Mon 31st Aug: Is it really autumn already?

 Just catching the August adoption numbers, two former Tai Po residents had their adoptions confirmed today, Paddington and Samuel.

Paddington had been with us for many years so it was fantastic to know that the wait for a home and family was finally over, and thank you to his adopters for giving him this opportunity to experience this kind of life. 

Samuel was one of the lucky ones in that he didn't have to wait too long to be chosen, but we suspect his previous life was an unhappy period so he also deserved to have a real home. 

Paddington and Samuel missed out on the new Uber offer which has just been announced for the month of September, so please remember to read the details if you want to take advantage of this:  

Thank you

Uber

for supporting pet adoption through their new Uber Pet service!

From now on until September 30, when you adopt a dog from HKDR, Uber Pet will sponsor $150 off your trip home with your newly adopted dog.

For the rest of you who are trying out Uber Pet:

Apply promo code 𝐇𝐊𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐏𝐓 to enjoy HK$100 off your first Uber ride on or before October 31, 2020.

Exclusive to friends of HKDR: use promo code 𝐇𝐊𝐃𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 to enjoy HK$15 off your next two Uber Pets rides on or before September 30, 2020.

Another baby puppy arrived at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today, apparently a sibling of the last one that was found and sent to us.  Today's foundling Nathan had infected skin all over his back, so Iris needed to shave off the hair to check for bites or anything that needed treatment.  There was nothing obvious so we assume it was was just exposure to the harsh environment and the recent rain, so for now Nathan is wearing a little coat to cover his baldness. 

These very young babies aren't available for adoption at the moment but we do have quite a few waiting at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, with more due back from their foster homes very soon.  Take a look at these videos of just some of the youngsters hoping to find homes:  https://www.facebook.com/hkdogrescue/videos/3523954377656432

Sun 30th Aug: Things are happening at Tai Po

 

Suddenly it seems there are lots of (unwanted) puppies being born and coming to us, including three that arrived today and another litter of eight newborns that are currently still with their mother and will be left with her for a while, unless anything happens that means they need immediate rescue.  The three new arrivals shown here aren't ready for adoption yet and were just passing through on their way to see a vet and then on to their foster home. 

The puppies already with us are getting to the age when they are ready to be adopted, and certainly Pudsy and William are, although Pudsy will need to take her best friend with her when she goes.  That's not another puppy by the way, it's a cuddly toy that Pudsy really loves and I think it would be a shame to break them up.

With the lack of any new small dogs, although we were as busy as always with visitors at Ap Lei Chau, most adoptions seem to be happening at Tai Po, and that's absolutely fine. 

Rachel and Mandy are now off the books, and very shy boy Charlie went home for a trial to see how and if he can settle.  There are other dogs in the house to help him, and this is so important for timid dogs.  It makes such a huge difference to their happiness and confidence if they have a friend to lean on. Charlie was always a scaredy boy, even though he was still a puppy when I took him from AFCD several months ago.  He grew into a handsome doglet and enjoyed his puppy friends, and how he has been given a fansastic opportunity of becoming a real family member. 

Sat 29th Aug: Remembering dogs from long ago

 I'm hoping today's adoptions will have unblocked whatever it was holding up all of the others and that Sunday will see more decisions made about which dog to take home.  There doesn't seem to be a shortage of visitors and potential adopters, but there haven't been any new small dogs coming in to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, only puppies, while we always have a huge supply of lovely adults at Tai Po. 

Puppy Muffin went home today with her new family and I'm sure she'll have lot of attention and fun ahead.

Tammy was Tai Po's lucky girl as her adoption was confirmed, and hopefully other will be following suit very soon.

With HKDR having been in operation for so many years it's inevitable that along with the happy updates on puppies growing into wonderful adults, and dogs moving to other countries across the world, there are the sad messages about much-loved family members having come to the end of their lives.  In fact over the past week or so there seem to have been more than usual, but I'm grateful to the families for taking the time to let me know.  

Volunteers from our Pokfulam days will remember a dog called Oona, who escaped from the kennels and ran away but was later discovered to be living not too far from where we were.  All attempts to catch her failed, but she was fed by some local workers and we knew that she was OK.  However she kept having puppies, which we were able to bring back to the kennels, and they were all amazingly beautiful.  Big Bear was one of them:

"Back in November 2009 we adopted a dog called Oreo (Originally you called him Big Bear). His mother was Oona and had Gala (which was kept at your home), Crumble and Freya as siblings.

