Fri 31st Jan: The end of a strange month

Most Ap Lei Chau dogs are small or puppies, but we have others too

We're here already, the end of January, and just when I thought all the holidays were over and everyone would be back at work, school and normal everyday life, of course that hasn't happened.  However when there are dogs to take care of, feed and exercise, there's no such thing as a holiday and we will continue to be open every single day at our Homing Centres for adopters and volunteers, and the Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon will take place from 2pm to 5pm as usual.

Tiger and Rio went back to Whiskers N Paws after having been in a foster home during the holidays, and both got glowing reports.  As expected Tiger is very placid and easy, a wonderful house dog with perfect manners.  He may be a bigger puppy but he's very suitable for any home who wants a loving and calm companion.

Tiger is a very easy puppy

Most of our puppies come to us as babies and will stay at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, or in foster homes, until they're adopted, but the larger and slightly older puppies are sent to Tai Po, those like Walter.  So if you're looking for a puppy that's already past the baby stage and is ready to walk straight into your home, please visit our Tai Po Homing Centre any day of the week.

Walter 

Meet Walter!

Whoever takes Walter home will be as lucky as winning the jackpot! Walter the 4/5-month old friendly boy is the sweetest dog in Tai Po. He can’t stop wagging his tail whenever he sees humans, he enjoys any interaction - playing tug of war, taking a nap in your arms, walking nicely on the leash...etc. Just meet him in our Tai Po Homing Centre and you won’t want to leave without taking him!

If you are interested in taking Walter home, please fill out the Adoption Questionnaire: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Walter’s AVID: 603 337 012
ATL Exemption no.: ORG-00001

Thurs 30th Jan: Talking poodle Nando

It's still quiet everywhere in terms of traffic on the roads, so the drive to Acorn was a quick one and I didn't really need to even go along, I only went to buy some vegetables.  The dogs and puppies had been sent in the morning so it was just a pick-up trip, and poodle Nando insisted on sitting on my lap and talking in a very sweet and funny way to driver Ming as we drove back to Ap Lei Chau.

Nando and Scarlet (and I don't know which is which)

I've said it before and you're probably tired of reading it, but poodles are exceptionally smart and that can be a good or bad thing.  Properly treated, trained and exercised these dogs make amazing companions, but it's also easy to turn them into something else.  It's very sad to see dogs become fear biters, and it happens a lot more with the small breeds than large dogs, but when your teeth are the only way you can protect yourself it's understandable.   Nando is a very sweet boy, but I suspect if pushed to do something he didn't like he'd react, because that's how most poodles are. Training means working together and cooperating, not trying to yell commands and expecting obedience.  Dogs deserve better than that, and they're not deaf so raised voices are unnecessary.

Coco's there somewhere

As promised, Tarmac's ex-foster came back to adopt him today, and puppy Coco also left the Homing Centre as did sisters Gabby and Lottie.  Their adopter had been fostering the Whiskers N Paws pair, Tiger and Rio, over the Chinese New Year holiday when the store was closed, so they'll be back in their home-from-home for the weekend.

Lucky Gabby and Lottie will stay together

Weds 29th Jan: Life is on hold

Apologies, the WeWork event I mentioned yesterday will now not be taking place, but of course every day is adoption day at HKDR and our two Homing Centres are open daily from 10am to 6pm without exception.

We will be back at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday for the puppy afternoon, and fingers crossed it will be considerably warmer than it has been for the past few days.   I'm very happy that almost all of our puppies are warm and snug in foster homes, and thank you to everyone who offered a temporary space over the holiday period.

Personally I can't wait for everything to get back to normal and life to resume in terms of work and schools, as there seems to have been a non-stop block on day-to-day routine for a very long time.  For today I don't have any news to report, although we're expecting some adoption action on Thursday so please check back tomorrow.

Tues 28th Jan: Saturday at WeWork

Beauty and Angel are small-sized sisters

Getting back to the swing of things now that the holiday season is over, we'll be at WeWork LKF Tower in Wyndham Street on Saturday 1st February, from 1pm to 4pm.  Maybe this will be the day when sisters Angel and Beauty finally find their forever home together, and for followers of my blog or our HKDR Facebook and Instagram pages, you'll know that two dogs isn't double the work, it's double the fun and love, and we don't want to separate this pair as they're so close.

