Thurs 31st Jan: Last weekend before Chinese New Year

Just some of the puppies needing homes 

With the weekend ahead and Chinese New Year next week, we're all wondering if that means we'll be busy at the two Homing Centres, or very quiet.  There's been a huge influx of puppies everywhere, not only at HKDR, so everyone is hoping that there will be some adoptions taking place, or at the very least foster homes offered.  As a reminder once again we are open every single day of the year so you don't have to ask if you can visit on a Sunday or Public Holiday, but it makes things much easier for everyone if you can complete the Adoption Questionnaire in advance, or email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com for fostering enquiries.   We will also be at Concordia Pet Care on Saturday afternoon with lots of puppies, and again at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday.

As I mentioned before we are expecting five smaller sized puppies to arrive at Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre late on Friday afternoon, so we'll be looking for foster homes or adopters as soon as possible.  Puppies can be thugs if they are bigger or older than others so we'd like to see these little ones in homes quickly.

Sweet pug Waffle

Adult dogs can also bully others, and poor little pug Waffle is on the receiving end of playground intimidation from the other pugs.  She's just a youngster at two years old and a very sweet girl, as all of these pugs are, and we don't know why she's being picked on.  Surely someone wants to take this gorgeous lady home?

Not wanting to sound ungrateful, I do have a favour to ask which isn't directly related to dogs and puppies but it does affect the daily operation of our Homing Centres, and it's to do with donations of goods.  We're always happy to receive washable bedding that we can use for the dogs, but that excludes pillows and cushions which are quickly destroyed and won't fit in a washing machine.  We honestly don't need dog clothes as we don't use them much and already have plenty, and we really don't need human clothes, old or new.  We also can't use broken and half-destroyed dog toys, human toys, or other general household appliances. What it means when we are given bags of unusable items is that they clog up the entrance to the reception area until they can be sorted then taken to the garbage collection points, so it actually creates more work for us and also means that the charities that may be able to use these items don't get them.

Weds 30th Jan: Puppy adoption events this weekend

Frodo and Bilbo with ex-HKDR Diesel

We suspected that Bilbo and Frodo had come from the same home even though we weren't given that information, and sure enough when Frodo the bichon was adopted in the morning, Bilbo started to cry loudly when he saw his "brother" leaving the Homing Centre.  So much so that we asked if Bilbo could be taken for fostering too, as he needs to have surgery on his leg anyway.  The adopter kindly agreed so both little boys left at the same time.

The first two were Cara and Bella

For the many potential adopters who were interested in these lovely little dogs, there may be a chance to take home a small-sized mixed breed at the weekend, as we are expecting five of them late on Friday.  They are coming from the same breeder/hoarder as the pugs and previous small-sized mixes, all of whom were quickly adopted.  Of the five that are due to arrive, one appears to be similar to the other three while the rest are a complete mix of colours, just all little.

Tinker was obviously from the same litter

Another poodley type, Ducky,  had her adoption confirmed after a short trial with the resident dog.  Of course we still have plenty of small-sized adults waiting at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, open every single day of the year from 10am to 6pm, and yes, over Chinese New Year too.

Ducky is part of the family now

I had previously mentioned that there had been an outbreak of parvovirus, something we hadn't seen for a long time but which appears to be affecting several areas.  The dogs and puppies we know of came from Lantau in the Tung Chung area, while others in the New Territories are also turning up with the highly infectious disease.

There are two litters in one room, and one bed! 

As a precaution we have isolated the three recent litters of young puppies in upstairs rooms at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and only a few staff members are allowed to go inside for feeding and cleaning, wearing wellington boots, a plastic mac and rubber gloves.  So far we have been lucky and the pups are doing well, but we will wait another two weeks before assuming they are in the clear.  If you have puppies please don't take them outside if they aren't fully vaccinated, as the current outbreak could be anywhere.

Sundays at Whiskers N Paws, Horizon Plaza

The puppies that will be going to Concordia Pet Care in Happy Valley on Saturday afternoon, and Whiskers N Paws on Sunday,  are all vaccinated and healthy so you don't need to worry.

