Mon 31st July: Fixing up the little ones

No idea what this Yorkie-sized "breed" is

The new ex-breeder dogs had to go to AFCD for license updates after they had been checked over at Acorn.  The only recognisable poodle had no microchip so Dr Tony assessed her as being six years, two Yorkies had expired licenses and there was an additional who-knows-what breed, a small and very cute little dog who could be a poodle-Yorkie cross, favouring the Yorkie look rather than the poodle. The recently surrendered two year-old poodle girl was also part of the group as it turned out that on top of everything else that was never done, she didn't have a license either.   It was quite a collection,  and not one of them had valid paperwork if any at all, so the new breeder regulations don't seem to be working too well yet (if at all).

The youngster at 5 years

Of course I asked about any new dogs (noticing in passing that the kennels that had previously been occupied were now empty, and knowing exactly what that meant), and was told there was one surrendered Maltese, nine years old.  It turned out this happy and affectionate little girl had been handed in because she has a skin problem, hardly a surprise for a small white dog as it's more common than not.  So whatever her name will be joined the gang heading back to Ap Lei Chau and she'll be sent to Acorn on Tuesday.

Sizzle before and after

So many, if not most of our small dogs come to us with some health issue and in poor condition, and while it's sad that they are thrown away for such treatable problems at the same time I'm happy that they were.  At least it means that we can get them back on track and into foster homes, or at the very least a place to stay at the Homing Centre until they are adopted.  Sizzle is a perfect example of this, as he came to us with a very thin coat and a bald "rat's tail".  We started medication before he went to his foster home, and now his adoption has been confirmed and his coat is thick and full.

Sizzle is part of a lovely family now

Sun 30th July: A happy farewell to Troy

Lots of friends turned out to say goodbye to Troy

I think the fact that it was much busier last Sunday during the non-typhoon was a good indicator of the heat today, and staying indoors with air conditioning was most peoples' preference.  There were a few visitors of course, and a farewell party for ex-HKDR Troy who is leaving for the UK this week, but no actual adoptions at Whiskers N Paws, only puppy Max(imus) saying goodbye to his brother as he was taken for a trial.  His new "brother" will be Ziggy, who was Wigbert as an HKDR puppy, and who has grown into the most loving of adults.  In fact I can't think of a sweeter-natured dog, and it's a wonderful home for Maxi, but sad at the same time that the two baby pups have to be separated.  It happens to almost all puppies at a certain age and Maxi is certainly lucky that he will still have a friend in Ziggy, and Mini will have the comfort of familiar surroundings and a loving foster family.  Still, he will be lonely for sure.

Maxi and Mini: breaking up is hard to do

Here's the photo album for the afternoon, courtesy of this week's volunteer photographer Dani Bartlett

Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) added 107 new photos to the album Puppy Adoption Day 30 July 2017

Thank you Grenache!

Grenache, a hairless Chinese crested dog adopted some time ago by one of our HKDR volunteers, came to present a cheque donation to celebrate being fifteen year old.  This breed regularly wins the Ugliest Dog of the Year competitions and I'll say no more, except thank you to Sharon who loves her little girl very much.

Piper was adopted and Vera taken for fostering

The two new breeder golden retrievers, Vera and Piper, left Tai Po together, Piper as an adoption and Vera for fostering.  I bet they can't believe their luck moving from the horrors of a breeder to the comfort of a soft bed and air conditioning.

Four new breeder dogs arrived at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, two poodles and two Yorkshire terriers, three of which have heartworm and two also tick fever.  They aren't puppies or even particularly young dogs, and I can't say too many times that anyone who buys puppies from pet shops or breeders are supporting a terrible trade in animal cruelty.   The dogs will all go to Acorn and AFCD on Monday after which we'll have more information on age and health status, but please foster if you can.  Email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com.

