May (photo) before offering to become a foster parent too, but it didn't take long for Creamy to win her (and her husband's) heart.

Creamy was wet when these photos were taken

I picked Murphy up from Acorn today after his surgery to remove one eye, and of course he was very happy to see me and to get out of his cage.  He seemed not to be at all bothered about anything that had happened and enjoyed a paddle in the sea before being taken into the house, but later on I realised that it was the effects of the pain-killing drip that had made him so oblivious.  By bed time he was already starting to whimper, and I was woken many times in the night by his cries.  I know he will heal and recover quickly, but right now he is not a happy boy at all.

Over the years I have rescued and re-homed many thousands of dogs and puppies, as well as a variety of other small creatures (oh, and one pig), but it was a first today when I was asked if I could find a "home" for ten full-length fur coats that had been bequeathed to someone in a will but were not wanted.  The new owner of these coats, being a vegetarian,  also didn't want to sell them and was looking for a way they could be used without ever being worn again.  I was more than happy to put her in touch with an anti-fur group who had said yes, they could make good use of the coats, so I look forward to receiving updates on my latest success story.