Fri 2nd Sept: Dodging the downpours

I had an appointment with a TVB crew to film at Tai Po for a programme about breeders and the Hong Kong pet trade, which was going ahead despite the intermittent and sudden downpours.  The rain was incredibly heavy during the boat ride over to Aberdeen and continued until we reached Tai Po itself, at which point it was suddenly dry and we were able to complete the filming without interruption. I'm not sure when the programme will be aired but no doubt I'll be told when a date is set.

Super-sweet Gaby, mother of too many

One of the dogs I introduced to the camera was Gaby, an incredibly sweet golden retriever who has been used for breeding.  She has had many adoption interviews, and while everyone agrees she is lovely she has been politely rejected by all because of her loose and hanging "undercarriage", the result of having had too many litters over too short a period of time. It's very sad that something as superficial as this should stand in the way of a home, but that's life; unfair.

The five small dogs from AFCD Sheung Shui had been picked up in the morning and taken to Acorn Vet Hospital for their health checks and vaccinations, so after leaving the Tai Po Homing Centre I went straight to Sai Yung Pun to  collect them.  I'd only seen photos so was keen to take a look at the dogs in real life, especially the "black chihuahua" that was listed but which I hadn't been able to pick out in the photos.  Peering into the crates in the waiting area I could only see two schnauzers (one actually a mix) in one crate and three very small dogs in another but no chihuahua, only a tiny Yorkie. I couldn't recall there being a Yorkshire terrier on the list of dogs so pulled the little thing out of the crate and asked if he could be scanned to see if the microchip number matched the black chihuahua's, which it did.  I'm not really sure how anyone, even someone with eyesight as poor as mine is now,  could confuse a gold-and-grey Yorkie with a black chihuahua (especially as I have never seen one that colour), but stranger things have happened.  I informed AFCD of the mix-up and they will issue a new license accordingly, but for the record we now have a very small Yorkie available.

The dog on the right is the "black chihuahua"

Tyler has his own home now

I'm hoping the weekend will be a busy one for adoptions so we can move at least some of the dogs out of the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, and in fact two left today.  One was the very sweet surrendered Sheltie, and the other the "schnoodle" that was one of the five that came to us as a group from one home.

Cookie the schnoodle was the first of her group to go

I had thought I had an adopter for the incredibly cute "panda" pup that also came to us on Thursday, and had even got as far as putting her on a sampan to send her across from Lamma to Ap Lei Chau to be there for the arranged meeting, only to receive a message from the Homing Centre letting me know that the deal was off.  I had to call the sampan to come back with the puppy so was less than impressed.  I have no doubt at all that this particular baby will be adopted in a flash and if you are interested then I suggest you come to Whiskers N Paws as early as possible (that means at two o'clock when we start).

Who wouldn't love this panda pup?

This will be the last Sunday for our current van driver Michael, so we are once again looking for a replacement if you know of any dog-loving drivers in need of a job.