Tues 30th April: A funny day

If ever there was proof that we rely very heavily on smartphones these days it was today, as both of my phones died first thing in the morning.  I did have a new replacement that I was planning on setting up on Wednesday, but in the end had to do with having messages relayed via our driver Ming's phone.  It was quite a shock to realise how lost I felt without being able to stay in constant contact or to be able to read and reply to emails and Whatsapp messages, but that's how it is these days.  I have no idea how we functioned in the early days of HKDR when it was basically phone calls or actual physical meetings only. 

All 7 of today's new puppies

I had to bear in mind during the day that we had the Raise the Woof comedy event in the evening, so I didn't handle the seven puppies I took from AFCD,  and left them with Ming at Acorn while I disappeared.  There are six black-and-tans from one litter, all very friendly, and one from another litter that I took because of her looks.

This girl is a bit different

So many people had asked about little Panda, who went to a foster home today, that I thought it would be good to have a variety of youngsters available.  I should also mention that we have another two pups in foster, one of whom is also a pretty black-and-white, and with the name Milky if anyone is interested.

Milky and Teddy are in foster but need forever homes

On top of that we have two sharpei babies arriving, so we are really very seriously overloaded and in urgent need of fosters or forever homes for as many as possible.   Please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you can help look after puppies for a while.

Sharpei brother and sister

One thing I want to mention, and which I have spoken about before, is that all of our puppies are already trained to use newspaper for toilet needs, and we ask that any fosters or adopters don't reverse this by trying to crate train them.  They don't need it and won't understand why they are suddenly being shut in a cage or crate when they know how to be clean.   We are also in need of more newspapers now that we have so many puppies, so please don't throw any away.  If you can deliver to either of our Homing Centres that would be very helpful, thank you.

Our puppies know what to do!

The evening Raise the Woof event went very well and I think everyone had a great time.  I have to thank long-term supporter and adopter Jami Gong for putting the show together, as well as the comedians  Pete Grella, Anthony Solimini, Troy Lewis, Benjamin Quinlan who took part and made us all laugh.  Of course there are the volunteers who make our events possible, and I'm always grateful for the help and support given.

Takeout Comedy plus HKDR 

My first (and last) stand-up gig!

Mon 29th April: Not a quiet day after all

It was one of those crazy days today, totally unexpected as the van was tied up collecting a large amount of ex-hotel sheets (I assume from the now-closed Excelsior), and as far as I was aware there weren't any dogs or puppies to be taken out of AFCD.  I had to go to the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre office to do some admin work but other than that I was free - or so I thought.  I was on the MTR to Admiralty when I got a message from AFCD to say that they were packed with new dogs (around twenty) plus many puppies if I could come and take any out.  Without the van I knew that wouldn't be possible but I immediately turned around and went to Pokfulam to see what and who was there so I could at least plan ahead for Tuesday.

There are mini-me Tusks at AFCD now

A lot of the new intake at AFCD were older puppies from Stanley Barracks, gorgeous doglets, and couple instantly recognisable as being from the same family as Tusk and Ivory, with others having a very German shepherdish look.   They all have to do the obligatory four days, though I have not idea why as they are unwanted.  However with the government rules are rules and God forbid any common sense should filter through.

The others were younger puppies, all happy and friendly, but there were so many of them and we are already overflowing.  It's a terrible situation and very sad, as there seems to be no end to the breeders and pet shops, and people buying and importing puppies from overseas with the strange notion that breeders in Australia and elsewhere are somehow better or kinder than those in Hong Kong.  They're not.

