Fri 31st Aug: End of a season

It's the end of the week, end of the month. and also the end of the summer and all of the holidays.  For us and the dogs I hope that means a busy time ahead as we enter the final quarter of 2018 and the start of the fundraising season, plus of course a traditionally good period for adoptions.  Hopefully that will start this weekend, at both of the Homing Centres and Whiskers N Paws on Sunday when we'll be back with the puppies for another session of play and cuddles.

The start of Peak to Fong 2017

You should already know if you are a regular reader of my blog that this year's Gala Fundraiser is taking place on Saturday 13th October, while Peak to Fong is a bit later than usual on Sunday 25th November.  The T-shirt designs for Peak to Fong are already underway and you won't be disappointed, so mark the date down in your diaries to make sure you don't miss out.

I'm still trying to think of a name for this adorable boy

I wrote yesterday about the new bichon puppy with the paralysed back legs, and got a really lovely surprise today when I was sent a video of him playing with Toto, the poodle puppy.  If ever there was an example of how animals don't let handicaps stand in the way of having fun it's this gorgeous little boy, and I just hope he can continue to enjoy life in the same way as he gets older.

Toto, who came to us as a very wobbly and uncoordinated poodle baby, is doing really well and has turned into a typical fun-loving and mischievous boy.  He's always trying to get the other dogs and puppies to play, and he's really ready for a home now.  He may always have the occasional wobble, but nothing too serious.  If you are interested in adopting Toto please complete the adoption questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt).

Toto has done much better than expected and is growing fast

Thurs 30th Aug: My hatred of breeders grows daily

Chowder is now Simba, the Lion King

We heard today that chow chow Chowder will be staying in his trial home as Simba, the Lion King, and he's doing really well.  He deserves the best after his horrible experience of being locked in a small outside cage, and I know his new family will treat him like a real king.

Chow Mein is a small and very sweet chow chow girl

Coincidentally I had to take our latest  chow chow addition to AFCD to have her license updated as it's due to expire in September.  Chow Mein is the small-sized girl who was destined to be a breeding dog but was saved from that life of hell by an infected eye which then became filled with maggots.  As horrendous as that was, the wounds have healed and surgery to have the eye removed is scheduled for Monday, and ultimately it was probably worth the short-term pain.  Chow Mein would have had to suffer for years if she had been used for breeding and instead we're sure she'll find a lovely home, just like Chowder-now-Simba did.  Chow Mein is very small for her breed and she's also a very happy and sweet dog who has settled well in the office with all of the others that are staying there.  She needs a foster home after her surgery, or even better a forever home if anyone is looking for a small-medium young adult who sounds like a running engine but is really a very sweet dog.

The puppy's back legs are permanently straight

As much as I have written of my loathing and contempt for breeders (and that includes the people who buy the puppies even knowing the misery that is hidden from sight), I am still shocked when I see more and more cases of dogs with genetic deformities being used to produce litters.  We took in an adorable bichon puppy today, just three months old but with his back legs so deformed that Dr Tony said there was nothing that could be done.  This sweet baby will never be able to walk, and I have to admit I would have agreed to euthansia had I not taken the puppy out of the crate and held him in my arms.  My heart melted along with my thoughts of doing what was kindest in the long run.  I remembered a very kind adopter who had previously offered to help in another case, and she has agreed to foster the bichon pup, and maybe he can be fitted with wheels at the back so he can run around and have fun like any normal puppy.

Both of these "broken" puppies came from the same breeder

I took the bichon back to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre where he ate three bowls of food in quick succession, and we put him together with Moomin, the three-legged pom.  They had a good sniffing and tail-wagging session, while Iris was telling me that all of these imperfect puppies came from the same breeder.  He has a pet shop in Mong Kok (of course) which specialises in tiny puppies, many of which are born with hopeless conditions.  I wish I knew who this breeder was, but unfortunately I don't.  All I can do is to educate, inform and beg people not to buy from these people or places.

Moomin is still tiny and can get around on his 3 legs.  

Moomin the pom is now ready for adoption as his post-surgery stitches have been removed and the wound healed.  However any adopter must be aware that the remaining knee isn't strong and will also need surgery at some time.  If you are interested in adopting Moomin please complete the adoption questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt).