Unfortunately, last week he had to be put down due to an aggressive cancer in his stomach, which affected him eating and eventually walking.

I still have your blog from the week before he joined our family (28th October) and you wrote “I have two current favourites among the older puppies on Lamma. Big Bear, one of Oona’s pups, has turned into the cuddliest, sweetest fluffy boy imaginable.  He’s also not as big as I thought he was going to be, and he’s going make such a lovely family pet”.

Well you was spot on regarding the last point. Having spent nearly 11 years with us in Hong Kong he was indeed the best family pet we could have ever imagined (also being our first dog), having grown up with my three children, he enjoyed his walks in Lamma and lots of tummy rubs.

I would like to say a big thanks to you and your team in providing a great match.

He will be missed loads, however we are really thankful that he joined our family."

Fri 28th Aug: Waiting to meet you every single day

 Another month has sped by, and although early August saw a mad rush of adoptions this past week has been frustrating in that aspect, as well as so much else.  However we have three days left until September and since that includes the weekend I hope I'll have more going-home stories to write about.  There are still a lot of enquiries about various Tai Po dogs, but it's puppies only at Ap Lei Chau other than Igloo and new poodle girl Yoyo.  

Igloo's a funny girl because she is basically very sweet but she suffers from separation anxiety and barks when left alone.  She also barks at certain people, myself included, which isn't so much aggression as demanding attention, and just like Romeo (who continues to do very well) I know there's the right home for Igloo out there.

We have a good selection of very sweet puppies at Ap Lei Chau, with the "Water Babies" litter and the sharpei-cross litter still in foster homes.  They should all be returning to the Homing Centre before too long so there's always going to be puppies available. 

Although we don't post the puppies on our website you can see all of the other dogs available at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/dogs/

The adoption questionnaire is also on our website at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

We're open every single day at Ap Lei Chau and Tai Po Homing Centres from 10am to 6pm, no exceptions!

Thurs 27th Aug: Loved for ever

 There was happy (and sad) news as Aretha's adoption was confirmed. Senior Aretha was a shy and quiet dog who stayed at our Tai Po Centre for many years until she was taken home for fostering. With a recent diagnosis of an aggressive cancer, Aretha's foster parent is determined to take good care of her for her remaining days so upgraded her status:

“Aretha is such a sweet girl and our family members love her, we named her "Mui Mui" after she has came to our home during the super typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. Although she's shy and easily get nervous sometimes when she met other dogs outside that she's not familar with, she's totally fine and enjoy walking with my other dog when not many dogs around, she deserves all the love from human.

Time flies and Aretha has already stayed with us for nearly two years, this Sep will be the 2nd anniverary that she joined us and I would love to take this opportunity to confirm her as one of our forever family members. I hope she can still enjoy the rest of her life with us happily even though no one knows how much time she has left with an aggressive cancer, but I will try my best to do anything for her and wish to bring her more happiness."

After sharing information about the current exhibition of The Art of Bonnie Pang, we received a lot of enquiries about the possibility of buying online, and now you can!

The Art of Bonnie Pang

Happy International Dog Day!

For locals in Hong Kong, please email Eva (Eva@hongkongdogrescue.com) and she will take care of your order and shipping. 100% profits will be donated!

For overseas fans, just head over to my Society6 shop https://bit.ly/32oUNYM ! There’s a range of different sizes/types of prints to choose from. 20% profits will be donated!

Thanks so much for supporting all these doggos

On a completely different subject, the worst possible outcome of pet dogs being smuggled into China has been exposed as crates stuffed with dead dogs were found on some Hong Kong beaches.  I'm sure none of us want to imagine the horror of the scenario and that's even before the animals ended up in the sea, either thown from a boat or falling off.  This is the SPCA statement:

SPCA(HK)-Eng

Worst Nightmare Confirmed!

Since the busting of the city's largest sea smuggling case this year by the Marine Police and Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department last Friday where 12 live animals were found, the SPCA has been very worried that more animals maybe involved and the extreme ordeals that these missing animals may have suffered or may still be going through. The SPCA is extremely upset to see two cases of dead animal bodies caged in pet carriers being washed up to the beaches in Hong Kong in the past two days, where a total of 15 carcasses were found in 3 crates. It is absolutely outrageous! We do not want to see more animal victims found but we do urge the public to stay alert and look out for any suspicious items such as pet carriers and dead animal bodies along the shoreline and on the waters of Hong Kong. Should you spot anything suspicious, please call the SPCA 24-hour Inspectorate Hotline 2711 1000 or the Police.