One side of the kennel block was filled with very sad-looking dogs that were rescued from the horrific shelter that has been in the news the past day or so, and with so many to accommodate they have been shared between the four AFCD Animal Management Centres, and I assume those in the worst condition have gone to SPCA.  The dogs appeared shell-shocked, not moving or responding, and I wonder if they knew how close to death they had been.  The space and conditions at AFCD must seem like paradise compared to where they had come from, and I was told they were all eating like crazy.  No surprise there since they had been starved for so long.  The sad truth is that many of these dogs will probably be put to sleep anyway, as they have no owner and no place to go.  I'm sure some can be saved, and we will try to take as many as we can, but there are so many of them.  I asked if they had microchips, and some do but they are ISO chips implanted by TNR volunteers, not the AVID microchips used in Hong Kong.  The ISO chips would only be of use to identify which of the dogs has been desexed, and rather than being returned to where they came from they had been placed in the shelter.  At least for now the dogs have a place to stay and food to eat, and we will assess what can be done once all of the other dogs and puppies have been sorted.

Baby Panda

There was one lone baby pup in the back of the kennels, and I couldn't leave her there so I took her out and back to Ap Lei Chau in a tiny cardboard box I'd been given but one of the AFCD staff.  They called her Panda and it's clear why, so Panda she is.

It's on Tuesday and there will be tickets available at the door too

The funny thing is I had asked that if possible Tuesday would be clear of all dog-related work as I will be going to the evening Raise the Woof comedy evening and preferred not to smell of dogs as I normally do, especially after an AFCD/Acorn day.  Now the opposite will happen and Tuesday will be a full-on dog day and I'm sure I will smell.  That's the way life is on the wild side, so please don't mind me just come along and have a laugh.  If you haven't already booked there will be tickets available at the door, so I hope to see you there.

Sun 28th April: NOW is the time!

Before I talk about today's adoptions and puppy afternoon, I want to mention the horrific case of animal (dog and cat) abuse that has been widely reported in the media.  It's so terrible that I won't share the sickening details or images and will only say that around a hundred animals were involved, some rescued in the nick of time but for many it was too late.  NOW is the time for the police, AFCD and the Courts to make use of the powers they already have to impose the maximum possible sentence on the person responsible for causing such awful suffering, not in a few year's time when the proposed new Animal Welfare Laws hopefully come into force.  Everyone who is as appalled as I am by this case must let their opinions be known for the future protection of all animals in Hong Kong.  Details of where to send your comments are in this link https://www.pets.gov.hk/english/animal_health_and_welfare/Proposals_to_Enhance_Animal_Welfare.html

Dudley is a large personality in a small body

On a happier note, and thanks again to the Hong Kong Observatory for getting the weather forecast completely wrong, we enjoyed a great afternoon on the terrace at Whiskers N Paws with the puppies, and there are two sets of photos to prove it, this set by Simon Chan

 Puppy Adoption Day 28 April 2019 - Part One

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Also very happy news from our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre as little terrier Timmy was adopted, just as we hoped he would be after his let down (and this home is much better).

Perkins and his siblings are fantastic characters

I know I may be biased, but I think we have some exceptional puppies waiting for homes at the moment.  I have given the litter of Dorothy, Perkins, Wallis and Chelsea the "breed" name of European greyhounds as they are slim, pretty and have endless energy.  If I had to guess I'd say they won't be large adults, more medium sized, but they are perfect examples of why you can't judge a dog and its suitability by size alone. Also one of the reasons I'm so drawn to this litter is that the two black girls, Wallis and Chelsea, look so much like my dog Griffin when he was a puppy, and he is a very special boy.  Look at this lovely set of photos by Matt Baker to see them Puppy Adoption Day 28 April 2019 - Part Two

Heather is very placid for a puppy

Heather is going to be a large sized adult, but she is very calm and laid-back, a perfect puppy for a home with young children. While the aforementioned litter were flying round the terrace, stopping only to wrestle, Heather was enjoying the cuddles of visitors between naps.

Fifi found her new family today

Baby Fifi, one of the Alphabet Seven, came with her fosters for the first time and because she refused to stay in the baby pen with the other youngsters, it ended up winning her a home.  Congratulations Fifi!  This has been a very lucky litter, first of all because they were rescued as very young babies and went straight to foster homes, and four of them found new homes in pairs without coming back to us.  Now only Dino and Elmo, also in foster, are waiting.