Weds 29th Aug: A group of Slightly Imperfect Puppies

The 3 month-old bichon baby with a schnauzer haircut

We seem to be building a collection of small but slightly imperfect puppies at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, with another one due to arrive on Thursday.  This time it's a bichon frise baby with paralysed back legs, which we have been told is a genetic defect so we will wait for Dr Tony to take a look and tell us if anything can be done.  The puppy is otherwise bright and happy and I'm really hoping there is some kind of surgery that will help the poor little girl walk.

Dido went for a trial adoption today

The 3 slightly imperfect puppies: Maltese Poppet, poodle Toto and pom Moomin

At least one of the group left the Homing Centre today and that was Dido,  the Yorkiepoo who had been surrendered to us with a broken front leg (now fixed).

Another recent Ap Lei Chau addition was adopted today as Maggie the Japanese spitz was chosen to join her new family. 

Sweet spitz Maggie was adopted today

I know what I'm getting Murphy for Christmas, or maybe even just as a "cooler weather" present, after seeing puppy Jill at Whiskers N Paws in their new K9 Sports carrier.  It's been a while since Murphy's been able to join our morning walk, since the last Typhoon 10 we had which brought down trees across the path and prevented me from being able to use the buggy.  That was last year, and while Murphy still walks up to the woods every day and has a good sniff (of wild boar scent from the night before), he can't make the whole walk and he's too heavy to carry for an hour.  I know he'll be thrilled to be able to ride on my back and breathe in the atmosphere of the hike, with occasional stops for a walk on the path.

Puppy Jill trying out the K9 Sports Sack at Whiskers N Paws

Tues 28th Aug: Tick fever not welcome Down Under

Look at Henna's happy face now she's indoors and dry

For dogs that have a real home the ongoing rain is annoying, but not the end of the world because they can at least stay snug and dry indoors.  However most of the Tai Po dogs live outside, and while there is shelter in the form of dog houses, barrels and roofing, it's still very wet and humid and the older dogs are the ones who feel the damp the most.  Golden retriever Henna had been adopted from us a few years ago, then left behind when her family moved back to Australia (despite promises to us that they would take her with them).  At eleven years of age and used to being an indoor dog, this weather wasn't helping at all, and Henna developed an open sore on her underside from lying on wet ground.  We urgently needed a foster home and posted Henna's plight on Facebook, and I want to thank the many people who so kindly offered shelter in their homes for this poor old dog.  Henna was picked up late afternoon and was clearly very happy to be indoors again.   We very much hope that some other seniors will be given the chance to go to the other foster homes that were offered to Henna, even though they aren't golden retrievers.

Enzo needs a new home

King Charles Cavaliers are another very popular breed, and I was asked if we could help find a loving new home for a four year-old boy whose family have a human baby with serious allergies to the dog. I know it's a hard decision for them to give up their four-legged "son", and they have tried everything to alleviate their baby's symptoms but nothing has worked.  If you are interested in adopting Enzo and can promise him a forever home with lots of love, please complete the adoption questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt).

Dido's leg has been fixed and she doesn't even need a dressing

Another "breed" that is very popular, despite being a cross between a poodle and a Yorkshire terrier, is the so-called Yorkiepoo.  Dido was surrendered to us because of a broken front leg which was too expensive for the owner to have repaired.  Dr Tony fixed it, and eight month-old Dido is now back at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and ready to go to a new home.  She has plates in the leg which will need to be removed in a few month's time, but other than that she's as good as new.  Again anyone interested will need to complete the Adoption Questionnaire, and need to know that Dido is a very sweet girl but also needy for company, so a home-alone situation is out of the question.

Harper (left) with brother Wallace was adopted even though she had tick fever.  Her adopters aren't Australian so it's fine.

I took another puppy from AFCD today, and as expected she too has tick fever.  It's been a nightmare for tick fever this year, and although the "liquid gold" treatment works, it still means that the infected puppies can't go to Whiskers N Paws on Sundays so miss out on early adoption opportunities.   There's also the fact that any dog that has had any form of tick fever will almost cetainly fail the blood test needed to get into Australia or New Zealand, and that meant that Wallace couldn't be taken home by the family that fell in love with him today.  He came to us with tick fever, and while he's recovered after his treatment the family are from Australia and will be returning at some point.  It's so frustrating to have to tell a lovely adopter that the puppy they want isn't suitable because of tick fever, and the children were in tears of course.