Sat 29th July: Poodle day at Ap Lei Chau

Alice Lau is one of our recommended Positive Trainers

The first in our new series of Workshops, "Puppy Basic Training" took place today at WOW Pet Shop, and everyone had a good time while learning the importance of good puppy manners and socialisation.  Thanks to Alice Lau for her time and expertise, and to our own HKDR trainer, Cactus, for arranging.

Next week's Workshop will be "Caring for Senior Dogs" and here's the link if you are interested in signing up (Cantonese language only) http://hongkongdogrescue.com/education-training/workshop/

The face that says it all: I'm adopted (Benedict)

It was a day for poodles at Ap Lei Chau today, with foster boy Benedict having his adoption confirmed, new girl Connie being adopted and another two year-old (female) surrender arriving.

Connie is a very lucky girl

This new poodle has the same skin problem as little Kit had when she first arrived, and despite the now ex-owners claiming they had spent a lot of money taking her to the vet for unsuccessful treatment, the words "pants on fire" sprung to mind as they refused to make any sort of donation towards their dog's ongoing care, treatment or desexing.  It also seems pretty clear that the knees will require surgery too, very typically of so many small dogs.

Just 2 years old and in need of a full makeover

Talking of terrible dog owners, the malamute arrived at our Tai Po Homing Centre in the afternoon, rather later than we had expected or hoped for, and very stressed. We really need a place for this poor dog to stay as it's far too hot for a malamute to be outside.  However, this is not a breed for beginners or children, and as we haven't had time to assess behaviour we will insist on experienced adopters or fosters only, and preferably with outside space.  I'm waiting to hear from AFCD with details of age and if there is any registered owner, but I can guarantee that there will be no prosecution for abandonment regardless.

An experienced home is urgently needed for this boy

There was another sad ending which could be classified as serious neglect, but may be because of the ex-owner's own serious illness.  This was the cocker spaniel that came to us from the same home as poodle Connie, adopted today, and peke cross Wally.   It had been clear that Claudia was very weak and thin, and she was kept in hospital for observation when I took her there for her initial check-up, having already decided against having her rabies vaccinated due to her condition.  Pancreatitis was suspected, but her condition deteriorated rather than improved after a day on fluids, and a scan showed a hugely enlarged gall bladder which was in danger of bursting at any moment.  With all of the various symptoms combined and her very weak condition, I agreed to let her go.

I had to let this poor girl go

Fri 28th July: Poor little Gus

Gus's last friend 

The sweet little peke, Gus, who had been abandoned on the street by his owner but was adopted despite his obvious illness, died today. What is almost always a benign tumour in Gus's case was malignant, and the testicular cancer had already spread.  The decision was made to go ahead with surgery sooner rather than later as Gus was having real problems emptying his bladder, but once his true condition was discovered his adopter agreed that it would be best to let him go when he was already asleep.  So clearly the ex-owner, the one who dumped him, knew very well that there was no hope, so his or her actions were really unforgivable.  The only happy part of this sad story is that Gus spent his last day and night in a loving home environment, and for that I am really grateful.

Sadly people can be really cruel when it comes to their pets, and I have just received a message about a husky (perhaps malamute) that was left behind in a house when the family moved out.  We'll take him in and see if there's a chip or any license and then see what can be done.

Minnie (smaller) is adopted while Middie waits for a home

Pom Minnie was the lucky dog at Ap Lei Chau today as she had her adoption confirmed, so we will be ready to receive the three new breeder dogs that are supposed to be arriving this coming weekend, two Yorkies and a poodle.  We have no information yet about age or condition so can't give that if anyone asks.  We'll only know once the dogs arrive.

Although more rain is supposed to be coming it looks as though it will be fine for Sunday's puppy afternoon, and unless it's another typhoon (please not!) we'll be there.