Romeo the Frenchie

We're undecided about whether or not French bulldog Romeo will be there on Saturday, as while he loves people and cuddles he's not keen on other dogs.  That's typical of the breed so it's not really a behaviour issue, but it does make multi-dog events challenging.  You can meet Romeo any day at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre if you're interested, and we're really looking for a no-kids home for the little guy.

Things will also be back to normal for Sunday's Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws, and hopefully the weather will have warmed up somewhat. 

Tarmac has been in foster for a month and will go back forever

Two puppies are due to be picked up by their adopters on Thursday, shy Tarmac whose ex-foster is coming back for him, and new girl Coco from AFCD Sheung Shui.

Coco's stay will have been a short one

Mon 27th Jan: A new Ice Age

Living in virtual isolation as I do, and not really having any kind of timetable or weekly schedule, I was convinced that the Lunar New Year holiday was over and that it was back to work as normal today.  So it was a surprise to learn that there were still two more days left without our van driver Ming, followed by his (our) regular Wednesday off, meaning Thursday is the first real day back.  As far as I'm concerned that's not a problem, as the last thing I want to have to face is the freezing boat ride over to Ap Lei Chau and back.  If you think it's cold outside, you have to experience being on the water in an open sampan to understand, and even my house is like living in an igloo (my only heater is locked inside a storeroom with a broken door lock meaning I can't get in).   So today I spent time going through all the dog bedding and newly donated soft beds, thanks to the Whiskers N Paws Operation Santa Paws collection, making sure the dogs had fleecy blankets to snuggle into while I dug out my similarly fleecy clothes.  At least the dogs really enjoyed their walk today.

Mikki and Rennie are still at Ap Lei Chau

Despite the holiday and the cold, we have been pretty busy at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and the best thing of all is that even the seniors have been offered homes.  New arrival Bilbo will be going to his new family once he's been for his health check, and he's fourteen years old, while Nutty, now with one eye, has also been offered a foster space.

Bentley the bichon frise

There are still younger dogs available like bichon frise Bentley, a lovely recent arrival from AFCD, Nando the poodle, and sweet Mikki.

Please remember that there are hundreds of dogs at our Tai Po Homing Centre, and even though they may be bigger than the Ap Lei Chau residents that doesn't mean they're not suitable to live in apartments or that they're more difficult to keep or handle.  It only means there's more of them to cuddle and to love.

It's hard to believe Ivory and Tusk haven't been chosen yet

Sun 26th Jan: Who turned the heater off?

Gorgeous Dinghy and Canoe snug in their foster home

I know I said I'd be going over to Ap Lei Chau today to help out with potential puppy adopters, but in the morning Iris told me most of the puppies had gone to foster homes so I wasn't really needed.  In fact it turned out to be a pretty quiet day all round, possibly because of the sudden very cold weather, fear of catching something or it still being a day for Chinese New Year celebrations.  However at least one family came to Ap Lei Chau and left with little Muffin, so being open was worth it for sure.

Muffin going home 

There's not much to write about in terms of news, and it's really so cold here on Lamma that I had to put two coats on Murphy, so I'm very grateful that our puppies are almost all in foster homes.  Our Foster Coordinator Cindy is also taking a few day's break, but please remember you can visit our Homing Centres any day of the year, no exception. 

Lucy has a coat suitable for allergy sufferers

Please come to Tai Po especially, where we have so many beautiful dogs and older puppies waiting to meet you, like gorgeous Lucy shown here.  Lucy wants to have all of the love and attention from her family so we're looking for a home with older children, or no kids at all.

No appointment is necessary if you want to drop by, but if you're thinking about adoption please do complete the online questionnaire in advance so we can suggest those dogs that would be most suitable for your home and lifestyle. You can find it at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Sat 25th Jan: Business as usual as Year of the Rat arrives

Kung Hei Fat Choy! I wish you all happiness and an abundance of good things in the Year of the Rat!