Saturdays at Concordia Pet Care, 5-7 Blue Pool Road

Tues 29th Jan: Time for change

Dr Tony made his annual visit to my Lamma home today to give rabies vaccinations to all of the dogs due for license renewal during the year, rather than me having to take them two or three at a time to AFCD.  Luckily it was a beautiful sunny day and we managed to get all of the dogs scanned for identification and injected, except four who refused to cooperate and ran off.  They will be the ones now needing to be crated and shipped over to Pokfulam at some point, but four is a very manageable number.

Bilbo will need knee surgery on one leg

There have been a lot of enquiries about the two new dogs, Bilbo and Frodo, but after being checked by a vet today it seems that poodle Bilbo has the very common patella luxation (slipping kneecap) and will need fixing.  Once it's done he'll be as good as new, but from experience we know that the prospect of any surgery puts adopters off so bichon Bilbo will now be top of the list.

Frodo will be the first to go we expect

Spending time at the Homing Centre today while waiting for driver Ming to come back from an errand, I really enjoyed watching all of the dogs and puppies playing.

Twiggy looks serious here but she's a very playful little girl

Poodle Pretzel loves wrestling with the puppies, even having his ears pulled by sharp baby teeth, and the new brindle pug (cross) Twiggy was also very funny as she rolled on the floor with the other dogs.  Although still very young at an estimated three years and having been used as a puppy machine, she's full of life and fun.  In a very short time she'll look nothing like the worn-out dog she is now and anyone who adopts her will have the most amazing and happy little companion. 

Look at Letty's adorable face!

The other pugs from the same terrible place are changing day by day, with hair growing back and wounds healing fast, so as I have always said please don't judge the dogs by their current condition but see past that to what they will become.  The before-and-after transformations are quite incredible, and nothing can be better than being part of that.

Lucky Taffy has already been chosen 

One lucky dog who needs some time to look her best was adopted today.  Corgi Taffy was found abandoned in a dog park with a note saying her owner had to leave to work in China, adding that Taffy had been eating cheap supermarket dog food, which probably accounts for her bad skin and crusty ears.  Her claws were also very long so she certainly hadn't been walked, but with exercise and proper care I'm sure there will be big changes.

Mon 28th Jan: So much choice for adopters now

Frodo 3 years old

We've got so many lovely dogs currently available, and I wonder who the lucky adopters will be knowing that with the Lunar New Year coming up a lot of people are putting adoption plans on hold until after the holiday.  In addition to the very sweet three smaller dogs that arrived over the weekend (terrier Miffy, corgi Taffy and pug Twiggy) we received two more adorable boys, two year-old poodle Bilbo and three year-old Bichon Frodo, who may have come from the same home via AFCD.  You'll have to be quick to adopt any of these little ones as they are all very happy and friendly, ideal family members.

Bilbo 2 years old

The two large dogs that arrived today are also lovely, and although I immediately thought of now-Bali being a male, he's actually a she and a very easygoing dog, estimated by AFCD to be around five years of age.

Bali is a lovely girl! 

The Malinois is only a year old and also very friendly, but this is a breed that needs exercise-plus.  Tireless and very smart, there's a reason they have taken over from German shepherds as police dogs, so obviously we need a home that can provide lot of mental and physical activity.

I'm still thinking of a name for this handsome boy

I stopped off briefly at AFCD to have the corgi Taffy and terrier Miffy licensed before meeting up up pug Twiggy at Acorn, and I'm happy to report that for a change there are no tick fever or heartworm cases.  We'll have to wait until Tuesday to see whether the newest dogs are similarly free of the two main insect-borne diseases, and of the four I would suspect Bali as being the unlucky one.  I hope I'm wrong and they are all fine.

Pollen on Sunday

I was so happy to get the best possible update on older puppy Rose who was adopted on Sunday: "She has been brilliant. She is settling in fast and Betty and her are getting on better than we could have hoped! A happy dog, and a credit to everyone who has looked after her before."   Rose's sister Pollen is still available for anyone who wants a very easy, happy and medium-sized family member.

We've been lucky in finding a new member of staff to work at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, so thank you for anyone who has applied or has been planning to do so.