The Alphabet Litter as babies

In complete contrast, older puppy Lizzie did her usual thing of hiding in the corner hoping nobody would notice her, but her plan didn't work and she was chosen for a trial adoption.

Another energetic puppy from a smaller-sized litter, waggy-tailed Rosie was also taken for fostering with a view to adoption.

Rosie's litter are quite small but full of energy too

Sat 27th April: Happy faces despite the rain

A happy face on Cribbage today

I was relieved to see that new dog Cribbage has already overcome her first day fears, and the photo Andrea sent me from our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre showed a happy, smiling face rather than the worried look from before.  Like all of the other small-sized dogs (and puppies), Cribbage is staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, open every single day from 10am to 6pm if you want to visit.

Timmy is small and a lovely, happy boy

We thought we were going to be sending terrier Timmy off to his trial home today as everything had been arranged after many and very long discussions about everything that he may or may not like, habits, training and so on, and pick up had been confirmed.  However when I checked my emails there was one from the potential foster/adopter saying she had taken a poodle from another organisation instead.  This happens from time to time, although perhaps not when a firm arrangement had already been made, and of course it's disappointing.  What made this case special was that I subsequently found out that the same promise and arrangement had been made with at least one other group who were also expecting this woman to take home a pair of small dogs who urgently needed a place to go, so she had been doing the rounds of the organisations.   At least we were relieved that Timmy didn't end up there and we know he will find a much better home.  He's a fantastic little dog who loves toys and cuddles, as well as being very cute.

Dudley and Jenny are smaller sized and with great personalities

It looks as though Sunday is going to be rainy again, but please don't let that stop you coming to Whiskers N Paws to meet the puppies as we'll be indoors for the afternoon.  We have so many adorable girls and boys waiting to meet their new families, and many of them are not going to be bigger than medium sized as adults.

Fri 26th April: Please give your views

Lucas is amazing and so sweet

I'm sure everyone who reads my blog is concerned about animal cruelty and/or welfare, and the lack of protection for pets in Hong Kong.  We read awful stories about dogs and cats being abused or even killed, but cruelty doesn't even mean the extreme cases and includes dogs being kept on rooftops without shade or shelter, on balconies or in cages.  I don't even have to go back that far to find an example, especially as Lucas is still with us and waiting for a home.  His life for two years was a cage that was hidden away at the back of a junk yard, so how he still loves and trusts humans is only a testament to a dog's amazing ability to forgive and forget.

Last year all of the Animal NGOs were invited to the AFCD Headquarters in Cheung Sha Wan to read and discuss the proposals for new Animal Welfare Laws, and these are now available for public consultation.  You can access the information here https://www.pets.gov.hk/english/animal_health_and_welfare/Proposals_to_Enhance_Animal_Welfare.html and send your own comments and opinions.

Indoor or out, it doesn't matter

Having today put up shading from the blazing sun for the Lamma dogs, the temperature has dropped and rain is forecast, at least according to the Hong Kong Observatory.  It doesn't matter for the Sunday Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon as we can be inside, and the same applies to Tuesday evening's Raise the Woof comedy event, but anyone with plans for an outdoor activity on Wednesday, yet another Public Holiday, maybe have to think again.

You can laugh at the bad weather on Tuesday evening

It's always difficult having to plan events so far in advance and just hoping that the day will stay dry, but these days there doesn't seem to be any reliable weather pattern.  We can only cross our fingers and hope that our Repulse Bay event at The Pulse will be a perfect day, but it will be fun anyway that's for sure.  If any vendors would like to take part by having a stall, you can contact Eva for details.

Event: Summer Funday for Dogs
Date: 25 May 2019 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm to 7pm
Venue: the pulse, Repulse Bay
Elements: Dog market, outdoor fun, puppy adoption & more

Free admission for public. Vendor space is limited. Interested parties please email Eva at eva@hongkongdogrescue.com.