Mon 27th Aug: Training made easy

Raisin is back at Ap Lei Chau from foster, and a really sweet puppy

It's incredible the number of dogs that are surrendered to us, either directly or via AFCD, that have never been trained in any way.  I'm not talking about being able to perform tricks, I'm referring to the very basic necessities such as toilet training and being able to walk on a leash.  I know many, if not most of these dogs have come from homes where they have been left alone for long hours from the moment they were bought home from a pet shop, and that's one of the many reasons why it's vital for a puppy to have human companionship.  Who trains a puppy if there is no one there, especially if the poor thing is locked in a cage? Who teaches it how to play without biting, or how to socialise nicely with other dogs?  We see all of these problems in the adult dogs that come to us, and while training a puppy is much easier it's certainly not impossible to teach an older dog either.  It's the same as an adult human learning something new, which we probably do all the time when we read a book or watch something informative on the television or online.

Rum is Raisin's sister and another lovely girl

All HKDR adopters are offered free training support from our own very experienced trainer Cactus Mok, or if requested we can recommend private trainers who follow the same methods.  Even better, the UK-based dog rescue organisation Dog Trust have recently updated their own online training video series, making at-home training with the family incredibly easy.  You can  bookmark this link for future reference even if you don't need it right now  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nvaKq4_l25et0ysZByaig/videos

We have so many lovely puppies waiting for homes that have had the benefit of staying in wonderful foster homes where they are all taught the basics at the very least, with many also learning additional commands.  It's so easy to teach a puppy as they are always eager to please, and even just a happy voice and a tummy rub is reward enough when they get things right.  One of those puppies is Santa, an incredibly sweet and affectionate girl who's been learning lots of things while in her foster home (https://www.facebook.com/hkdogrescue/videos/1439183809548134/)

Amy 

Amy is another  sweet girl who has been lucky enough to have been staying in a temporary home where she is very happy, but sadly can't stay for ever.

Sailor 

Please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com to meet any of our foster puppies, not forgetting the soft and soppy Sailor-and-Beano brothers who have also become the sweetest pair in their lovely foster home.

Beano 

Sun 26th Aug: Happy families

Guess who's the cheeky one? 

We had three adoptions confirmed after a short trial period, the first being the funny-cute French bulldog/poodle brothers now called Sparky and Sprinkles.  They were taken home almost as soon as they were surrendered by their previous owner, and although it's taken a while for them to settle and learn some basic manners (with the help of our trainer Cactus), they are so lovely with the children that the rest is just detail.

Jelly had her adoption confirmed today

Yorkie Jelly was also formally adopted today, and at the other end of the size scale there was happy news about Rolex, now Rolley, who has settled so well in his family of adults-children-dogs-cats and snails that I'm told he is only just above the snails in the pecking order.

Rolex-now-Rolley and his dog friends

One of the puppies staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre was adopted in the morning, so she didn't have to go to Whiskers N Paws with the other hopefuls.  Tisha is a very sweet girl and I'm always happy to see our slightly older puppies going home as there are always newer babies stealing the limelight.

Lucky Tisha found a home in the morning

I mentioned Harper having her adoption confirmed yesterday, and she was one of those babies, and today another little one was chosen over the older puppies.  Parker's family had been to Whiskers N Paws and went to Ap Lei Chau to see the smaller breeds, but fell in love with baby Parker instead and that was it.

Like Harper, baby Parker came to us with tick fever but was adopted anyway

The puppy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws started off outside o the terrace as there was no rain, but the heat was intense that it was too much for both humans and the puppies so we moved indoors. Puppy Adoption Day 26 August 2018
Tiffany Cheung was the volunteer photographer for the event, and as we had quite a few families turning up early and before any other volunteers appeared, Tiffany was also roped in to help with the adoption enquiries for which many thanks.  It was really quite busy from beginning to end, and a challenge for Tiffany to be able to photograph the puppies without including people's legs, arms or other bits.

Misty was the first puppy to be adopted and that was no surprise as she's a smaller sized girl with a huge personality.

Enzo is a kind of Misty lookalike, although bigger and chunkier, and he was also chosen on his very first adoption Sunday.

Enzo's like a bigger version of Misty in looks

Misty is off the available list as of today

Sat 25th Aug: End of a slow week

Harper had her adoption confirmed 

It's been a strangely quiet week for adoptions and there never seems to be a specific reason when this happens, so I'm hoping Sunday will bring a change and we'll be spectacularly busy.  I'll be at Whiskers N Paws with the puppies of course, minus baby Harper whose adoption was confirmed despite her coming to us with tick fever.  Thanks to her fosters-now-adopters who didn't care because they love her so much, and if you think she's adorable she has a brother who is staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre (unfortunately also being treated for tick fever).