Sun 27th Jan: It's Rose!

This girl is young but in poor condition and blind in one eye

We took in yet another new dog at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today, a lucky escapee from the House of Horrors that is either an illegal breeder, a hoarder or just some crazy person who keeps a lot of dogs in terrible conditions and lets them multiply.  Today's pug is obviously related to one we took earlier, or several, as she has the same brindle colouring and strange eyes, one larger than the other, that is possibly a genetic defect which is being passed on.   None of these dogs are microchipped so on Monday I'll be taking this pug (crossed with French bulldog?) to AFCD for licensing, along with the terrier and corgi that came to us on Friday and Saturday.

This boy reminds me of my previous dog Bali

In addition on Monday we have another group of dogs coming from AFCD in Sheung Shui: a young poodle, bichon, Malinois and a very funny/nice-looking collie cross (or something).  It could be a collie/Old English sheepdog from the colouring.  Anyway there's no shortage of lovely dogs, large, small, older and young, all waiting for homes, as well as the puppies of course.

Rose was the lucky older puppy whose name I didn't want to mention yesterday, and she has gone off to join a lovely family where I know she'll have the best time.  Unfortunately we missed getting an adoption photo so I'll have to ask for one from the adopter.  With both Rose and Sassy now in their forever homes, there was a vacancy at Whiskers N Paws for two new guests and I chose Bernard and his friend Minty to stay behind rather than come back to the Homing Centre.

With no adoption photo of Rose, here's her identical sister Pollen

Second chance for Holly

Holly was another lucky puppy girl getting her second chance after a short-lived previous adoption, and we got the photo for this one.  Marco Lam was our volunteer photographer after a beak of a few months due to him welcoming a baby daughter into his family, and you can see his lovely set here (more photos will be added later):

 Puppy Adoption Day 27 January 2019

Thank you Audrey for sharing your birthday with the puppies

We were also happy to receive a very nice birthday donation from Audrey via Twopresents, and you too can help support HKDR in the same way by checking out the details at www.twopresents.com.
Thank you Audrey for your kindness.

It was graduation day for the  January participants of our popular Positive Partners training course held every Sunday at Whiskers N Paws, and you can see them here with trainers Cactus and Alice. If you would like to join future monthly courses be sure to apply in advance as numbers are restricted to ensure everyone gets the full attention they need.

January graduates with Cactus and Alice

Sat 26th Jan: Zara and Miffy

Zara is very large and very playful

I always believe there is the right home for every dog, and also the right time.  Just like Sparky suddenly had two simultaneous lovely offers, other dogs have also waited for years sometimes before multiple adopters turn up. 

Bearing this in mind I have to believe that Zara's bad luck happened for a reason, and it means that the best ever home is waiting for her.  The first adoption didn't work out when Zara was due to fly to New Zealand, only for her adopter to discover that in her area only two dogs were permitted, and there were already a pair in the home.   Zara's details were put back up on Facebook and there was an immediate response resulting in a home being promised, with pick up arranged for today.  Suddenly Zara's foster received an apologetic message saying the helper had told her employer that she was allergic to dogs so they couldn't take Zara after all.  I'm naturally suspicious when these things happen, but accept that if a dog isn't really wanted or welcome then it's best that it doesn't go to that home.  So now we're hoping for third time lucky, meaning a perfect home for this gorgeous girl.  She's three years old, amazing with children and great with other dogs (and cats), although loving attention we think she would prefer to be the only dog in the family.  If you are genuinely interested in adopting Zara and have the space for a very large and hairy malamute, please complete the Adoption Questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt).

Zara being happily "attacked" by other dogs 

Miffy is more Scottie then Yorkie

We had another surprise addition to our Ap Lei Chau family today after having received a call from someone saying he had been asked to look after a friend's Yorkshire terrier for a while, but after a few months that friend hadn't reappeared and now he was also leaving Hong Kong and needed a place for the dog to go.  Of course we said we could accept the Yorkie, but what actually turned up was a very cute terrier cross.  There's no microchip and the man had no idea of age or any history, so we can assume the dogs has never been vaccinated or seen a vet.  That will be arranged for Monday and we expect there will be a lot of interest in this gorgeous girl even if she isn't a Yorkie. Again please complete the Adoption Questionnaire if you are interested.  We think Miffy is between five and seven years old but will have the vet's assessment on Monday.