And welcome to the typical Chinese New Year weather, being suddenly cold, wet and pretty miserable after the strangely warm and sunny previous days. It may have been thanks to the summer-like temperature that we've been really busy with visitors over the holiday period, at least at Ap Lei Chau where there was pretty much a constant stream of potential adopters and new foster parents.

Nutty had his bad eye removed today

Thankfully Acorn vets were also working, as the new poodle Nutty had to be sent for emergency eye enucleation (removal) to relieve him if the pain of glaucoma.  He's blind anyway so it didn't affect his eyesight, and he'll be a lot more comfortable now that the source of the pain has gone, along with quite a few rotten teeth.  It's upsetting to know the poor dog was being held at AFCD for a long time due to paperwork, as the eye should have been seen to a long time ago.   The inflexibility of the system has always been a frustration, and upsetting when it affects the health of dogs involved and results in suffering.

Mikki (and Rennie) the day she arrived

Another one of our dogs had to have an eye removed the other day when Mikki was suspected of having a tumour after she arrived with what looked like an infection which didn't improve with treatment.   Dr Tony said he could have  proper look once Mikki was under anaesthetic and decide then whether the eye would have to come out, which it obviously did.  It takes a few days for a dog to adjust to having only one eye but it doesn't really affect them at all, as we know from another young dog we had not too long ago.  Ruthie already had only one eye when she came to us, but it didn't make any difference to the way she enjoyed life.

We had hoped the redness was infection

Mikki is the sweetest of dogs, smaller sized (like a corgi), only three years old and calm, easy and very friendly with everyone. She would really make the best family member if anyone is looking for a dog that would be good with children, and almost certainly with cats too.

Ruthie also had only one eye

After all the visitors had come and gone, it was poodle Scarlet who was today's lucky dog, and she was in a foster home after having had, and lost, two babies born just a few days after she came to us.  So as sad as her loss was, at least it meant she could move on with her life and start afresh, and she's already booked in for the desexing surgery she was suppposed to have the day we found out she was pregnant. 

At first we suspected Nando was the father, but it wasn't him

The friend Scarlet came with, Nando, is still at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre in case you're looking for a poodle. Please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step if you're looking to adopt any kind of dog or puppy.

Fri 24th Jan: Goodbye and hello

Although Chinese New Year's Eve it was work as usual at the two Homing Centres as dogs were not only adopted but were also arriving.  We said goodbye to two and hello to two, and as always please keep checking if you're looking for just the right match.

Puppy Tinker has big sister Tina to play with

The last of the adorable small-sized puppies was adopted today, and Tinker joined Tina the terrier in her lovely new home.  You may remember Tina's runaway adventure when she first came to us, and I'm happy to report that she's completely settled these days and leaving home would be the last thing on her mind.

Mercury is a different dog to the one that arrived 

Young poodle Mercury was also adopted, and he was another example of a complete turnaround in behaviour, arriving as an untouchable and terrified dog and changing into a happy and friendly boy once he settled.   All these scaredy dogs need is time and to be given space to breathe, relax, and decide when they are ready to join in.  Trying to force them to accept petting and cuddles, even if you mean well, doesn't help at all.

Both new arrivals came from AFCD (who are also open every single day of the year in case you want to go there) and are old poodles.  Nutty, eleven years old,  needs immediate surgery on his eye, while Bilbo, fourteen, is at least in one piece but obviously will be sent for a full health check.

Bilbo is very sweet and small sized

If you can foster either of these seniors please let Cindy know by emailing foster@hongkongdogrescue.com.  As always we will provide everything you need in terms of food, bed, bowls and so on, and all vet costs will be covered by HKDR.  All we ask of our foster homes is that they provide a warm and comfortable space for the dogs and puppies, take them to the vet as needed and keep in touch in case of any problems.

Poor Nutty will need to have his eye removed

Again a reminder that there will be no puppy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws this Sunday, but we have lovely puppies available to meet and adopt at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, open daily from 10am to 6pm.  I can highly recommend the "Boat Litter" of Canoe, Paddle, Dinghy (and Tiller who will be coming back from foster) as having the loveliest nature and being very sweet and easy characters, but all of the puppies have their own special appeal.