Shorty is so happy to be in a home

Another gorgeous boy, Shorty, was picked up for fostering today and he very quickly made himself at home, as the photo shows.  You can also see why he's called Shorty, so if anyone is looking for a young and very sweet short-but-long dog, he could be just perfect.

Dido had surgery on her broken leg today

Dido the Yorkie-poodle puppy had surgery on her broken leg today, so she'll be back at the Ap Lei Homing Centre on Sunday and in need of a foster home, or permanent if possible.  She's eight months old and very sweet but also quite needy for company, so this is definitely a dog that is looking for a home where she won't be left alone for long hours.

This is an issue that often comes up when potential adopters are looking for a dog to take home, as many couples or individuals are at work all day which would mean a dog being left alone for eight, ten or even twelve hours.  I'm well aware that some organisations think this is acceptable but we don't, as dogs are social animals who by nature would never choose to live outside a family group or pack.  The same applies to keeping a dog outside while the family live inside, as that too is not right or fair unless there is at least a pair of dogs.  Even then I don't understand why anyone would want to have a dog but not have it living as part of the family, as that's what dogs are - family members.  Even guard dogs are much more effective if they live inside as it's very easy for intruders to drug or kill dogs that live outside.

Volunteering is the perfect way to enjoy the company of dogs without the commitment, or if you really want to have a dog when you have to go out to work and don't have a reliable helper, then you will need to use the services of a dog walker.  If you do that then please make sure that the dog walker is responsible and professional, and not the type that considers sitting on a bench in a dog park the same as providing  proper exercise.

Fri 24th Aug: Paying the price of caring

I'm sure Griffin was happy to be heading home

The plan for today was to take Griffin to Acorn in the morning to have his wound stitched, and then to pick him up in the afternoon having done other things during the intervening hours.  However when Dr Tony took at look at Griffin he suggested just leaving the wound to heal by itself, something I would normally choose to do were it not for the fact that the other dogs keep licking it, even through the "sports vest" that Griffin has to wear.  I was happy to know that everything was looking fine in terms of infection, but it meant having to go straight home rather than being able to go to the Homing Centre, so that was my day.

Taking Griffin's minor surgery spot, we had to rush small dog Tibet to Acorn instead when he was found with one eye out, literally.  I won't share the photo I was sent as it's pretty horrible, especially if you share my aversion to anything that involves eye injuries.  My own Murphy suffered the same loss of an eye, and I was more upset and freaked out that he was I think.  Tibet's eye couldn't be put back in place and his surgery was also risky because he has a breathing problem, but he survived.

Tibet is one of our "Red Dogs", sadly not easy and still waiting for a home

HKDR is certainly paying the price, literally, for being a No Kill Organisation as more and more of our dogs are moving into their senior years and suffering from age-related illnesses, from arthritis to cancer and everything in between.  It's hard enough having a single dog that needs special care and regular visits to the vet, but multiply that by many and you can understand the additional burden in terms of both time and money.  I know the HKDR staff and volunteers care a lot about the long-termers and don't resent the extra effort needed to take care of them, but there is an emotional price as well as financial when the dogs reach the end of their lives.  I know that feeling very well having lost many dogs over the HKDR years, mostly old but not always, and it's the worst part of doing this work.

Thurs 23rd Aug: Always some emergency

Chow Mein is a 3 year-old small-sized girl

I mentioned the chow chow girl we were getting in yesterday's post, and our driver Ming went to pick her up from the pet shop where she was staying after having been abandoned there by her family. The photo we had been sent showed a typical chow chow face, even if the eyes looked a bit small due to entropian, the painful condition of turned-in eyelids. Ming dropped the dog off at Acorn to be checked over and have a heartworm test, and I subsequently got a message to let me know that one eye was full of maggots and had already been eaten away to the extent that removal (enucleation) was the only option.  Surgery to take the damaged eye out and fix the other eyelid will be carried out once the wound (thankfully now clear of maggots) has healed, and now-called Chow Mein came back to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre wearing the inevitable big cone of her head.  It's hard to imagine anything worse than having your eye literally being eaten away, and we're just hoping that this poor dog's pain will soon be over.

The poor girl's eye after cleaning

Another new surrender, the Yorkiepoo (now Dido) with a broken leg, will be having surgery on Saturday, and you can see why our vet bills are so high.  There are always emergency cases needing surgery, another one being the pom puppy who had to have his leg removed, and other day-to-day situations that crop up as an inevitable result of having over six hundred dogs under our care.

