Fri 28th April: Adoptathon Weekend coming

Now safe and being treated at Acorn

I've heard plenty of strange stories doing this work for so many years, but there are still new ones that surprise me.  Today it was regarding the two vizsla-cross dogs that were caught on Thursday evening in the Shung Mun Country Park after having been spotted wandering as strays.  Volunteers brought the pair to our Tai Po Homing Centre at midday, and they were sent on to Ap Lei Chau where I was waiting to meet them.

My original plan had been to go to AFCD to have the dogs microchipped and rabies vaccinated, but seeing them in their crates in the back of the van looking so bewildered I decided to go straight to Acorn and have it done there.  As it turned out it was a good move as the dogs were covered in ticks and one of them was very anaemic, an indicator of tick fever.  The other one had a very swollen face due to an abscess from what looked like a bite, and although his red cell count wasn't too low both were kept in hospital and are being treated for tick fever as a precaution.

Why would you do this?

While still out and about I got a message from Tai Po letting me know that someone was claiming to know the owner of the dogs, and that they had in fact lived very close to our Homing Centre.  I was even sent photos of two dogs that did look very similar, although they had strange patterns shaved into their coats, all over their bodies.

Regardless of whether these two are the same pair that are now at Acorn, there can be no claim of legal ownership as neither were microchipped (they are now of course) and they were picked up a long way from Tai Po, starving and tick-infested.  I'm waiting to hear what the explanation might be but that doesn't change the fact that by law all dogs must be licenced (microchipped and vaccinated against rabies), and there is no excuse for not having it done.

Incidentally, I was told that the age for rabies vaccination and licensing has been changed from five to three months, so please make a note if you have a young puppy.

Dylan loves his toys

In the run-up to Sunday's Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon there was happy news about five month-old Dylan, whose foster status has quickly been upgraded to adopted.  Maybe we'll see him in Sunday so the paperwork can be formalised and his adoption photo taken. As it happens, this weekend is the Pet Adoptathon so we would like to include as many as possible to add to the adoption cause.

Baggy-no-eyes but happy

Another lucky behind-the-scenes puppy is Baggy, the sharpei baby whose eyes had to be removed, as he moved from foster to his forever home.  The stitches have just been removed and he is apparently a very happy and sweet boy, unaffected by not being able to see as he has known nothing else. Once again I want to thank his foster parents for being there for him after his rescue and surgery, and for making all the difference to a puppy's life.

Tai Po doglets and the volunteers from Fossil Group

Of course there are also older puppies (four months up) you can meet at our Tai Po Homing Centre any day of the week from 10am to 6pm,  and here they all are with a team of volunteers from Fossil Group who were helping out for the day.  There are exactly eighteen puppies and doglets now at our Tai Po Homing Centre waiting for homes, and they are all gorgeous!

We also have puppies living at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and they are mainly the small-to-medium sized, like current residents One, Ruth, Dolly and Nova.  They are all super-sweet and friendly pups, and of course they will be at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday.

Rafi loves everyone, including current foster Anne

One doglet who's still in foster and has sadly been in several so far is Rafi, possibly the sweetest boy of all (although they are all sweet of course).  He started off being taken into foster care as a two week-old baby along with his four littermates, all of whom have since been adopted.  In fact Rafi was one of the first to be chosen, and I didn't see him again until he was suddenly returned, not having been vaccinated or had anything done since he was adopted.  Naturally that side of things has all been taken care of now but what's missing is a new home.  Every temporary homes has said the same thing, that Rafi is a total softie, fantastic with other dogs, cats and children, and on top of that he is totally house trained.  What more could any family want?

Come and meet our dogs and puppies any day of the year at either of our Homing Centres, Ap Lei Chau and Tai Po, or every Sunday at Whiskers N Paws.  The sun is out, the rain has (temporarily) stopped and it's going to be a great weekend for choosing your new family member!