Sat 21st July: Happy adoptions and the end of the Macau Canidrome

This was really and in-and-out adoption!

I know everyone likes reading the happy adoption news more than anything else, so I'll start with the little (fat) mini beagle who was surrendered in the morning and walked straight out of the Homing Centre again with her new family.  She's already settling well in her new home and I look forward to seeing updated photos of a slimmer and more active dog.  Beagles are notorious for being incredibly greedy and everything counts as food.  You have to be very careful about putting things away, including rubbish bins, and with the beagle's exceptional sense of smell they can sniff out a sausage from a mile away.

This was Tom Tom's previous life - a cage

Also very happy news from Tai Po as another dog from the closed-down shelter left to start a new life in a fantastic home, and while we have been asked not to share photos I can say that Tom Tom must think he's died and gone to heaven.

The sun is out and the puppies will be able to run around outside on the terrace at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday, so if nothing else they will have fun.  Of course I really hope that there will be more than just fun to write about tomorrow, and that I'll be sharing some adoption photos in my blog.

The Macau Canidrome, the dog racing track, closed today, bringing an end to the greyhounds' miserable life of win or die, and after all sorts of arguments and accusations, IACM, the Macau equivalent of Hong Kong's AFCD, have been left with a huge number of now-homeless dogs, with many sick or injured.  While adoption events have been taking place every weekend and some dogs have already been signed over, that doesn't mean that they are free to leave immediately as there are lengthy procedures that need to be gone through first, including desexing, rabies vaccinations and antibody titre tests, quarantine (hard to find in a small place like Macau) - and that's just to start.  Anima Macau, the large rescue group there, have been posting daily updates on www.facebook.com/animamacau if you are interested in following the story, while some of the greyhounds have already started the process of being brought to Hong Kong.   AFCD have published the requirements for entry on their website https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_ipab/qua_ie_ipab_idc/AFCD_Import_of_Retired_Racing_Greyhound.html

Melody is currently undergoing the required quarantine in Macau

One of the dogs who was adopted earlier this month and has already been desexed and titre tested is available for adoption if anyone is genuinely interested.  Vetting for adoption will be more stringent than usual as these dogs have never been pets and have been trained to chase a lure as fast as they can.  They will almost certainly need a period of adjustment to live in a normal home, although by nature the breed are very sweet.

If you are interested in adopting six year-old Melody please first complete the adoption questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt) and if suitable I can send all the details about what needs to be done.   There will also be a financial commitment which is well over and above the standard adoption fee.  Due to the lengthy quarantine period, Melody won't actually be a free Hong Kong dog until October, just to give you and idea of the timing. However adopters will need to register their details immediately to begin the AFCD end of the laborious (and in my mind totally unnecessary) process.