Dido's surgery will be on Saturday

For example one of my Lamma dogs, Griffin, had a small wound on his hip which I assumed would eaily heal, but because of the location and the fact that the other dogs keep licking the site, I am now having to take Griffin to have stitches.  I still don't know how I'm going to be able to keep the wound covered, and a buster collar is useless against the tongues of others, so I'll have to see what Dr Tony can come up with.

You can watch the video on our HKDR Facebook page

We're always grateful for the donations we receive,  many of which are in kind such as bedding, toys, chews, fridges and pretty much anything really.  Today we got some children's playground equipment which was immediately put in with the puppies at Tai Po, and they loved them.  These types of things are always gratefully accepted, as we can make use of many throwaway items that would otherwise be sent to the dump.

Weds 22 Aug: Time to plan ahead

Ozzie has a big garden to play in too

Although by now we should be seeing an increase in enquiries and adoptions, the recent rain and storms seem to have kept people away, at least from our Tai Po Homing Centre.  However there was one lucky dog today, fuzzy boy Ozzie, who is now experiencing a real family life after starting off as a born-stray TNR puppy.  He leaves behind his sister Oona, another one of the many dogs I wish I could adopt myself as she looks heartbreakingly like my previous girl Gala.

Oona and Ozzie at Tai Po

However after ending up with far too many dogs living with me on Lamma, which happened when we had nowhere else for puppies to go to that weren't adopted, I have implemented a self-imposed "No More" policy.  This is not only because there simply isn't any space for more dogs, but because at some point (now) I have to think about the future and the reality of getting older.  Currently I have quite a few dogs who are fourteen years, with a couple even older, as well as many who are nine years-plus, so in five years time the numbers will be reduced somewhat.  I have earmarked ten years as the time when I will be able to consider myself retired as the caretaker of so many dogs and perhaps even start travelling again, although I can't envisage giving up the operational side of HKDR until I topple off my chair.  Actually, now I think about it, once the dogs are also too old to steal my things and chew everything in sight, I won't have to perch on a high stool to work at my computer.

The Yorkiepoo puppy has a broken leg

As always, as dogs are adopted and leave the Homing Centres, others arrive, and today we took in the Yorkie-poodle I mentioned yesterday, an eight month-old girl with a broken leg.  She was surrendered because of the high cost of surgery to repair the leg, so that will now be covered by HKDR of course.

This chowchow girl also has entropian

On Thursday we'll get another chowchow, this time a three year-old girl, another surgery case as she has quite bad entropian.

If anyone is interested in adopting any of our dogs that require surgery or treatment of any kind, priority will be given to those who can take immediately, not those who want to wait until the puppy or dog has recovered.

Tues 21st Aug: Our not-quite-perfect babies

Dressing-up options are easy for this year's Beatles theme

The days are slipping by so fast, at least from my perspective, and we're almost at the end of summer and the start of the last quarter of the year when the fundraising season begins.   I've already got my outfit sorted for the Sarge'n'Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Gala event in October, and we've got a great evening lined up for this year.  In fact there's so much to pack into the event that we're wondering how it's all going to fit, but we'll manage and it's going to be a lot of fun.  We have already sold quite a lot of tables, so if you want to book as a group or individual seats please email Nicole at nicole@hongkongdogrescue.com for information.

We get so many adoption enquiries for small breed puppies although it's rare that we have any for adoption.  If we do get a surrendered small-sized pup it's always an in-and-out case as we have a waiting list of potential homes, although we currently have three little ones with another apparently coming soon.   I've just received a message about taking in an eight month-old Yorkie-poodle cross with a broken leg, so he (or she) can join our group of not-quite-perfect youngsters.

Toto the poodle pup is improving all the time

Two of these puppies came to us at the same time as breeder rejects, one being a poodle boy, Toto, and the other a blind Maltese girl, Poppet.  At first we thought it was Toto who had the more serious neurological condition, but after a wait-and-see period he's the one who's improving while Poppet is a concern.  Toto is a typical puppy, happy and playful, and while his legs sometimes fail to keep him upright he's allowed to run around with the other small dogs and have fun.  With Poppet we'll send her for an MRI to see if there's anything going on in her brain that is too serious to be able to treat, and I really hope that's not the case.

Please visit our HKDR Facebook page for videos of the puppies.