Imagine living your whole life like this

Thurs 27th July: Having to let go

A memory of Waldo and Minty

I said goodbye to my foster pups Waldo and Minty today as they left for their new home together, Waldo forever and Minty on a foster basis.  I forgot how attached you can get to little ones in such a short time and I was so worried about them and how they would cope with spending the afternoon at the Homing Centre and then in their new place, and concerned that they would be scared.  I needed to know that the new family would give Waldo the cuddles he loves, and not forget Minty's daily medicine, but letting go is something I have had to get used to over the years.   Looking back over the photos on Facebook and seeing so many puppies that have since been adopted, it's hard to believe and even harder to remember them all clearly.
(I received a lovely update this morning reassuring me that both puppies were fine).

Poor Chewy with a runny nose

I had to take German shepherd(ish) Chewy to AFCD to have a rabies vaccination today, not because it was due but because she's been adopted and is going to be moving to Taiwan, strangely one of the most difficult and complicated countries to get a dog into.  I heard a rumour that it was kept that way to deter people from importing dogs into Taiwan, although I have no idea if it's true.  Anyway the long process has now begun for Chewy to move to her new home, and it's a huge relief to know she will not have to stay at Tai Po any longer.  For those of you know don't know, or have forgotten, Chewy has a serious allergy to the Homing Centre and her nose runs with a thick and horrible mucous when she stays there.  As soon as she leaves, for example even an overnight stay at Acorn when she went for testing, it stopped, and started again when she returned to Tai Po.

Cocker Claudia is quite ill

The three newly-surrendered dogs went to AFCD and Acorn too, but the cocker spaniel was too ill and weak to have any kind of vaccination.  No dog that isn't healthy should be vaccinated against anything, whether it's rabies or infectious diseases, and now-called Claudia is staying in hospital for further tests and assessment. The poor girl could barely stand and had big lumps of dangling hair which had to be shaved off, and I really have to wonder what and how these dogs were living before coming to us.

It seems like a long time since the last Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon, and in fact it will be two whole weeks thanks to last Sunday's non-typhoon cancellation.  However we'll be back again this Sunday with our lovely hopefuls, all that bit older now and many already fully vaccinated and licensed.

Max and Mini are the youngest hopefuls

Weds 26th July: Tai Po renovation fosters needed PLEASE!

Pretty cocker spaniel girl

The third of the four dogs coming to us from the very sick owner arrived today, a cocker spaniel of around ten years.  This is a breed that we really don't see very often any more, probably due to the fact that spaniels really need a lot of exercise, their over-long ears are prone to infection and the dogs that were being used for breeding purposes were passing on poor personality genes.  We saw quite a few nutcases in those early days of HKDR, a couple of which are still around and as mad as ever.  Of course there were and are the sweet ones too so I don't want to put anyone off this new girl, but first of all we have to get her licensed and vet-checked, both of which are well overdue.

Piper (l) and Vera

The ex-breeder golden retrievers now have names:  Piper for the four year-old and Vera for the older of the two (at seven years).  At the same time we had a lovely update from Corey's adopter, and he's doing very well, much better than at Tai Po where the environment can be very stressful for dogs that have previously been pets.

Corey is so happy in his new home

We are finally ready to start the major renovation work at Tai Po, a mammoth task which anyone who has visited the site will appreciate.  It's taken a long time to raise enough money to carry out the re-building of fences, repair of crumbling concrete and construction of "sala" platform/shelters for the dogs, and just as importantly the workforce to actually carry out the work.  The materials are in place and the actual work will begin next week, so there is just one major problem still left to resolve which is what to do with the dogs occupying the individual enclosures as they are repaired one by one?   Sending dogs out to "renovation fosters" seems to be the best solution if we can manage it, so please email Eva at eva@hongkongdogrescue.com if you can take in a guest for a while.  It could be a week for each enclosure, I'm not really sure, but obviously as we work round the site there are going to be different dogs in need of a place to stay.

