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| Gorgeous Radar is at Ap Lei Chau |
I had an enquiry today from someone wanting to adopt a dog or puppy to take back to Holland because there are no unwanted or stray dogs there waiting for homes. It sounds incredible and almost unbelievable, but I'd read about this situation previously so I assume it's true and I can only wonder what's gone so horribly wrong in Hong Kong that the number of homeless dogs continues to be so high.
It's no secret to anyone that the wheels of the bureaucratic government here turn so slowly that it takes years to get anything through Legco, and while amendments to any animal welfare laws are being debated hundreds, if not thousands of unwanted puppies are being born and the long-outdated systems are still in place. It's incredibly frustrating that charities or individual volunteers have to mop up after the inadequacies of the current laws that allow breeders and pet shops to keep selling puppies as though they were stuffed toys, and the lack of any real punishment for abusers offers no deterrent at all. For a start live animals should not be displayed in shop windows, attracting impulse buyers and even children, and there are many other changes that could be made if only the civil servants that make up the HKSAR Government weren't so weak. Yes, education is vital, but it takes many years for the message to filter through, too long for those animals who need help now.
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| New puppies come in all the time |
HKDR and others are overwhelmed by the number of dogs and puppies that are homeless, whether they were born as strays or abandoned by their families. It seems that it's quite normal and acceptable to simply toss your pets out when they're not longer convenient, and the same applies across the board of locals and expats, with the assumption that the NGOs will automatically take them in.
Most of the dogs and puppies that we get are mixed breed, and no, we don't have any French bulldog, miniature dachshund or golden retriever puppies waiting for homes. If we had any coming in they'd be with us for all of five seconds before leaving again, and we don't breed our own supply. What we do have are beautiful, sweet and loving mixes who are just as loyal and deserving as any deliberately-bred types. Older puppies like Sailor, currently working as store assistant at Whiskers N Paws and the easiest and kindest of characters as you can see here
https://www.facebook.com/WhiskersNPaws/videos/653462148499748/
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| Meet a selection of puppies this Saturday |
There are too many puppies staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre to name, and I can only ask that if you're thinking of getting a dog you open your mind to the possibility that a mixed breed is just as good as any fancy-named type. Added to that fact is the knowledge that you are saving a life, not contributing to the numbers of dogs that are routinely destroyed every years simply because they're not wanted.
Taking care of hundreds of dogs and puppies at the same time, as HKDR does, also costs a lot of money, and our latest annual accounts show that we need to bring in an average of $1.1 million in donations and sponsorship every month just to cover our costs. That's a huge amount, but it's the reality of the situation and why we all work so hard to try to promote our fundraising events and sponsorship programmes like the Life Saver Club. These aren't additional frills or extras, these are how we survive from week to week, paying our bills and whatever else is needed. As I have said before, it's the cost of loving, and it's very high.
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| Support and have fun at the same time! |
If you want to help you can do so in many ways, by sending donations, joining the Life Saver Club, coming to our fundraising events (and having fun at the same time) or even donating in kind, such as newspaper, old sheets and towels, cleaning products, or your time as a volunteer. You can find all of the information about everything on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com so please spend just a few minutes of your time taking a look.
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