I've been enjoying my mini break, which will be over soon, and want to thank our hard-working staff and dedicated volunteers for always being there for the dogs regardless of the holidays or weather.  There wouldn't be an HKDR without them, whether on-site or behind the scenes, so to everyone I want to wish a very happy Year of the Rat, and Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Thurs 23rd Jan: Getting ready for the New Year

Three important things that I have to keep repeating: Yes, we are open all over the Chinese New Year holidays and every single day of the year!  You are welcome to visit any day but if you're considering adoption please do complete the questionnaire in advance so we know which dogs would be most suitable, and which Homing Centre you should be going to.  The questionaire is at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Secondly, a lot of emails seem to end up in junk/spam folders so please check your messages if you're expecting a reply to a query.   I also find adoption questionnaires in the wrong inbox so have made a habit of checking through everything.

Whiskers N Paws will be closed on Sunday

Tiger is very calm, laid-back and easygoing 

Finally we won't be at Whiskers N Paws for the regular puppy afternoon this Sunday but puppies are available to meet and adopt at our own Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, and that's from 10am to 6pm, 5 Wai Fung Street.  Here's a reminder of the puppies from last Sunday afternoon  Puppy Adoption Day 19 January 2020 - Part 1 , and although some are in foster homes we have others at our Homing Centre that aren't shown here.

Rio is just medium-sized and a very happy girl 

There was a lot of movement at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, with puppies being adopted (Gabby and Lottie together, yay!) or going to foster homes for the holiday period.  That included the older pair of Rio and Tiger staying at Whiskers N Paws as they needed a short-term foster over Chinese New Year.  We were very happy to be offered a place where they could stay together, but really it's time they found forever homes.  Rio is a medium-sized doglet, full of fun and energy and with a passion for water, while Tiger will be a larger adult but very calm and easy, as well as extremely handsome.

There was good news too about Cara, as she was able to leave hospital today and go to a foster home.  If all works out with the other dog in the home she'll be staying, so for now we'll just let her rest and recover from her surgery and tick fever.

Weds 22nd Jan: Let's talk about size

These pups came to us on 9th January

It happens all the time, we have a dog or puppy at the Homing Centre for weeks and we're wondering how come nobody has shown any particular interest, then all of a sudden multiple homes are offered and there's a rush to adopt.  It happened with puppy Kit, and now it's his sister Tinker who's Miss Popular, but initially nobody asked about her.  I know gorgeous fuzzy-faced Gabby will be next, but so far there hasn't been any real interest in the other sibling Lottie.  I suspect it's because she doesn't look like a small-sized puppy, but she is.   Anyway with puppies that we know will grow into smaller-sized adults there's no pressure on us to find homes because even as older pups they will be easy so we'll wait.

Lexi going home for the New Year 

Lexi also had a lot of interest suddenly, and she was adopted this morning so obviously no longer available.

Which brings me to the question we get asked all the time, and I really do mean at every Whiskers N Paws afternoon and with every puppy:  how big will it be?  Unless the puppy is a known breed the answer is always we really don't know.  With litters like the four just mentioned we know they will be small as adults, medium at most, because they have short legs. 

Freddie from a previous litter looks so much like Gabby

We've also taken in and homed many similar puppies and have seen them as adults so I can pretty much guarantee the final size.  However with most mixed breeds there's no way of telling what they will grow up to look like or what their size will be, and it's only when they're a few months old that you can make a rough estimate.  Even then, there's a second growth period which takes place between eight months and a year, so when it looks as though a teenage puppy is done with growing, suddenly a few more inches appear.

The thing is, does it really matter what the ultimate size is unless you're looking for a very small dog?The difference between twenty and thirty kilos only makes a difference if the dog is out of control and being walked by someone who can't handle it, and that's down to training and using a harness like an Easywalker which is specifically designed to prevent pulling.

