Fri 30th April: Going round in circles

 

All 3 are young adults, a year old

The surrender requests keep coming in and today it was for three sharpeis that someone seems to be either deliberately breeding or simply allowing nature to take its course, which it certainly will if you don't desex dogs and allow them to mix.   There are probably a lot more than three in the home, or whatever the environment is, but for now it's just these needing help and homes. 

The  four Cheung Chau Campsite dogs also arrived,  and as always with semi-owned dogs that have lived outside we expect that all will have heartworm.  It would be a miracle if they had managed to avoid being infected, and the same probably applies to the sharpeis. 

It's the same problems, over and over again, the lack of desexing probably being the main issue as it results in the birth of so many thousands of unwated puppies.  Our staff members Eva and Yannie attended a meeting at Southern District Council in the morning where the subject of TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return) was once again discussed, and there is a group called AGA which is trying to set up facilities for TNR and in need of support from local District Councils.   It goes without saying that HKDR, and I believe all of the Animal NGOs, would welcome something like this, but despite general public support there's the same inevitable excuses and reasons that seem to have been blocking positive action for many years.  The frustration of having been to endless meetings and for so long with nothing to show for it is why there are private individuals having to do the work that the HKSAR Government should have been doing for years.  

I could say the same about the continuing lack of action regarding the illegal breeders and shocking pet shops that still operate, the pet shops in plain sight even if the breeders hide themselves away from prying eyes. I got an email today about one of those shocking pet shops:

"Today, I walked into this pet shop called NEW-DATE grooming and pet shop on Victory Avenue. The shop had all the cute puppies in glass compartments. We entered the shop to just take a look because we were looking for toys for our dogs. We never buy puppies or dogs from pet shops because we always adopt. 

What I saw inside the shop was appalling. there were three stacks of small cages and nine adult dogs in them. The dogs cannot even move around in the cages. I am sure they were used for breeding but cannot breed anymore and that's why the shop is selling them.

There was a white Pekingese and I asked the shop assistant how old it was and she said 6 to 7 months, which was definitely a lie. The dog must be 6 to 7 years old. There was also an old poodle with severe hair loss and skin disease. I was so shocked and angry and sad. My grandniece cried after coming out from the shop.

I also cried. I have called the SPCA to notify them about this case, and I have emailed the Agriculture and Fisheries Department too. Hope they will revoke the license of that shop and hope the SPCA inspectors can confiscate those poor dogs."

The sad, infuriating thing is that almost certainly nothing will be done.  Please don't support these places in any way, don't buy food, toys or anything from them.  There are many pet supplies stores, like Whiskers N Paws, and you can shop online too. 

We were busy sorting out the new arrivals at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today, with five going for their vet checks and the remaining five booked for Saturday.  Other than Tickle who has underdeveloped eyes, the other four seemed to be in reasonable health and condition, although younger than we had thought.  The vet at Concordia estimated some of the very little ones as being just six weeks old, so we'll have to ask adopters to take a second pup for fostering for a couple of weeks, unless there's an existing friendly dog in the home.   We already have potential adopters for quite a few of these puppies, so they may not all be available.  If interested please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step. 

Thurs 29th April: Busy all day again

 The van and driver were non-stop today with nine Tai Po dogs heading over the the Ap Lei Chau Vet Clinic (ALCVC) first thing for their initial check-ups and vaccinations, and a further four needing to go from the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre in the afternoon.  In between these appointments driver Ming had to go to Sai Kung to pick up an unknown (at the time) number of puppies and/or dogs which were coming via Catherine's Puppies, as Catherine herself had just taken in several rottweiler puppies. In the end we took ten puppies, and luckily had an empty upstairs room at the Homing Centre which they could fit into, at least temporarily until they'd seen a vet and had been checked over. 

Teatime after a long day for the puppies

I know there's going to be a lot of interest in these puppies, other than one who appears to be blind, but we have to go through applications that have previously come in and contact adopters who have been patiently waiting for a long time.  

Malcolm is 2 year old

I also forgot to mention a beautiful young and large-sized adult that we took from AFCD Pokfulam on the same day as the three beautiful puppies.  Now called Malcolm (have to admit that's not a name I gave), this handsome boy is definitely a German shepherd-cross, healthy and ready to go to a new home. 

Caramel heading home

Luckily it's not all incomings as  Tanner, Zoe, Warren and Baguette are all leaving from Tai Po in the next day or so, while puppy Caramel was taken home today. 

Our Homing Centres are open as always every single day of the year, but please make sure you complete the adoption questionnaire and receive a reply before coming to meet the dogs and puppies: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/  The same applies to Sunday's Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon, 2pm to 4pm. 

Weds 28th April: A dog's life is too short

 I'm definitely not feeling my best this morning, having had a disturbed night dealing with not one but three seniors in various stages of decline.  I knew this time would come, when so many of my Lamma dogs are turning fourteen or more and losing sight or mobility or both, while some are still sprightly and active at the same age.  Having only just recently said goodbye to Gigi, the oldest of them all at seventeen, I thought I would have some quiet nights for a while but that turned out not to be the case.  I'm dreading the next couple of years in that sense as I know I'm going to be dealing with  a lot more of the same, and the worst thing of all is having to make the decision to let go.  With Gigi I kept hoping she'd fall asleep one night and not wake up, and I made the dreaded appointment once and cancelled, but in the end I had to do the right thing by her.  It's never easy whatever the situation.

A dog's life is never long enough and the time passes too quickly.  We can see this very clearly in the baby pups that come to us with their eyes and ears still closed and totally reliant on their foster parents (in place of a real mother) for everything, but in a matter of weeks there's already a huge change.  Even at three weeks the puppies can eat by themselves, and at eight weeks are ready to leave home. It's like watching time being speeded up, and something I tell all puppy adopters who are struggling with a new puppy and the biting, chewing and toilet training; all of this will be over before you know it.

