Mon 21st Nov: If only we could fast forward

Cindy and Murphy

Two of my Lamma dogs, Murphy and Cindy, went over to Acorn first thing and I am no different from any other dog parents when it comes to sending my "kids" off on their own and I worry constantly about them.  Both dogs are seniors and very attached to me, and while Murphy was on his way to be checked to see if he could be a suitable candidate for a new kind of stem cell therapy, Cindy was having yet another lump removed.  I was afraid this was a return of the cancer she had already had two surgeries for, and later on in the day Dr Tony confirmed that it was indeed that.  At least Cindy had an extra good year added to her life following the previous lump removals and even up until today was still going for the daily walk and eating well, so who knows how she will do after this latest surgery. I'm not expecting miracles but I would like her to be able to enjoy her final months.

Failed again and I am so sad. 

As sad as I am about Cindy she has had a good life, especially as she is not what I could call "normal" (I think of her as being somewhat autistic).  I am much more upset about the young dogs who are still waiting, or those who are taken home several times but then returned.  Bomber is one of those, and he came back today because there was an elderly father in the home who needed a walking stick, and Bomber didn't like that at all.  The really sad thing is that at our Homing Centre he has no behaviour issues at all with people, and is as sweet and cuddly with men as he is with women.  It's just that the stress of moving to a new place, even if it's a million times nicer in every way, makes him react badly.  It's the same with poodle Maya, another very sweet young poodle girl who is lovely with everyone at the Homing Centre.  She too has been taken and returned more than once, and I just wish we could fast forward that difficult settling period.

Peanut is wary of strangers but you aren't a stranger for long

New girl Peanut is similar in that she is wary of strangers, and that doesn't help when all sorts of people have been to meet her and have been scared off by her initial behaviour.  I was a stranger to her when I took her out of AFCD and she didn't like me either, but after sitting on my lap for the drive to and from Acorn, when I went into the Homing Centre today she was so happy to see me and crawled onto my lap for a cuddle.   It didn't take much at all to change her attitude or feelings.

We have a new challenge at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, a puppy I accepted after having been told its very sad - horrible really - background.  The poor little thing was apparently due to be eaten (being black) so someone rescued her from that situation, but it was almost a literal case of "out of the frying pan into the fire" when the new family really didn't have any clue about taking care of a puppy, especially an abused one.  So now it's our job to restore the pup's faith in humankind and I hope it's not too late.