Tues 19th March: Quiet times make me nervous

Piper is happy enough at Ap Lei Chau

We seem to be going through a quiet period, which would be a nice change if I wasn't always thinking something major was about to happen.  We haven't taken in any new puppies since the last two litters of youngsters and the mother-with-babies, and the husky and golden retriever surrenders left almost as soon as they arrived.  We did accept a small-medium dog at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre I called Piper, although I don't have his background story.  He seems happy enough hanging out with the other dogs, and I think most of them enjoy the company, attention and the busy life, as well as the frequent walks.

The Tai Po Homing Centre is always busy regardless of whether there are newcomers or any adoptions, just because with so many hundreds of dogs to take care of there will always be a lot to do.   As is happening on Lamma too, there are many who are getting older and needing extra care and/or veterinary attention so there's barely a day when the van isn't ferrying dogs to and from Acorn.  I keep wondering how I will cope when I'm faced with the reality of a large number of Lamma dogs reaching the end-stage of their lives at the same time, because it's not as though I have a vet on my doorstep. 

Julie has been fantastic with her toddler brother

With a few dogs in trial homes it's always lovely to receive confirmation that they will be staying, and doglet Julie is one of those.  She had to be good with the family toddler as well as the now-older dog, Amber, one I remember so well being adopted as an ex-Lamma resident because she went missing in the hills of Clearwater Bay for a while and I spent a few days out there trying to help find her (obviously successfully).  So many of the dogs have stories that will stick in my mind for ever, but I hope that Julie won't be one of them.

This was Amber before she was adopted a long time ago