Tues 7th May: Doing the right thing means adopting

Lovely Otto is 5-6 months old

Two more dogs joined us from AFCD Pokfulam today, one a beautiful and very sweet German shepherd-cross puppy boy, now staying at Tai Po, and the other a pretty mixed breed who was laughably licensed as a King Charles spaniel.  I don't know what she is, maybe a shih tzu/chihuahua/whatever, but anyway a breed name isn't important.

Little Marnie was licensed as a King Charles spaniel

If only we could get that message across.  It's upsetting and depressing to see the parade of newly-bought breed puppies every weekend as their owners take them out to show them off (and quite possibly it's the only time they ever get to go out), or at the vet.  We have so many incredibly sweet and very beautiful dogs and puppies, and all they are missing is a designer label. I even got an email from someone asking me if I could give him the contact of any French bulldog breeders in Hong Kong (!), and many potential adopters say they only want a golden retriever because they are perfect family dogs.  Apart from the fact that's not always true, it implies that the mixed breeds or those without the fancy name tag aren't suitable to be with children, which is again not true.

Inca is one of the Stanley Barracks puppies, and all are lovely

The older puppy I took from AFCD today, now called Otto, as well as the recent Stanley Barracks newcomers are all perfect in terms of both looks and temperament, and these are just the latest of many currently staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre while waiting to be adopted.  Even Mochi, a direct surrender who was thrown out when a human baby came, is a wonderful dog, ironically perfect for homes with children.

Mochi is one of our Top Dogs

There can't be anyone who isn't aware of the global environmental crisis that is affecting every corner of the world right now.  Plastics killing whales and other animals, air pollution, whole species disappearing at a frightening rate and so on.   We must all do what we can to stop the slide into total catastrophe, and surely that includes stopping the breeding and buying of designer puppies.  Why would anyone with a social conscience not understand how wrong it is to keep creating more and more dogs when there are thousands dying in Hong Kong alone, and many hundreds in the shelters and animal recue organisations who are so desperately in need of homes.

Fot those of you who have already chosen to adopt, thank you, and to those who are in the process of looking for a dog or puppy to join your family, please do the right thing and adopt.  Somewhere right now there is the perfect dog or puppy just waiting for you, and it's not at a pet shop or breeder.