"Whilst the recent findings are still under investigation, we encourage pet owners who have arranged their pets to be transported via Hong Kong to Mainland China with an overdue expected arrival date and now have lost contact with their pet / pet transport agency to contact the SPCA Inspectorate through ip@spca.org.hk. Any information such as your pet’s microchip number, breed, age and information related to the travel arrangement will be useful for the ongoing investigation and will be passed on to enforcement authorities". 

Hopefully the truth of the story will emerge as owners of the dogs come forward or are traced, as I understand the dogs were microchipped.  Whether the owners knew the dogs were being transported like this or had paid for what they assumed was proper traven arrangements remains to be seen.  Either way this is a truly horrible situation of extreme cruelty. 

Weds 26th Aug: Strange times indeed

 

It really is the strangest time right now, and by that I mean having no small dogs other than Igloo waiting for adoption at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre.  We have dogs like shy Dobby, sisters Willa and Wonton plus the puppies, and it won't be long before even more of the babies-growing-up will be returned, but we usually have little dogs too.

Two of the litters that will be returning to Ap Lei Chau soon are the Water Babies and the Sharpei-Cross boys. 

Maybe this will mean our "Red Dogs" will have a chance of being chosen, and we have a good number of them.  These are the dogs that need time and understanding, and a home without children, but they're all good girls and boys underneath their troubled exterior.

For now our Tai Po Homing Centre is the busier of the two, with many potential adopters coming to meet the dogs.  Our current Top Dogs at the big Centre are Jedi, Rachel, Posy, Guava and Thor, but there are so many more.  You can browse through hundreds of names and faces at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/dogs/ 

If you're interested in adoption please remember to complete the questionnaire as a first step. It's at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Regarding volunteers for dog walking, we can always use more at our Tai Po Homing Centre but currently don't need additional help at the small Ap Lei Chau Centre. Again please go to the website for information and application: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/

Tues 25th Aug: A happy family reunion

 I wrote before about one of the baby puppies that was found and sent to us, and his subsequent struggles with eating, or rather with keeping his food down.  After a CT scan showed he didn't have the more serious problem which would have resulted in him having to be euthanised, it still meant that after every feed he had to be held upright to help the food go down rather than come back up. Luckily Ned was in a wonderful foster home who took such good care of him, and he grew bigger and stronger by the day until it was finally time for him to have his first vaccination and come to the Homing Centre.  Now he's eating well, even if he still needs to be held upright for five minutes after every meal, and hopefully as he grows even bigger this won't be necessary any longer.  I think Ned's going to enjoy having the other puppies to play with, and he's a beautiful boy as well as being very lucky.

We've been expecting more puppies to arrive although they haven't come yet, but we did take in a senior poodle girl today.  As luck would have it, I'd just received an enquiry for a poodle that was good with children, and I think Yoyo will be a good fit.  

There was a happy reunion at Ap Lei Chau today when husky Floyd (previously Fire) came with his foster parent to pick up "sister" Toffee, who'd just had surgery for the removal of mammary tumours.  Willa and Wonton are their daughters, so they were all delighted to see each other again (the puppy isn't related!).  It's lovely to know that Floyd and Toffee (in the coat) will be staying together, even if temporarily, and very kind of the foster home to offer to take Toffee in too.  

I want to write about adoptions, especially from our Tai Po Homing Centre, and I have a feeling they're all going to come at the same time.  We've been having a regular and fairly constant flow of visitors meeting the dogs, but usually they want to think about which one to choose and maybe bring their own dog to help with making a decision.  We have so many lovely dogs I know I would also have a hard time taking just one, so it's understandable that others feel the same way.   

Mon 24th Aug: Please check your Spam mail

 It feels a bit like treading water at the moment while we're waiting for new smaller dogs to arrive, and even though I keep being asked if we can accept young puppies they haven't turned up as expected.  We do have puppies available, lots of them in fact, both at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and in foster homes, and one of them will never be seen because he's being adopted straight from foster.  This one is Bumpy, a singleton baby who was rescued and brought to us in early July. Bumpy was extremely lucky to be found alive and now doubly lucky as he has a home. 

