It didn't start off being what the day turned into, as I didn't know that there'd be a message from AFCD Pokfulam to let me know there was a four year-old corgi ready for re-homing, or that five little puppies would be arriving via Catherine's Puppies. This was an on-off situation as we'd been expecting the pups (and perhaps small dogs) for a few days and our driver had been on standby to pick them up, only to be told "maybe tomorrow". That's exactly what happened today, then suddenly the pups were on their way and driver Ming sped off to Sai Kung to pick up the five little ones, and after that he and I made it to AFCD just in time to get the corgi before closing time.
I know I repeat myself all the time but it's an uphill battle to do what I can to educate people about dogs and their needs. It's not intentional cruelty, just ignorance really, and this corgi is a perfect example. He's only four but has clearly never been walked as his nails are long and his body obese. He was so scared, and I imagine it's because he's lived indoors all his life, never experiencing anything outside the four walls of his home. The damage done to puppies during their formative first months of life can last for ever, and we see it in our "Red" dogs, the poodles, corgis and other small dogs, all with defensive behaviour due to early poor treatment. For the new corgi (now Patrick) we can only wait and hope that he can be rehabilitated, otherwise he'll join the other "Red" dogs in their own Centre round the corner.
It's not only small dogs that suffer in this way as I saw what was described as a samoyed when we were asked if we would take him as a surrender. Before I could even decide either way the dog had been surrendered to AFCD as a biter, and I saw him today, a massive dog more like a white "Dire Wolf" (if you have seen Games of Thrones) or a giant malamute than a samoyed. The poor animal took up all the space in the kennel and was obviously very upset at being imprisoned in this way, and I felt incredibly sad that such a magnificent young dog had ended up on Death Row due to the way he had been treated.
We took in two more dogs from AFCD Sheung Shui today, another malamute, now called Teddy, and a sweet sharpei type called Nugget.
While the five new puppies were arriving at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre two sibling puppies were leaving. Lucy had had her adoption paperwork completed the previous day and was being picked up, while brother Lester was being chosen by his new family.
Ozzie was Tai Po's lucky dog for today, and it always makes me very happy to see a dog chosen from the big Homing Centre where there are literally hundreds of lovely lives waiting and hoping that today might be their special day.
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