In this video taken by volunteer Claudia last Saturday https://www.facebook.com/hkdogrescue/videos/1021810948176595/?eid=ARDNaNtAlchjEX3FA7vXfyeu9OT_zQgPT0yiu9wOznZPyz9HSSJn3qYVk0wD4jM1XKX8foG3c80ArYyr&timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=560806777&fref=tag, you can see that small puppy Wilf has a huge personality and is very bold, while large puppy Tiger is calm and gentle.  Adele is halfway between, being medium-sized (I think) and very active and playful but also a sweet and loving girl. Size really isn't the deciding factor when choosing a puppy unless you really have a small home.  It also isn't true that small dogs need less exercise than large ones because some small dogs are really energetic (like terriers and poodles), while giants like Great Danes are more couch potatoes.

Regarding the space at home and whether it's fair to keep dogs in apartments, I can say without hesitation that a dog doesn't care as long as it has its family.  The only thing you need to provide is adequate exercise and the opportunity for the dog to run and play with other dogs, and to experience life outside of the home.   The only drawback to living in an apartment is that the initial toilet training (to go outside) can be more of a challenge, especially if you live in a highrise and there's a long wait for the elevator.  As an adult though, a dog should be able to hold everything in until you get outside.

My dogs snoozing until I take them outside

An outside space or garden is definitely a bonus, but in Hong Kong it's a luxury and it doesn't mean you can't adopt a dog if you don't have one.  I have a large outside garden for my Lamma dogs and they are free to come and go as they please, but if I'm inside, the dogs want to be inside with me too.

There was very sad news this morning as we heard that Scarlet's baby was found dead by the foster parent, so in the end both Cara and Scarlet ended up losing their puppies.  The only consolation is that both dogs can now get on with their lives without having to wait until their pups are weaned, and Cara has already had several offers for when she's ready to leave hospital.  As a rescue organsation it's never our desire or intention that any of our dogs have puppies, but sometimes it's out of our control.

Tues 21st Jan: My holiday starts today

It was the last full work day for me until the Year of the Rat begins, as our driver Ming is off until next week and I need the van to get around.  Of course I'll be handling adoption enquiries on top of writing this blog, but I hope to be able to spend some time with my Lamma dogs, and Murphy in particular as his health isn't the best now (not that you'd know it, as he's a brave little boy). As mentioned before I plan to head over to Ap Lei Chau on Sunday afternoon to help out with puppy adoptions, and with Whiskers N Paws being closed you'll have to come to our own Homing Centre to meet the little hopefuls.  We're at 5 Wai Fung Street, and we open 10am to 6pm every single day of the year, no exceptions.

New fluffy pup Coco

Bichon frise boy Bentley

We added some more to the group today, a lovely fluffy girl and two flat-coated sisters, as well as a bichon frise boy from Sheung Shui AFCD.  One larger puppy was sent straight to Tai Po as he was too big for the small space at Ap Lei Chau. All were picked up in the morning and went to Acorn for their check-ups, so they're ready to start their new lives.  If you're interested in adopting any of our dogs or puppies please complete the adoption questionnaire as a first step.  It's at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Romany

Gypsy

There have been a lot of enquiries for little Cara, but she's having to stay in hospital until her condition has stablised following emergecy surgery on top of tick fever.   Scarlet has settled into her role as mother to baby Mira (short for miracle), and both are in good hands with their human foster parent so for now we don't have to think about finding them a home.  We still have many other small dogs available though, so feel free to come and meet them.

Mon 20th Jan: The puppy story continues

Baby Wilf and Adele on Sunday 

As promised, here are the additional photo albums from Sunday's new photography volunteers, with many thanks to all for such lovely results

Puppy Adoption Day 19 January 2020 - Part 2 

(Alex Chao)

Puppy Adoption Day 19 January 2020 - Part 3

 (Eddie Holder)  Puppy Adoption Day 19 January 2020 - Part 4 (Ava Chan)

These photos really help with finding the puppies homes and families, and if you see any that you like but they don't have names attached (it takes quite a long time to edit all the shots) please just send the photo and say "that one".

There will be no Sunday puppy party this weekend

As another reminder, there will be no Whiskers N Paws afternoon this coming Sunday as the store will be closed for Chinese New Year, but you can still meet lots of puppies at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre throught the holiday period, from 10am to 6pm, and I will be there on Sunday afternoon to help with puppy enquiries.