One new dog did come in today, a young female almost-labrador who's now called Mandy.  I have a feeling she won't be waiting long for her forever family and as always please complete the adoption questionnaire if you're interested:  www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

We'll choose the home that we feel is most suitable and can offer Mandy the best life possible.  You can see from the photo that she hasn't had proper care, and in fact her previous owner moved out of the home and left Mandy behind.  Things can only get better from here. 

We don't know what sort of training, if any, that Mandy had in her old home but our own in-house trainer Cactus is always available to help as and when needed.  One thing I do need to mention is that many of our emails seem to end up in Spam inboxes and people think we haven't replied.  If you're expecting an email from us and it hasn't arrived, please do check your Spam mail.  It works the other way round too and emails sent to HKDR also get filtered as Spam, and who knows why. 

It's been such a long time since things were what we thought of as normal.  For myself I've adjusted to a new way of life which means working from home full time like so many others, and that's pretty easy given that AFCD seem to have almost no dogs or puppies and haven't had for a long time.  Even Sundays, which used to mean puppy afternoons at Whiskers N Paws are a fading memory, and the puppies can be seen every day at our own Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre instead. 

Sun 23rd Aug: Not in any rush to move the puppies

 This is the first Sunday for a very long time where there are no adoptions to write about, not that we don't have lots of enquiries or even potential adopters coming to meet the dogs.  It's just that we're trying to prevent future issues, that in many cases seem to be inevitable, by approving adoptions that just don't quite fit.  For example, most enquiries are for small or small-medium sized dogs and puppies, and now that we currently don't have any available, visitors to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre are drawn to the puppies that are still small due to their young age but may become large-sized adults.  It's one thing to say that it will be OK if they grow to be big dogs, but the reality of it may well be very different, so we would really prefer that these puppies go to homes that are actively looking for a larger size.  Look at this adorable baby Muffin enjoying a tummy rub https://www.facebook.com/HKDR.DOGGIES/videos/3297904663656181/

Despite the lack of adoptions I hope (think) that several of today's visitors will be coming back after having had a think, and as far as the puppies are concerned they're stilll very young so we're happy to keep them at the Homing Centre until the right home comes along. 

I was happy to be able to help one of our past adopters when she asked for help in getting their dog Toffee to the UK when the arrangements they had already made had fallen through.  With direct flights to London having gone up massively in price (in this case from $28,000 to $58,000), the options are either to pay a huge amount to fly a single dog, or to look at other choices.  For Toffee's family, and with the help of International Pet Travel, Toffee made it by flying Qatar Airlines via Doha.  

Sat 22nd Aug: You are never alone with an HKDR dog

 When anyone adopts from HKDR they are given all of the information about what to expect when the dog arrives home and the time it normally takes for an adult to settle and adjust, or if it's a puppy the relevant feeding and care guidelines.  We also give the adopter a folder containing the vaccination record and information leaflets on various subjects, and most recently our own adoption booklet which contains everything you need to know. 

  Additionally, before leaving the Homing Centre with the dog or puppy our staff will explain verbally what has or needs to be done, if anything, and finally we have our own very experienced in-house trainer who will follow up offering help and support as and when needed, so every adopter knows they are never alone with an HKDR dog.  

We know adopting a dog or puppy can be exciting but also a bit scary, especially if you've never had a dog before, and that a lot of what's said is quickly forgotten. That's why we put it all in writing too, so everything is there as a reminder.   All we ask is that adopters read the information, especially the bit about having access to our trainer if needed, rather than asking friends, neighbours or other misinformed friends for advice.   In the end we would rather take the dog or puppy back early rather than later when problems have been left and allowed to get out of hand. 

As expected we had a lot of visitors at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, many looking for small-sized dogs or puppies which unfortunately we don't currently have.  We do have young puppies but we can't know how big they will grow to be, and nor can we say when we will be getting more small dogs in.  As always it's sudden when it happens, the result of an email or message to say there are dogs or puppies available and ready to be collected.  

The puppies currently at the Homing Centre are shown here (left) while we have quite a few still in foster homes like the five sharpei-cross boys, too young to be adopted as singletons.  Please keep reading my blog for daily updates if you waiting for new of new puppies or small adults, as you'll see it here first.