Thurs 25th April: Shuri is found and emails restored

Shuri and her daddy reunited

Starting with a brilliant piece of news: lost dog Shuri has been found, alive and unharmed, and has been reunited with her very relieved parents.   It was thanks to the HKDR Facebook post that the woman who spotted Shuri in a covered drain in Mid-Levels recognised her as a lost dog, and after checking her phone was able to contact the owners.  It shows that sharing information on social media really does work, and thanks to everyone who did just that.   It's also a reminder that you can never predict what a dog will do under these circumstances, and whereas I thought that Shuri would keep heading along the waterfront after she was last seen at the Shun Tak Centre, in fact she went uphill.

It was incredible good luck that Shuri was spotted in this drain

The second piece of good news is that our website and emails have been restored, another big relief.

Lizzie stays in the corner and dozes at Whiskers N Paws

I was back at my usual haunts today, starting with AFCD in Pokfulam where I had taken two five month-old puppies for their rabies vaccinations and licenses.  Now Lizzie and Inky officially belong to me until they are adopted, and I hope that will happen soon as they are lovely girls.  Inky is (not surprisingly) all black, while Lizzie has beautiful facial markings and is the only one of her litter still waiting for a home.  That's because she acts shy when she goes to Whiskers N Paws and hides herself away in a corner, but at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre she's happy and playful.  I know she'll blossom in a home of her own if she was just given a chance.

Cribbage has the familiar teeth of many small dogs

One of the dogs that had ended up at AFCD after having been found wandering and without a microchip to identify an owner, was ready to go after the mandatory four days so I took her out. Now called Cribbage (a card game in case you're wondering), this little girl is very sweet but she has a cough when stressed, probably a tracheal problem but it will be confirmed with an X-ray later.  It was hard to assess her age when she was licensed at AFCD, particularly as she has wonky front teeth, but I made her eight years old so that is now her official age, right or wrong. 

I was able to get Cribbage checked at Acorn as I was on my way there anyway with a group of puppies going for their second or third vaccinations, every one of them lovely and very ready for adoption.  There's the litter of smaller pups who will be medium sized as adults, and they all have hard-wagging tails that whacked everything within reach, plus a previous pair of puppies who are also not particularly large.  If you are from the UK you might recognise the names of Dorothy and Perkins, but even if not it doesn't matter, these are also really lovely puppies, sweet and smart.  Take another look at some of the puppies we have waiting for homes, and there are many more than these   Puppy Adoption Day 21 April 2019

Martha was a much loved Tai Po dog

It wasn't all happy news today as we had to say goodbye to one of our lovely Tai Po dogs, gentle rottweiler Martha, who had come to us as part of a large ex-breeder group seven months ago.  When she arrived Martha had a large growth on one toe which turned out to be an aggressive sarcoma, and although removed sadly it had metastasised and X-rays today showed advanced lung cancer.  As Martha was already sedated when I was informed I chose to let her go immediately, and while it was a shock for the Tai Po team I know they understood it was the kindest option.  Martha was the sweetest lady and she will be missed.

Weds 24th April: Emails down again

Suddenly it seems to really be summer again, with temperatures soaring and the dogs panting while I sweat my way round the morning trail.  As always I would like to remind everyone about the dangers of the season and especially heat stroke, and to ask that you be aware of the sun and stay in the shade as much as possible, especially when walking on the street.   Every year dogs die from overheating and it's a horrible way to lose your family member, and avoidable too.   There are so many French bulldogs around now (sadly) and these types are particularly prone to dying from heat stroke as they can't breathe properly even under normal circumstances.

I was just thinking that it was still very quiet in terms of emails and enquiries when I discovered that our Hong Kong Dog Rescue emails are down again so we can't receive or send.  In the meantime we can use our HKDR-related gmail accounts, but if you have asked about adoption and don't get a reply that's the reason.  Hopefully by the time you read this we'll have everything restored but it may take some time. I also don't seem to be able to access photos for my blog, so sorry for the dry text only.