Tues 25th July: Breeders and butchers

A very cute mix of sorts

As I find myself constantly repeating, we have new dogs arriving all the time so even if you don't find "The One" on your first visit, please keep checking so you don't miss him or her. Today's newcomers at Ap Lei Chau were two of four expected from the same home, the owner being very ill and in hospital in a serious condition. These two are a poodle (six years) and a very cute mix of all sorts, age unconfirmed but around ten years.

6-year old poodle

They join our little community of smaller-sized dogs at the Homing Centre, some of which are profiled here in these short videos made by volunteer Harryn.  Almost all of them came to us in very poor condition, with Trafford having been pretty much bald, Coral with very bad skin and blind, Kit also balding due to demodex and Tibs with a variety of health problems.  I look at them now and feel very proud of what our team have achieved, staff, volunteers and vets, and happy to believe that all of them will find homes fairly soon.

Trafford

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d5wlhis5hhcqgzt/Video%2025-7-2017%2C%207%2055%2059%20PM.mov?dl=0

Coral

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sbfr7hmk3scri46/Video%2025-7-2017%2C%208%2012%2048%20PM.mov?dl=0

Kit

https://www.dropbox.com/s/p7p8blzavi4skrd/Video%2025-7-2017%2C%208%2029%2029%20PM.mov?dl=0

Maisy

https://www.dropbox.com/s/te8wjhxpy84sd9w/Video%2025-7-2017%2C%208%2040%2003%20PM.mov?dl=0

Tibs

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tyy7wdlya5ou4nn/Video%2025-7-2017%2C%208%2049%2024%20PM.mov?dl=0

Matchstick is as tiny as she looks

Some dogs require drastic surgery, or have lifelong consequences of butchers who are either so-called vets working for breeders, or are the breeders themselves performing horrible mutilations.  The tiny poodle Matchstick, who weighs just a little over one kilo, had to have a back leg amputated today after being surrendered by a breeder who had obviously left an early bone break untreated. Matchstick is still only a year old but the damage affected the leg's growth and nothing could be done. She will be fine on three legs, and her foster agreed that getting rid of the dragging and useless leg could only be a good thing.

Mandy Maltesy

Mandy Maltesy is another victim of butchery, her tail having been so savagely docked that the nerves controlling the anal sphincter have been destroyed.  This means that there is no sensation when Mandy need to poo and she is even unaware that it's happening.  The good news is that she's very regular and poos after each meal (twice daily), so it's a manageable situation.  I always thought Mandy was tiny, because she weighs only two kilos, but next to Matchstick she seems quite large!

The 4 year-old girl

Two more ex-breeder dogs are now at our Tai Po Homing Centre, golden retriever girls, both of whom are very sweet.  One is seven years old and the other four years, and as yet they don't have names.  Amazingly neither have heartworm either, although the older of the two has a yeasty skin and smelly ears while the younger seems to be relatively healthy. Give them a month (or two for the older) and they'll look like different dogs.

For all adoption enquiries, please complete the Adoption Questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt).

Mon 24th July: Microchips don't lie

Kate is around 18 months old and very sweet

Once again a microchip has uncovered what someone obviously thought would be an untraceable case of dumping an adopted dog, as when I took a lovely young female from AFCD today and checked her in at Acorn, her chip number was already in their records.  For once it wasn't an HKDR dog that had been registered there as a puppy and I was able to let the particular charity know, and naturally it was very upsetting.  There's really nothing worse than thinking you have sent a puppy off to a caring family who will keep their promise to look after him or her for ever, only to find that it has ended up at AFCD.  There is no hiding from the microchip information so we always know who the dumper is, but that doesn't change the fact that there is now and adult dog in need of a new home. Kate is now at Tai Po and she's a very sweet girl if anyone is interested in a young, toilet trained and ready-to-go family member.