Fri 21st Aug: Yes we have puppies

 The puppies that came to us as baby foundlings and went straight to foster homes are now starting to come back to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, and now we have six youngsters waiting to meet their forever families.  Other than William they're still babies in the sense that they really need to be able to play and have a friend, so ideally they'll go to homes where there's another dog, or a cat that's willing to play, but in any case company of sorts.  

 It's always a dilemma with young puppies choosing between keeping them safe from infectious diseases while at the same time making sure they're well socialised, and even if you can't take them out walking (remember too that puppies have soft bones that aren't fully formed) you can still carry them out in a bag so they can get used to all the noise and busy-ness of life outside the home. Our trainer Cactus has to help a lot with puppies who are scared when the time comes for them to venture out of the home for the first time, so starting early really makes a difference. 

We're still waiting for new smaller dogs to come in, and this always happens with very little notice so we can't say when it will be or how many, or what type or size.  We only have a senior poodle who's not very well and pretty little pom-cross Igloo who suffers from separation anxiety and can't be left alone.  Unfortunately Igloo has no interest in other dogs even if she's fine having them around, so  having a dog companion makes no difference.  Her ideal home would be one where there was always someone around and no neighbours to hear her barking, and I'm sure one day the perfect opportunity will come along. 

There have been quite a few reported cases of leptospirosis following the recent heavy rain, and this always happens when the underground water level rises and washes the rat urine-infected water into the streams that dogs like to play in.  This seems to be particularly prevalent in Mid-Levels and the water that runs down from the Peak, so please take care and bring along your own water for your dogs rather than letting them drink from the streams, or even stay away completely for the time being. 

Thurs 20th Aug: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

 I said to Romeo's adopter today that her home was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity for this little French bulldog, coming as he did with both physical and behavioural issues that had seen him either rejected immediately or returned from other homes he had been to.  Finally there was someone who understood both the breed and dog behaviour in general, as well as having the perfect space for a dog whose mobility is limited due to his fused pads, as well as an intense hatred for other dogs.  Now Romeo has his own garden and a big area to roam, relax in and explore, and although when tired at the end of the day his grumpy attitude apparently returns, there is no question of him coming back.  His adopter knows that it will take time but she'll begin a rehabilitation programme that will include going out for buggy rides initially, so that he can safely get accustomed to seeing other dogs without being able to be in contact.  We're all so happy for Romeo to have been given this chance, as well as grateful to his adopter for her understanding, and how I wish all of our "Red Dogs" could find the same kind of home as we know they too could become perfect "normalised" with the right person. 

As everyone is aware this year has been very difficult for many, whether individuals or businesses, and as far as possible we have continued to operate as usual with both Homing Centres open daily and adopters welcome to visit.  What we can't do is to hold any of our regular fundraising events, and while we had been hoping that by November there might have been a return to some kind of normal life that's not looking hopeful at this point.  In any case it takes months to organise a big event and time has run out for this year.  However what we do have is our 2021 Cube Calendar, back by popular demand after a couple of years break, and production work on that is now complete.  The response for contributions was amazing and now we're hoping the sales will also do well.  Watch out for the announcement once the Calendar hits the shelves, and many thanks to Whiskers N Paws for their generous sponsorship! I've just spent too long looking at all of the dogs included, one per page and either happily adopted or waiting for their forever homes. 

Weds 19th Aug: Where do the dogs come from?

 I was going to share this yesterday but then the typhoon came along and I thought it wasn't the best time to be talking about visiting a cafe exhibition.  Now the sun is out again and I know how popular our recent series of Hong Kong dogs was, so now you have the opportunity to buy postcards and paintings of your favourites, with all proceeds going to HKDR.  Thank you Bonnie!

🐾Check out this lovely Charity Exhibition 《85 Wagging Tails》for HKDR by The Art of Bonnie Pang! It’s been a stressful time for everyone in Hong Kong and the rest of the world, but let’s take some time off to slow down, enjoy a cup of coffee and appreciate the art from a talented dog lover who draws to show you the beauty of our amazing rescue dogs!

Artwork and postcards will be available for sale with 100% of the proceeds going to HKDR as donations before the exhibition ends on 14 September. Thank you Bonnie and 侘寂珈琲・喫茶 WabiSabi Coffee Kissa for their generous support!