Today was quite a drama-filled few hours, with the story of new mother Scarlet, foster milk-mother Cara and the so-far-nameless baby girl continuing.  I'd had another sleepless night thinking about the situation after Scarlet started to produce milk and was acting as though she was anxiously searching for her baby, while Cara was being exceptionally caring but wasn't producing much milk.  By morning Iris and I were trying to decide what to do for the best, not wanting Cara to lose "her" baby but feeling Scarlet also needed to be able to suckle the pup.  As Cara and pup were in a foster home close to Acorn and I was taking two of my Lamma dogs there anyway, Iris brought Scarlet along for a "let's see what happens" introduction.

Cara's immediate care saved the puppy's life

Scarlet has a relaxed mothering style

While I was in Acorn's waiting room I was getting messages and photos showing that Scarlet had immediately taken over the pup's feeding, even though she wasn't a gentle mother like Cara had been.  That was good news, but then who would have full-time custody of the infant?  As it turned out the answer became clear when Iris noticed that Cara was feeling quite warm and had an abnormal discharge.  It was lucky I was just down the road with Murphy and Stardust, as Iris was able to bring Cara over and have her checked out immediately.  As a result Cara had emergency surgery to remove the infected uterus, which saves us having to arrange it at a later date, but it was a risky operation as she also turned out to have tick fever.  At least the question about the puppy was answered, and Scarlet stayed behind in the foster home to take over full time feeding and care of her daughter.  We were so lucky to have been offered this foster home, both for the location and the great care and attention that was given to Cara, and now Scarlet, not to mention the baby.

Kit is the first of his litter to go home

Some puppies are born lucky, and I know when the time comes to find a home for Scarlet's daughter it will be easy as she's a poodle cross, almost a designer "breed".   We also didn't need to 'sell' the smaller-sized litter that included Kit, Gabby, Tinker and Lottie, as their size and incredibly gorgeous looks attracted many enquiries.    Kit was the first to be adopted, and he left the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today.

The Fab 4 when they first arrived

I talk a lot about our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre as that's where most of the adoptions take place, where the puppies stay if not being fostered and where our office is located.  It's also the hopping-off point for the sampan I take from my Lamma hideaway, so the obvious place for me to go to.  However our Tai Po Homing Centre is the main location for our HKDR dogs, and there are around four hundred hopefuls living there and waiting for that special day to arrive.  We have all sorts, breeds, sizes and ages at Tai Po, all bigger than small and older than babies, but still gorgeous older puppies who moved there from Ap Lei Chau, plus medium-sized adults that were just a bit too big for the small Homing Centre.

It seems to be the husky-dumping season, as another one will be coming from AFCD to add to young adults Sabre and Misha, both of whom are still waiting for the right kind of home for this demanding breed.

Not many homes are suitable for a husky like Sabre

More puppies will also be coming to Ap Lei Chau on Tuesday, so if anyone has time and space to foster please do contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com for details.

Sun 19th Jan: Miracle on Main Street

Cara is foster mother to Scarlet's baby girl

I'm stretching the truth a bit to call it Main Street, but we're just off the main road and what happened really was a kind of miracle.  Iris arrived in the morning to find that poodle Scarlet had given birth to two pups, totally unexpectedly in the sense of timing as she hadn't started producing milk, and that usually happens in advance. One pup was already dead and the other in danger as Scarlet was distressed and jumping up and down barking, so I suggested to Iris that she try Cara, the cockapoo mother who had also recently given birth and still had some milk.  Although Cara herself had rejected her own pups we knew that it was due to trauma during, or shortly after she had the puppies, and now that she is settled she miraculously accepted Scarlet's baby.  Cara's milk supply was very little as she had never fed her pups but it was enough for the pup to attach, and for Cara to start licking and grooming the baby girl.  We got some canned puppy milk to help supplement what Cara couldn't provide, but I'm hoping that with a baby suckling the milk will start to flow.  It's only been a very short time since Cara herself gave birth, so fingers crossed, and now Cara and Scarlet's baby have gone to a foster home for individual care.