Sunday is Whiskers N Paws afternoon, and we have our fingers very tightly crossed for one particular older puppy who has already been seen and liked.  Now we are waiting for the second meeting and hopefully adoption, but as always I won't jinx it by naming the puppy in question.  You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see who it is.

Fri 25th Jan: Puppies are hard work

Sassy (centre) with her many puppy friends at Whiskers N Paws last Sunday

I can now reveal the name of the lucky older puppy who went to her new home today: Sassy.  Her adopters have been very diligent about choosing exactly the right character for their home and lifestyle, and asking all the right questions while visiting several times before making the important decision, so we know that Sassy has a really caring family for the rest of her life.

Meanwhile another ex-puppy now adult, Sparky, was chosen to move from his foster home to his forever family, and in fact he had two offers at the same time, both lovely homes, so it must have been his time.

Sparky has been with us since he was a baby

As I often mention, there are always many things happening behind the scenes at HKDR, especially as we have so many puppies coming in and staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre.  Puppies used to stay with me on Lamma but that can't happen any more because I lost an entire area in the typhoon last year, including the puppy space.  On top of that I have to be realistic about the number of dogs I can continue to take care of myself, not only because I'm not getting any younger but also because it has become very difficult with transport to and from my Lamma bay.  It also helps the puppies with their socialisation and their chances of weekday adoption if they are at the Homing Centre to be seen, and interacting with staff and volunteers every day.

Puppies are a lot of work as singles, but in large groups even more so

However, having puppies at Ap Lei Chau has created a lot of extra work for the two staff who work with the dogs, Iris and Andrea, and while there are plenty of volunteers at weekends to lend a hand, extra help is desperately needed during the week.  To that end we are now looking at taking on one or two part-time assistants, work that would be ideal for university students who are planning a career in the veterinary field, or who just love dogs and want to earn something while studying.  It's hard work which can also be difficult and dirty, but it's also very rewarding.  You can send your resume and application to info@hongkongdogrescue.com if you're interested, but please apply only if you genuinely want the job.

The difficult aspect of working in dog rescue, apart from the endless cleaning and feeding involved, is that there are times when dogs, even puppies, get sick and die.  One of the more recent puppy intakes hasn't been well since her arrival and needs to be syringe fed, which is very time consuming apart from worrying.

Even worse, although not actually at the Homing Centre yet, the family of mother with nine babies waiting at AFCD have all been euthanised due to parvovirus, a horrible disease that used to be common but we haven't seen for several years.  It's still around in the New Territories but not Hong Kong Island, or the Outlying Islands that we have been aware of, but if it's made a comeback then I must urge everyone who has puppies to make sure their puppy is fully vaccinated before taking it out in public.  You can carry your puppy in a bag to get it used to the streets, traffic and people, but don't let it run in areas that could be contaminated by unvaccinated dogs.  Parvovirus infection stays in the environment for some time and you need to be very careful.

The owner has gone to work in China according to the note

To end the long day at Ap Lei Chau we got a message that a nine year-old corgi had been abandoned in a dog park, along with a note from the owner.  You can see from the poor dog's nails that it was never walked, and the skin is also bad.  Being abandoned is probably the best thing that has happened to this corgi in his whole life, and now we can help find him a good new home.

Thurs 24th Jan: Another eight lives saved

There are 4 tricolour and 2 tan, and I'm not sure if they are the same litter

I wasn't expecting it all when I took three older puppies to AFCD for their rabies vaccinations, but there were two three month-olds and a litter of six babies waiting to be taken out, so I did just that.  The six young ones weren't old enough to have their first vaccinations but they were checked over by Dr Joe at Acorn anyway, and we'll make sure they have good care until they are ready for their jabs.  Luckily we have two separate rooms at the Homing Centre where all of the new babies are being kept, but we really do need foster homes if anyone can take in a pair.  As always Cindy is on standby to take enquiries at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com, and all food, bedding, bowls etc will be provided and vet costs covered.