There are really too many perfect dogs to even begin to try to name them all, so just come and see for yourselves.  You don't have to wait for an adoption day - as many people ask when the next one is - because every day is an adoption day at our two Homing Centres, and you can meet most of the puppies too as they're staying at our Ap Lei Chau Centre, 5 Wai Fung Street, open 10am to 6pm every single days of the year, no exceptions. 

Tues 23rd April: Happy goodbye to our little fighter Frostie

We're all so happy for Frostie

We were all so happy to say goodbye to older puppy Frostie today, as not only is she the sweetest girl but she has overcome two major health scares in her short life, the first when all but one of her siblings died as very young babies, and the second when she contracted an acute lung infection.  At that point I was asked if I would consider letting her go as the prognosis was poor, but knowing how she had survived in her first weeks of life I couldn't bear to give up, and Frostie proved what a fighter she was by pulling through and recovering completely.   Now she has a family who will love her too, I'm sure.

Frostie is one of these babies who arrived in December 2018

Corgi Freda also left our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre to start her new life after having been surrendered by her previous owner, and again she's a very sweet girl so I'm sure everyone will be happy.

Freda starts her new life from today

There was bad news for young Deenie who was supposed to be leaving for a trial when the potential adopter changed her mind about taking a second dog, so now this lovely medium-sized doglet is once again available if you are looking.  Deenie is staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre so you can meet her there any day of the week.

Pretty Deenie is 9 months old, medium size and very sweet

I was at Acorn today with some puppies that I just didn't recognise or remember, and I was wondering how that could be.  The puppies had been put in crates at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre so I only saw them as they were taken out in turn to have blood tests prior to vaccinations, and they were completely new to me.   I had to ask who they were, and was relieved to be told that they had come from AFCD Shatin a couple of weeks ago and been taken directly to Acorn where they were found to have a low red cell count so couldn't be put up for adoption.  Two of them, Sinbad and Sailor, had gone straight to a foster home with Rose, one of our regular volunteers, while the other pair - Marco and Marina - had been staying at the Homing Centre but unnoticed by me amongst so many others. After treatment for tick fever all four are doing much better so could be given their first vaccinations, and now I will be sure to remember them.

Our "Raise the Roof" evening of stand-up comedy is taking place next Tuesday in case you haven't bought your tickets yet, and as well as the complimentary two drinks there will also be goody bags for everyone to take away.  This is a great way to support HKDR while having a great time and lots of laughter, so get your friends together and come to join the fun.

Mon 22nd April: Please help find Shuri

Marley is a lovely boy, fully deserving of his new home

It was sharpei Marley's big day today as he left the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre with his new family, and looking very happy about it.  This lovely boy had been left in a dog grooming shop and never picked up again, so he came to us and the rest is now history.   We still have sharpei Shirley at our Tai Po Homing Centre if anyone likes this breed, and as Shirley is still a young dog at just a year old we hope she won't have to stay too long.

Sharpei Shirley is still waiting

Sadly ex-HKDR dog Shuri is still missing after having run away from her pet sitter's home in Wanchai, and it's very worrying for everyone.  With the Easter break coming to an end there will be heavy traffic on the roads again, and if the last sighting of Shuri at the Shun Tak Centre is correct I hope she will have the sense to stick close to the water and away from the main road.  Please look out for her and share on your own social media pages so we can all help to reunite Shuri with her family.  She's still a puppy and must be very scared.

Sun 21st April: Happy Easter Chipper!

Chipper has been double lucky in his life so far

Now that Chipper has gone to his new home I can reveal the name of the puppy chosen yesterday, and it looks as though he's very pleased with his new home and bed.  Chipper was one of a litter who came to us from AFCD during an outbreak of distemper, a horrible virus that we hadn't seen for a very long time but which had resurfaced all over Hong Kong.  I have no idea why there were suddenly cases being reported everywhere, from the New Territories to the Outlying Islands, but it was a devastating time for all of the rescue groups as puppies that had seemed to be healthy were suddenly sick and dying.   We had thought Chipper had escaped infection before he started showing signs of the disease, but we were lucky enough to be offered a fantastic foster home who had previously taken care of distemper-infected puppies and Chipper made it through and now he has a lovely family of his own.