Mon 20th Aug: The art of subtle training

They were all fast asleep until I went to take a photo

Like most people I have a daily routine which starts with checking and replying to emails and writing my blog.  When I've finished and it's time to take the dogs for their morning walk, I remove my reading glasses which makes a very faint "click" sound as I fold and put them down on the desk.  That almost imperceptible alert has the dogs jumping up from their apparent sleep and racing around like maniacs in their excitement, and it's really impossible to do anything without a reaction.  Unless they're old and deaf like my Murphy, a dog's hearing is so much better than a human's, as well as every other sense except sight.  In fact I know from my born-blind dog Roley, and even Murphy who is also completely blind now, that being able to see is obviously a bonus for any dog but they can cope with life perfectly well without.

That's why training doesn't need to involve raised voice commands, exaggerated signals or any heavy-handed physical actions like jerking a leash or pushing a dog's body.  In fact the opposite is true, and while shouting may satisfy the human side of the dog-owner relationship, it's not necessary.  A low voice and subtle hand/body movements will work just as well, in fact much better.  Of course I yell at my dogs sometimes because I'm human and as a species we have lost the art of subtle communication, but that's really for my own benefit rather than to achieve anything positive.   The dogs look at me as if to say "Feel better now?" and then carry on.

Classes are in both English and Cantonese

After a summer break the Positive Partners training courses will resume in September, and this is a great way to learn how to communicate with your dog, and just as importantly, to understand what your dog is saying to you.  Being able to read facial expressions and body language is such an important part of any animal relationship, but it's too often overlooked when people follow the alpha/dominance type of training where the dog is nothing but a four-legged fool and the master is God.

Cactus and I have also been discussing the option of including new puppy adopters in the first theory-only class, before the puppy is old enough to join the whole course.  We both agree that this would get good training habits started from the beginning, so information on these puppy options will be available very soon.

Sun 19th Aug: Happy to be outside again

Misty played all afternoon

It was so good to be out on the terrace again at Whiskers N Paws, and we enjoyed a whole afternoon of no rain.  The puppies had a great time as always, playing non-stop until collapsing into an exhausted heap by the end, except for tiny Misty who may be small but has more courage and energy than any of her bigger playmates.  In fact she's a perfect example of what I mean when I say that size isn't the main factor to be considered when adopting, as many small dogs need more exercise than larger dogs.  It's only a guess but Misty seems to be large part Jack Russell, and these terriers are definitely not couch potatoes and always on the go.  Our Whiskers N Paws regular volunteer, Becky (and husband Ted) have taken Misty home for fostering, but anyone interested in adopting this amazing little puppy can meet her by arrangement any day during the week.

Carla's new family were distracted by something going on to the side

Shiba inu cross Carla has also been in a lovely foster home for a while, and was previously a full-time guest at Whiskers N Paws.  Today, at six months of age, it was finally her going home day, and the decision by the family was almost instant.

Candy settled in so well after just one week that her adoption was confirmed

It was also a very good day for adult Candy, adopted as a puppy and then returned, as she was the second adoption of the afternoon.  Volunteer Cammy, who adopted Candy's sister Sophie, has been fostering Candy since her return, so she was there to see the forms being completed and to say a happy-and-sad goodbye.

We had two volunteer photographers at the puppy afternoon today, and there are some great shots in both sets which can be seen here:
albums by Flora Chan and Matthew Baker:

 Puppy Adoption Day 19 August 2018 - Part 1

Puppy Adoption Day 19 August 2018 - Part 2

Frito (the white poodle) was adopted today

It was busy at Whiskers N Paws and even more so at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre where Iris struggled to handle the potential adopters and answer the many questions.  Apologies to everyone who wanted to adopt but couldn't meet all of the dogs, and as a result of this and all the other similar busy Sundays, we are now looking to recruit adoption volunteers in the same capacity as our Whiskers N Paws volunteer team.  It would be impossible to handle all the visitors and puppy enquiries without such volunteers, and this is now very much the situation at Ap Lei Chau as well.  Obviously we would prefer those who are already helping out at the Homing Centre and know the routine and the dogs, but if you can only spare Sundays then we can provide training.  Cantonese speakers are preferred as our adopters are mainly Hong Kongers, but we won't turn down anyone reliable, enthusiastic, committed and capable (and over 18 years of age).  Please email me initially at sallyandersen@hongkongdogrescue.com if you are seriously interested in helping out and feel that you can handle the pressure.

Suki was the fifth of the six "show" poodles to find a home