Sun 20th Dec: Counting down to Christmas

 You probably know by now that I'm not a Christmassy-type person, and this year has been worse than any other in terms of it having crept up without me even noticing.  I suspect I'm not alone in feeling this way, but still almost Christmas it is, and I'm sure all children are getting excited about the big day and what presents they'll be getting.  As with every year, please don't make a puppy one of those gifts, because a puppy is something for the whole family that will last for many years to come.  Children grow up, their interests change, and they may even leave home to go to college while the dog is still there and totally reliant on their humans for everything.  Even if you're single or married without children, everything can change so quickly and the dog will still be there.  Please THINK long-term when adopting and don't become one of those who end up sending the "it is with a heavy heart" message we dread opening.  If your heart is heavy, imagine how the soon-to-be-abandoned dog feels. 

Paddy the poodle was abandoned by his family when he was nine years old, and as he had never been taken to a vet nobody knew he had a bad heart. Still, Paddy had the best day of his life today as he was adopted by a family who will love and care for him, unlike his previous owners. 

We don't know Monty's background, only that he came to us last week with his mother.  He was also given his second chance today, and while it couldn't be a confirmed adoption because there's a resident dog (peke) that has to approve, so far it's going well. 

I've had so many enquiries about the new corgi Patrick, but he's still under assessment and is certainly not ready for a home with children, if he will ever be.  Volunteers got him to the dog park successfully, but he wasn't entirely happy having other dogs around.  Clearly Patrick has never been socialised and never enjoyed the happiness of playing with other dogs. 

For me the best adoption news is seeing dogs chosen from our big Tai Po Homing Centre, and there are a couple of lucky candidates that will be leaving in the next day or so.  Photos and names to follow, but in the meantime thank you for the donations of warm bedding and coats to keep the dogs cosy, especially at night when it gets really chilly up in the enclosures.  You can see Wally is really loving his blanket! (and those aren't prison bars, it's the end of the bed).