Chipper says yep, this will do thanks.

I know everyone loves holidays but it's a frustrating time for us as so many potential adopters are away and can't take dogs or puppies home until after the Easter break.  It happens at Christmas, New Year (both versions) and during the long summer, so we look forward to the months that don't contain Public Holidays.  There's another one coming up on the first of May but at least it's mid-week so won't impact our adoptions so much.

Almost-identical small-sized Dudley and Jenny are always together

At least the weather held for the afternoon, and while new puppy Ranger left for a trial with the other two resident dogs in the home,  his sister Petra moved in with Perkins to become one of the two guests at the Whiskers N Paws puppy corner.  Perkins' sister Wallis had also gone for a trial a couple of days previously, so there was a vacancy created.  I should mention that Perkins is a brilliant puppy, being very good-looking, happy, funny and playful.  In other words highly recommended, as is his sister Chelsea even if the two of them don't get on.   Helen Kwok was the volunteer photographer for the event and here is the album of photos to have a look through   Puppy Adoption Day 21 April 2019 — at Whiskers N Paws (Hong Kong)

Sat 20th April: Surprise weather and surprise adoption

The roof at the Tai Po house leaks badly so the dogs stayed dry like this

I rarely check the Hong Kong Observatory weather forecast these days as it's so rarely accurate, but today I made the mistake of having a look and yes, it completely failed to mention the black sky and Red Rain that appeared halfway through the day.  My Lamma dogs aren't normally scared of thunder but I was buried under a pile of quivering and drooling dogs, with a queue of others needing my reassurance that they weren't about to die.

Poor Shuri must be very scared and hungry by now

At least they have a home and a place to stay dry, and I couldn't help but think about all of those that don't, including ex-HKDR Shuri who ran away from her dog sitter's home in Wanchai the other day and who is still missing.  I noticed that someone had posted that she had been spotted in Gloucester Road by the evening, and I was reminded of runaway Aladdin and the subsequent dramas which only ended when he was found weeks later in Shatin (having also run away from his foster home in Braemar Hill).  I hope Shuri didn't run into the cross-harbour tunnel in a panic and effort to stay dry, but anything is possible.  Please keep your eyes open for a young black female dog, without a collar, who must be absolutely petrified by now.

The puppies made it to the adoption event just before the weather broke, so it was hardly surprising there were no adoptions and not too many visitors.  Still, our volunteer photographer for the afternoon, Simon Chan, managed to get some lovely shots of the puppies which you can see here  Puppy Adoption Day 20 April 2019 — at 康迪亞獸醫 Concordia Pet Care - Happy Valley
We will be back for another try on Sunday at Whiskers N Paws even though more rain is predicted (so it might be hot, dry and sunny).

Meet little Dudley at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday

As happened on Friday we had a surprise adoption, or rather successful adoption interview, at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, and one lucky puppy who will be leaving on Sunday.  No names until the paperwork has been signed but this particular puppy has already been extremely lucky in another way, and I'll tell you how tomorrow.

Fri 19th April: A very rainy but fruitful day

I wasn't expecting any visitors to our Homing Centres today because of the heavy rain and thunder, so I was happily surprised to receive emails from potential adopters saying they were heading over, and subsequent messages from Andrea at Ap Lei Chau letting me know how the meetings went. While there were no actual adoptions I hope I'll be sharing some happy news very soon.

Hopefully Deenie will go for a trial in the next few days

One of the potential adopters had wanted to meet new(ish) Tai Po girl Mochi, as well as Deeni who is staying at Ap Lei Chau, so to make things easier we sent Mochi over in a van.  She's such a sweet girl, given up by her family because they had a human baby (grrrr), and she was so well behaved and lovely we would have kept her at the Ap Lei Chau Centre if there had been space.  If anyone is looking for a young adult (two years old) with a lovely nature and a gorgeous fluffy tail, please consider Mochi.