One of the 4 baby lookalikes

Minty (front) and Bernard being checked over

The other two older puppies are in good health and both are lovely, with Minty looking very much like an older version of some of the babies and Bernard being very large and possibly part Saint Bernard (hence the name).  They joined the other older puppies at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and were given a good going-over before settling in, and they are immediately available for adoption.

We already had an adopter waiting for Tinker, the sister of two previous ex-breeder small-sized puppies, and she was taken home today with photos promised later. We're not sure what the mix is but it really doesn't matter when the pups are this cute.

Tinker is really very cute

We also have another adoption confirmed for Friday, and as this is an older puppy we're all thrilled about it but I'm going to save the name for tomorrow's blog.  There are plenty of other slightly older girls and boys that really need homes, and we hope they will be just as lucky before too long.  They are sisters Rose and Pollen, Ben and Mimsy, whose sister Bimble was adopted last Sunday and is doing so well.  The older puppies are much easier in many ways and we really do suggest that families with young children consider them over the very young ones.

Rose, Pollen and Mimsy at AFCD for their rabies shots

Weds 23rd Jan: Still talking about puppies

Selling fast so buy while you can

I suppose I should be thinking about Chinese New Year as it's now so close, but every day is the same to me in my Lamma home and with the dogs having no interest in anything outside their daily life and routine. 

The same applies to our Homing Centres at Ap Lei Chau and Tai Po, as both will be open throughout the holidays for adoptions,  and dog walking for registered volunteers.   We'll also be at Whiskers N Paws with the puppies on the Sundays before and after the Lunar New Year, and at Concordia Pet Care on Saturday 2nd February,  so you won't miss any chance to find your new family member.  As a reminder, here are the puppies at last Sunday's Whiskers n Paws afternoon Puppy Adoption Day 20 January 2019 , with Holly and Ivo now also available once again but not shown.

In the meantime the new puppies at our Ap Lei Chau Centre are getting on with all the important things in life like wrestling, eating and sleeping, even if they have to have their medicine three times a day.  It's a messy and tedious business having to give so many puppies the Liquid Gold, but it needs to be done to get them healthy so they can be adopted.  Foster homes during this period would really be appreciated, so email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com for details.

Tues 22nd Jan: Puppies and tick fever

Puppies will always sleep together no matter which litter they belong to

It was all about the puppies today, and sadly the almost inevitable tick fever that it becoming more and more frequent and harder and harder to treat.  The simple one-off injection just doesn't work any more so we have to go straight to Liquid Gold, the name used for Atovaquone because it's so expensive.  It's also tedious to give as it's three times a day, and has to be used alongside another drug.  If you have one dog it's bad enough, but with many dogs and puppies all needing their medication three times daily it's time-consuming and difficult. 

The four ex-AFCD puppies are on it, and the other four that came yesterday covered with ticks and fleas, are unsurpringly also infected, with one puppy having to stay in hospital on a drip.  On top of the time needed to care for tick fever puppies, it also means they can't be put up for adoption until their treatment is over and blood tests show they have recovered.

Eddie

We need foster homes for the puppies, and we would also really appreciate donations to help cover the cost of the treatments they need.   In case you're a new reader the contact volunteer for fostering is Cindy, email foster@hongkongdogrescue.com, while volunteer Dana handles the vet funding donations.  You can contact her at vetfund@hongkongdogrescue.com for information about how to help us and the dogs and puppies that need expensive veterinary care.

Thank you!

One of the 4 chubby girls from AFCD

Mon 21st Jan: More and more unwanted puppies

Four of these were from AFCD today

I can't say it enough times, desexing is an absolute must with all dogs as the only way to prevent the thousands of unwanted puppies that are being born all the time.  I don't care if your dog is a purebreed that you bought for a lot of money, all animals have the same sex drive and strong urge to mate when in season if a female, and any time for a male.  The number of times we hear "it was an accident" is really upsetting, as if the owners of the dogs were completely ignorant about how babies are made.  To make it easy, if you have a male and a female and they haven't been desexed, they will produce puppies.  The lucky few that are born unwanted will be taken in by rescue groups but there are just too many to say yes to all.  Of those taken in it will again only be the lucky few who find good homes, the majority ending up in really awful homes where they are likely to themselves be having puppies at a young age, or end up on the street. 