By the evening Scarlet's milk had started to come so now we have to think about what to do for the best, especially if Cara has bonded with the pup.  I'll update as we know what's happening.  I should also mention that we don't know who or what the father of the puppy is but we're assuning the baby is a mongradoodle.

It was Thomas's first time at Whiskers N Paws

It was a busy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws but only one puppy was adopted, and strangely it was another black boy, Thomas.  The black puppies have been our most popular of all the colour variations, and I've said before that it's definitely not the black dogs that are unpopular.  Eric Tang was our regular volunteer photographer  Puppy Adoption Day 19 January 2020 - Part 1 although we had a few coming to give it a try so there will be more photos to follow.

Lucky Woody and Banyan! 

Before the Whiskers N Paws event two of the most recent litter were adopted as a pair from the Homing Centre, and they were leaving just as I arrived.  We love double adoptions and it makes all sides happy, from pups to adopters and us.

I need to mention that Whiskers N Paws will be closed next Sunday 26th for Chinese New Year, but puppies will be available to meet and adopt at our own Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, from 10am to 6pm, so I will be there in the afternoon instead.

Also worth mentioning is that Whiskers N Paws now have their own human kitchen and cafe serving delicious meals and snacks as well as hot and cold drinks.  A group of us tried some of the dishes for lunch and they were very tasty, so bear in mind that you and your dogs can eat together while shopping.

Sat 18th Jan: So many gorgeous choices

Tinker looks nothing like her siblings

Getting straight down to business, there are two really lovely photo albums from today's Happy Valley event at Concordia Pet Care thanks to Laura Nie  Puppy Adoption Day 18 January 2020 - Part 2 and Christine Dutka Puppy Adoption Day 18 January 2020 - Part 1 , and although there were no direct adoptions these afternoons often result in the dogs and puppies being taken home later.  With Chinese New Year fast approaching it's inevitable that there are a lot of people leaving for the holiday (again), so we're expecting a quiet couple of weeks.   However, the Adopt Now-Take Home Later promotion now applies, so if you choose a puppy but will be away over the Lunar New Year, we'll hold for you until you get back.

All 4 of these siblings look totally different 

There is an exception to this offer, which may sound unfair, but little Kit has had so many would-be adopters begging to take him that I don't think it's going to be necessary.  In fact he'll be gone by Sunday, Monday at the latest, and I hope that also means his incredibly cute siblings. 

The 4th puppy in the small-sized litter

One of those siblings is Tinker, and I can best describe her as looking like an orange coconut with her terrier-type coat.  Of the four pups in this completely varied family, Tinker has the longest legs and the most energy, so she'll need a home that can provide lots of exercise and games to play.  You can meet her at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday, along with all of the other hopefuls.

Cara 

Muffin arrived today

There's certainly no shortage of choice as far as little poodly dogs is concerned as we took in another today, a boy this time.  He'll need to be licensed before he can go to any home, but of course he's available to be seen.

Tiny Lexi at Concordia 

Jimmy (l) leaving with his new "brother"

While Muffin was being checked in at the Homing Centre, pug Jimmy was leaving.  He was another lucky dog who had many offers, and in these cases we choose the home that we think will be lost suitable.

Paige finally has her own soft bed and a home for life 

There's a very happy story from Tai Po as one of our long-term seniors, Paige, was chosen and once she passed the cat test with flying colours, it was a done deal.   I can't express how grateful we are to those who give an older dog the chance to live out their days in a real home, and these seniors are easy to take care of as they ask for so little and give so much.

There was a lot of sharing on social media about the awful case of dogs being horribly abused at a grooming shop in Tai Po, and SPCA and the police are following up on that.  I hope the shop stays closed for ever, as the owner seems to have fled, but it does serve as a warning.

In another truly awful case, a bulldog puppy that was left in a rubbish bin where he was luckily spotted, has sadly died.  It seems he had parvovirus, and maybe also distemper, but if you need yet more proof that breeders care nothing about the dogs, this is it.  Thanks to the finder of the puppy for taking him straight to a vet and for trying, even though it was in vain.