Sun 18th Sept: All good news until .....

Pepe was the first lucky pup of the afternoon

The puppy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws got off to a flying start today and continued until we were totally sold out of youngsters.  The first to go was Pepe, with his siblings Fifi and Nana following (this litter of three already had names when they came to us in case you're wondering).

Nana and her Mama and Dada

Tiny Puma also found her forever home, and after months of fostering nobody was surprised when long-term volunteer photographer Semirah, and her husband, finally caved in and signed the formal adoption papers for Buster and Minivan (mini Vanilla, their other female).

Fifi already has a bigger sister in Sasha

Puma will go to work every day in Horizon Plaza!

I have been loathe to mention it in case I break the spell, but this year seems to have seen the beginning of the effects of years of (unofficial) Trap, Neuter and Release/Return with far fewer puppies appearing at AFCD than in previous years.  This could be an artificial downturn as a result of so many other rescue groups setting up and taking in puppies, as well as a general fear of AFCD and their "kill" policy, but this is the first time in HKDR history when we have twice homed all puppies on a Sunday.  I know that there are still many unwanted puppies being born and in need of homes but they aren't ending up at AFCD, which is where we get our dogs and puppies from for the most part, so something is changing.   We know for a fact that TNR for cats, which has been officially sanctioned for many years now, has made a huge difference to the stray cat situation and there have been periods when there has been a shortage of kittens for adoption.  If this can really be happening for puppies too it will be the greatest victory in a long fought battle against ridiculous bureaucracy, and real cause for celebration.  I have been waiting for the day when there is a waiting list for mongrel puppies, and while that is still a fantasy scenario perhaps we are at least heading in the right direction.

The photographer photographed: Semirah and Glen formally adopt Buster and Minivan

Over at Tai Po there were two lucky dogs: Snow, who went for a trial with recently-adopted lookalike husky King, and Posy, who is also having a trial period with her family.

Snow and King: who is who?

So it was all good news until the message came that Goa, who had gone for typhoon (don't laugh) fostering, had jumped out of the taxi that was about to take everyone home after a lovely hike on Dragon's Back, from Big Wave Bay at the tip of Hong Kong island. She was still attached to her leash so would be fairly easy to get hold of if she could be seen and approached, but she ran from Big Wave Bay car park through the village and back up into the hills and could be anywhere now.

Goa is still wearing harness, collar and leash