I love sweet Enzo

I took four older puppies to AFCD today to have their rabies vaccinations and licenses issued, and one of them was Enzo, my particular favourite at the moment.  He's such a sweet and handsome boy with his long legs and clunky paws, and by coincidence I bumped into the adopter of his siblings, Molly and Herbie, at Acorn later on.  In contrast to Enzo, who was adopted as a baby for a very short time and then returned, his brother and sister were having the paperwork prepared for their move to Singapore, and a house with a garden.  It makes me so sad to think of the lost opportunity for Enzo to have found a lovely home himself when he was taken out of the picture for that all-important "golden period" and returned when it has passed and he was already that bit too old.

Molly and Herbie are moving to Singapore

We're holding a Sale in Causeway Bay right now, courtesy of Science Workshop who kindly offered their space, so you can go along to check it out until 11th August.

Sun 23rd July: See you next Sunday

It's extremely rare that I don't have any new or photos from a Whiskers N Paws Puppy Afternoon to share on a Monday, as it only happens if Christmas Day or Chinese New Year falls on a Sunday and the event doesn't take place.  I was all set to take puppies over today as usual, but like everyone else in Hong Kong was taken by surprise when news of an approaching typhoon was announced early in the morning, with the Signal 8 going up very quickly.  We all know that in the end nothing happened and there was barely a breeze let alone any strong gusts, but by the time all signals were taken down it was too late for the puppies.

Sizzle had a very thin coat when he first arrived but it's all grown back

However, thanks to the fact that the weather really wasn't bad at all,  the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre was crazily busy and quite a few dogs had been adopted or taken for foster or trial adoptions by the end of the day.  The lucky adopted dogs were pom May, pug Tucker and spitz-cross Sizzle from their foster homes, while schnauzer Bowie went to see how he and the resident dog can get on.

Bowie was another ex-breeder dog in poor condition

These pups came back from one foster and went straight out again

Two of the sharpei-cross babies came back from one foster home but weren't with us for too long before being taken by another, and with a view to adoption if there aren't any allergy problems.

We're all happy to see Sadie in a real home

Over at Tai Po it was German shepherd Sadie's time to leave, and I don't know why it took so long for her to find a home other than we were waiting for a suitable environment for a young and large dog.

Minty is so much better now

So while it was a really disappointing day in terms of the puppies that couldn't go to Whiskers N Paws, overall it was quite a success.  However, I am still looking for a foster home for my two little pups, Minty and Waldo, and if anyone can take in these friends for a while please let me know.

Sat 22nd July: Emergency Typhoon arrangements

Cameron and Tanner are now at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre

I have to jump ahead a day to start with, as the Typhoon Signal 8 now up and that means that Whiskers N Paws will be closed so no Puppy Afternoon can take place.   By chance I sent the two brothers Cameron and Tanner over to Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today (Saturday), so they are available to meet, as well as Elsa who was already there anyway.   Both Homing Centres, at Tai Po and Ap Lei Chau, will be open as we need to take care of the dogs regardless of the weather, and with the MTR still operating as usual there will be someone there.

Quite a few of our puppies are currently in foster homes too, so they are available to meet pretty much any day by arrangement.  The youngest of them (other than the sharpei-cross babies) are brothers Maximus (Maxi) and Minimus (Mini), beautiful youngsters by anyone's standards.  Contact Cindy if you are interested in giving one or both a home.  They will grow into large-ish adults.

Maxi (left) and Mini

Elsa is also at Ap Lei Chau

We also urgently need a new foster home for one pair of the sharpei puppies whose current foster can't continue to keep them, so please let Cindy know if you are able to help. Email foster@hongkongdogrescue.com as soon as possible, thank you.

Sadie and Rupert need a new foster home

At least it was a busy day at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre on Saturday, with our two tinies Mandy and Matchstick (poodle) being taken for fostering, and pom Alison adopted.

Alison found her forever family today

Fri 21st July: Liverpool Football Club Supporters have a new member!