Mochi is a really lovely girl

Further rain is forecast for Saturday but it won't affect our puppy afternoon at Concordia Pet Care in Happy Valley as it's an indoor venue, and there will be new puppies to meet as the litter who came to us as very young babies are now old enough to go to new and forever homes.  Bubba and Gigi are already lucky enough to have been chosen directly from their foster home so there are five rather than seven, but we also have another couple of youngsters reaching the adoption age - Tom and Jerry.  If you can't make it on Saturday we'll be back at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday afternoon.

These photos were taken 6 weeks ago

Thurs 18th April: No break over Easter

Jonny is a very happy and active boy

I didn't know when the day started that I would be taking two poodles and four puppies out of AFCD, but I should never make plans assuming anything.   Luckily all of the new recruits are happy and friendly, even though one of the poodles (really a cross of something curly-coated) has an eye problem which will need treatment.  All six were settled in at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre by the end of the day having been checked and vaccinated, and given their standard worming tablets plus tick/flea prevention.  I hope they all slept well during the storm that followed, as I know my own Lamma dogs were keen to get inside, even those who normally prefer to stay out until the very last minute.

Identical new puppies, two girls and two boys

Gavin loves attention and is a very sweet boy

We had a few offers of a foster home for baby Slipper, for which many thanks, and she was picked up by late afternoon.  We're hoping given the large number of puppies now staying at our Homing Centre that others will be able to take the place of Slipper in the reserve foster homes, or even better that we'll see some adoptions over the Easter holiday weekend.  Both Homing Centres are open as usual from 10am to 6pm, with the Saturday and Sunday puppy afternoons at Concordia Pet Care and Whiskers N Paws respectively.

Baby Slipper before going to foster

Weds 17th April: Nothing is static

The puppies have taken over the front area

Nothing in our work or Homing Centres is static, and by that I mean we have to be flexible about everything and open to suggestions and change.  The dogs and puppies come and go and that in itself means the dynamics are constantly shifting, and today Iris, Manager of the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, rearranged the accommodation as we currently have many more puppies than adult dogs. Previously the small adults stayed at the front of the Centre with the puppies at the back, but that has now been reversed.  We have also installed a new cleaning and disinfecting system that we hope will help prevent the spread of common diseases and also make the cleaning process easier and more thorough.

I do have to mention that all visitors to either of the Homing Centres should understand that puppies can accidentally scratch or bite, and some of the adults come to us with unknown behaviour. We can't constantly watch and oversee both dogs and humans, and for those who have any concern about catching a disease from the dogs I would suggest you stay behind the fence.  It's unfortunate too that despite there not having been a case of rabies in Hong Kong for many decades the Public Hospitals and many doctors still treat all cases of dog bites and even scratches as potential rabies threats and suggest preventative vaccinations.  I appreciate that rabies is a terrible disease and it still exists in Mainland China, but I'm 100% sure that if there was ever even a suspected case in Hong Kong it would be made very public.  Until then you don't need to worry, and rest assured that all of the older puppies and adults at HKDR have been vaccinated against rabies, unlike many or even most breeder dogs.

The small adults are enjoying their space away from the annoying puppies

The message about Positive Reinforcement training is one of the things we spend a lot of time and effort trying to educate dog owners about, and it's always upsetting and disappointing when adopters resort to the aversive-type trainers and enthuse about the TV celebrity who also comes to Hong Kong on a regular basis to increase his following.  Even those who I know would never hurt their dogs seem to think that this person is the last word in dog training and behaviour, and for all such enthusiasts I would urge you to watch this preview of a longer programme about the science behind positive training https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4HFOtQVjFY&feature=share.  In a nutshell, do you want your dog to be afraid or you or to be a happy family member?  It's not part of a dog's natural behaviour want to dominate humans, they just want to coexist peacefully and without drama.