If you ever wonder how come so many dogs are abandoned or surrendered and end up at shelters or rescue groups, I can give you a good idea.   Yesterday I was asked by three separate people if we would take in very young puppies in need of help, and I said yes to all.  This morning I was told "the villagers" were keeping one litter, and "someone has adopted" another litter, and my heart sinks at the thought of what happens to such puppies.   The village ones won't be desexed, even if they manage to survive, and as for the "adopted" ones I have no idea if that means separately or as a litter.  Either way I know from the many adoption enquiries I get every day that there are too many homes that really don't have the time to take care of a dog, and certainly not a puppy.   These are the dogs who end up being abandoned when they're no longer young and small, and many of them come to us at that age. 

Germany has just passed a law making it mandatory to walk pet dogs twice a day, while many Hong Kong dogs are lucky to get out twice a week.  It's not fair on any dog, regardless of size, to ignore that dogs are animals that naturally live in family groups and are never solitary.  I understand that people need to work to live and pay the rent, but then you shouldn't take on a living creature that needs companionship as a basic part of their genetic make-up.  A pet like a chinchilla would be far more suitable in these situations as they do live happily by themselves. 

Here are a couple of lucky puppies who did come to us and will only go to homes that have the time to take care of them and provide the exercise and companionship they need.  Pudsy is the last of her litter while William came as a slightly older singleton https://www.facebook.com/HKDR.DOGGIES/videos/305316510690585/

Also on Eagle's HKDR Doggies Facebook page, sisters Willa and Wonton, half husky-half terrier, are looking for a home together.  They are very closely bonded and can't be separated, so if anyone can offer a home to this lovely pair please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ 

Tues 17th Aug: Typhoon surprise

 I'm anticipating the arrival of puppies on Wednesday following the heavy rain, as many are born outside and in places where they can easily be washed out of their nests.  We already know at least some are coming although not how many, and we'll just have to see who's been lucky enough to have survived and been picked up by volunteers.   The T9 signal was a bit of a surprise and I'm sure many of you were lying awake during the night, as I was, listening to the wind and rain and hoping everyone would be OK.

One of the readers of my blog asked about my Lamma dog Rag, and I'm happy to report that he's well on the way to a full recovery and is lying by my side (of course) as I'm typing.  I strongly suspect that his continuing refusal to eat from a bowl, meaning I have to spoonfeed him, isn't for any reason other than he likes it that way. 

It wasn't a day for adoptions today, so I want to talk about three dogs that are still waiting for homes, all shiba inus.  As I've said so many times before this is probably Hong Kong's most popular breed, but they share certain characteristics that mean they're really not suitable for inexperienced dog owners.  Shibas range in size from small to medium, but they're brave and think of themselves as giants.  If there's a fight in the dog park there's usually a shiba involved, and they're also quite vocal in a high-pitched way.  However, treated properly with those people who understand the breed they can be great companions, loyal and strong, and here are our three:

Damson came to us as an older puppy who had obviously been bought by someone who knew nothing. She was an angry little doglet who didn't cope well with life at the Homing Centre so she came to Lamma for rehabilitation.  Her behaviour changed very quickly once she had the space and freedom to do her own thing, and she became very affectionate and got on well with the other dogs. I thought she had a forever home where she's currently living, but unfortunately her fosters can't commit so Damson needs a new place to live.  While in her foster home Damson also got to know the resident cat as well as the parrots, and is fine with them all too.  The photo shows Damson with our driver Ming. 

Gumbo was also an angry doglet when he came to us, and he had serious food-guarding behaviour.  Our trainer Cactus worked with him to overcome that issue and he's been living very happily as an HKDR office dog since then.  He plays well with the other dogs at the Homing Centre and loves the humans he knows, although still slightly suspcious of strangers wanting to pat his head (never a good idea with dogs you don't know, by the way).  Gumbo is a medium-sized shiba, something which tends to put potential adopters off when they're expecting a very small dog. 

Our most recent addition is King, and he is the easiest of the three shibas.  He's also the oldest at four years, but still a young dog by any standards.  He hasn't been any trouble since coming to Lamma, and his failed and very short trial adoption wasn't his fault at all. 

If you are interested in adopting any of these three shiba inus, bearing in mind that we wouldn't let them go to homes with children or small apartments in busy locations, please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/