Today was taken up with unexpected dramas, not helped by the fact that there wasn't a van again,  so it was good to get home at the end of the afternoon and have my spirits lifted by watching Waldo and Minty playing.  Waldo is smaller and younger than Minty but is the bolder of the pair, so they're an even match when it comes to wrestling. However even the enjoyment I get from seeing these two is somewhat marred by knowing the space they have is too small, but I have nowhere else to put them for now.   A foster home is really urgently needed so they can really run around and stretch their legs.

So tiny with legs like matchsticks

The ex-breeder poodle with the wonky leg arrived at Ap Lei Chau as promised, and she's a really tiny dog who makes even mini Mandy look a normal size.  She has an appointment to see Dr Tony on Tuesday so we will know if the leg can be fixed or will need to be amputated, but either way she will need a home or at least a foster.  At just a year old this little girl will easily adjust to having three legs if needed so I'm not at all concerned about that, and of the two options removing the leg is certainly the quickest way to resolve the issue.  Of course if surgery to repair the damage is possible we'll do it, but another clinic has already recommended amputation.  We'll see.

The weekend's coming and of course that means Whiskers N Paws Puppy Afternoon, and here's a lovely follow up to a happy adoption last Sunday.  Anfield will find herself with plenty of Liverpool Football Club Supporters fans now!

Anfield!

Alison was the teacher today, not the student

Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) added 29 new photos to the album Educational Talk- YMCA Junior Camper (20170721).

Ex-breeder pomeranian, Alison, represented HKDR at the YMCA Junior Campers talk today, along with Volunteer Teacher Cecilia and her dog Baltan, volunteer Harryn and our Education Manager Cactus.

7 year-old Alison was very calm and sweet even with so many children around her, so if you are interested in meeting her with a view to adoption she is waiting at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre. 

Thurs 20th July: The sharpei-cross pups celebrate being a month old

Legs too short, body too long, temperament too calm for a Frenchie

I had two new dogs to take to AFCD today, one a surrendered "fake bulldog", who was sold by a pet shop as a French bulldog puppy to someone who obviously didn't know any better.  Now a year old and looking distinctly un-Frenchie-like, the dog has been thrown out because a human baby replacement has come along.  I wonder if the now ex-owners ever realised they'd been conned, or if they continued to live in ignorance.  In fact as far as the dog is concerned, not being a real French bulldog is a bonus because this boy, now called Turpin, has a full nose and is calm and good with other dogs, something a Frenchie rarely is. Sadly he has inherited the cherry eye that is so common in the breed, and he also has demodex (mites in the skin), but nothing that is serious or contagious.

Gus is a very sweet boy

The second dog was the Pekingese I mentioned yesterday, found as a stray with a note giving his age and the fact that his owners couldn't afford to pay vet costs.  That's not surprising given the long list of things that are wrong, including a testicular tumour which is very obvious, bad skin and dry eye which has already caused blindness.  On the positive side, Gus (new name) is a very sweet boy and everything should be fixable except his eyesight.

Cameron has floppier ears than Tanner

I finally answered my own question about which of the two lookalike brothers was Cameron and which was Tanner when I took them to Acorn for their due vaccinations.  Being able to scan their microchips and look closely, I could see that Cameron's ears are floppier than Tanner's, although it's still hard to tell them apart from photographs.  I struggle to caption the Whiskers N Paws album when it comes to identifying these two, in the same way it was impossible with two previous puppy brothers, Lester and Wallace.

I could never tell Lester and Wallace apart

At least the now month-old sharpei-cross pups are identifiable, with the two cream-coloured ones being male and female and the other three being different colours.  They are available for adoption now as long as they go in pairs, or there is already a dog in the home that can be a playmate and companion.  I know from my own foster baby, Waldo, that these are lovely pups, very friendly, healthy and happy.  Contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you are interested to know more.  (I'm waiting for a photo of the black boy and golden girl, also in foster together).

Waldo is Minty's friend

Rupert and Sadie