Another new litter are now safe and warm 

Talking to other rescue groups we are all experiencing the same, multiple requests to take in litters of puppies, and the problem will never go away until people start taking responsibility.  One request was from someone whose dog had just had a litter of twelve, yes twelve puppies, for the second time.  That is totally unforgiveable.  At AFCD there is a dog with a litter of nine, currently too young to take from their mother but we will start removing them when they are three weeks old to allow for adequate milk for those that stay a bit longer.  We'll need foster homes for these babies so please let Cindy know if you can help by emailing foster@hongkongdogrescue.com.

By the end of today we had eight extra babies in addition to the puppies we already have at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, with a further two coming back from their new home when the adopters admitted they had made a mistake.  Better now than later, but still it's upsetting that adopting impulsively happens even with seemingly sensible adults.

Swimmer is a very lovely boy

As well as four babies, I also took a young adult from AFCD Pokfulam, a very lovely boy who had been spotted swimming in the water in the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and luckily fished out before drowning.  This boy is now called Swimmer and you can meet him at our Tai Po Homing Centre.  I esitmated him to be young, maybe a year old, and he's very sweet as well as being a handsome boy.

Squash with the long legs and determined face

Pug Squash was adopted almost as soon as the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre opened, so we now have two left from the first ex-breeder group with the two new ones bringing the number back up to four.  It's been lovely seeing their individual personalities start to show, with Squash being the funny-bossy one.

Sun 20th Jan: A sunny Sunday

The lucky adopter who took Busby home

Usually it's the purebreeds that get a lot of attention and interest from potential adopters, but funny and gorgeous mix Busby was the exception after his photo was posted.  We had so many offers of a home for this sweet boy, so rather than say today was his lucky day I think it's his adopter who is the lucky one (in truth I think that about a lot of our dogs).

Scampi will be loved very much I'm sure

Also leaving from Ap Lei Chau (where Busby had been staying) was poodle Scampi who now has his own family again, while senior Tai Po lady Yam  has her first real home.   She was one of a few dogs I took from Pokfulam AFCD who had been living in a boatyard, so while she was always around people and very friendly this will be her first experience of having a proper family life.

I'm so happy for Yam, having her first ever real home

We had a busy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws even if most potential adopters need to wait until after the Lunar New Year to adopt, an inevitable fact of life at this time of year.  However Bimble went home today, and thankfully malamute Zara also found a new adopter after her relocation plans to New Zealand had to be shelved.  That was a huge relief to her foster parents who have been taking great care of Zara but were expecting her to be leaving soon. 

Bimble has a lovely new family

We had two volunteer photographers (many thanks to both) at Whiskers N Paws today, Matt Baker

 Puppy Adoption Day 20 January 2019 - Part 1 

and Rodger So Puppy Adoption Day 20 January 2019 - Part 2

Curry is a cuddler and the smallest of her litter

I have been trying to identify the individual black puppies, and while Dribble is easy because she has the white chin and bib, it was her sibling Faro's personality that led me to correctly guess they were related. Both are bold, outgoing and quite mischievous.  Curry is the one with a thick and lucious coat, and having the sweetest laidback nature very different from Dribble and Faro.  It's impossible to tell a real baby's personality, but at the age of three-plus months we can start to see who's the playful and adventurous one and who wants to cuddle more than anything else.

The new pug girl, age unknown at this point

The day ended with the arrival of two more pugs from the backyard breeder-from-hell, plus another puppy from the same litter as the previous two mixes, Bella and Cara.  We have a waiting list for this girl so I won't even share a photo, but the pugs were without microchip of course, and in really poor condition.

There are three of the previous pug group still available, and now that they have been treated for their various health problems and have had the benefit of good food and exercise, they have really blossomed.  Squash is the funny one who makes us laugh, but they are all very sweet dogs.

This poor boy has probably fathered many babies