The puppies at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre are growing like weeds and you can see some lovely photos and videos here https://www.facebook.com/HappyWoofHK, as well as photos of older Tai Po dogs. 

It also took a few days to get the photos of Sunday's Whiskers N Paws Puppy Afternoon uploaded, but you can see them all here  Puppy Adoption Day 25 April 2021.  Thanks to Rodger So for a wonderful set, and next week we'll have the album up in good time.   If you want to ask about any of the puppies shown please send a photo along with the adoption questionnaire if not already completed: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

 

Tues 27th April: Where did the puppies come from?

Who sent these gorgeous puppies?

 Puppies keep arriving, and it occurred to me that the numbers could be so great recently because we've had an unusually dry and warm spring meaning more born-wild babies surviving.  Under normal circumstances, at this time of year heavy rain would see many such litters being washed away or drowned, something we know from the volunteers who go out to rescue them.  

As it happens I don't think today's intake from both AFCD Pokfulam and Sheung Shui were from stray mothers as their condition is too good, not tick and flea-ridden as we would normally expect.  In fact someone knows where the litter of three came from because she paid to have them sent to Pokfulam AFCD and specifically asked that they be kept for HKDR, so if that was you please contact me so we can have some background information and maybe even an idea of the parents.  The puppies are beautiful and are now staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre.

Having a feed before being picked up by their foster

The other litter from AFCD Sheung Shui were milk-drinking babies, as mentioned in yesterday's post, all black and now in foster care as a threesome and pair.  They still have their eyes closed so are probably just a week old, and at this age there's no knowing what they will look like as adults but I can guarantee they'll be black! 

Moving from arrivals to departures, if you remember the very happy story of "Red Dog" Bell's adoption and the follow-up videos of a completely different character, his adopters came back today (with Bell) to choose another lucky poodle to join them.  Today it was Joseph, not a long-termer but still a senior with some typical poodle issues.  

Lucky boy Joseph

Another happy adoption photo is that of  Frankie, who was taken for a trial with ex-HKDR Zumba.  How confirmed we can share the happy family photo.

Frankie (l) with Zumba

Mon 19th April: Giving dogs the freedom to choose

Pickle and Penny, two of the "P" litter

JUST IN:  There are five week-old puppies at AFCD that need fostering,  and obviously bottle feeding.  If anyone can help please email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com, thank you!
 

We have concensus on the age of the "P" Litter after a pair went to Acorn today and two vets agreed that they were at least eight weeks old, meaning they are small for their age and won't be larger than medium as adults.  That's good news for them, the only bad news being that they may have tick fever meaning that although not actually showing any symptoms it will mean no entry in future to countries like New Zealand.   This is unfortunately a problem for a lot of dogs if they are bitten by an infected tick at any time in their lives.

I forgot to mention a very happy Tai Po adoption, that of Filly, who was a shy puppy at Ap Lei Chau before moving to the big Homing Centre.  It's taken a while but she's finally been chosen to be part of  a family.

Sweet Filly has a home now

I want to talk about something that is very common in some countries, like the United States for example, but isn't generally used in Europe and the UK and never at HKDR, and that's crate training. For a start what's called a crate is actually a cage, and I suspect that's because the word cage sounds bad.  

This is a cage

Cages are for hamsters, but ironically hamsters often have more space proportionally than dogs or puppies do in their cages.  Anyway, I like to follow example of the natural behaviour of dogs, believing that giving dogs the freedom to choose (as far as possible) makes them much happier and more relaxed. 

This is a crate

In the wild puppies are never caged, and have the freedom to leave the nests for toilet needs, which they would always do once old enough to venture out.  

At HKDR we always ask our baby puppy fosters to provide enough space for a sleeping, playing and separate toilet area, and even tiny babies will crawl to the allocated pee/poo spot as needed.   This is natural instinctive behaviour which will stay with the puppies as they grow, and once vaccinated and able to go outside, it's just a matter of transitioning from inside toileting. Of course there will be accidents, that's normal, and if you can't deal with that then a puppy isn't for you. 

Dogs love Kuranda beds

As for sleeping and having their own safe space, a crate is fine but only if the door is open.  I have many dogs on Lamma as you know, and some of the less confident ones will sleep in crates (without doors) while most of them like a Kuranda bed or soft cushion.  This is what I mean by giving dogs the freedom to choose.   By the way, we sell the Kuranda "trampoline" beds and highly recommend them as being very comfortable for the dogs, and easy to clean as you can just wipe them down. Please ask about the Kuranda beds at either of our Homing Centres. 

More adoptions confirmed are Tommy the corgi, Tanner the staffie type, and potentially Louie the puppy pending leg and hip X-rays.  Photos to follow as each of the dogs are taken home. 

Sun 25th April: Frustration

 It was a frustrating day for more than one reason, and the first was that two dogs being surrendered from the same home, and whose arrival had been confirmed earlier in the day, didn't turn up. Both sets of adopters were waiting, one at the Homing Centre and the other on standby at home, and I'm still hoping to hear from the dogs' owner about what happened.  I can probably guess that there was a last-minute change of heart, the same as the first time we thought the dogs were coming, and while I understand that giving your dogs away is hard, I assume there's a reason why you need to do it.

This was on 9th April, but how old were they?

The second frustration was more of a mystery, as there was confusion about the ages of the newest litter of puppies to go to Whiskers N Paws for the first time.  As all six are in foster homes they'd been taken to the vet clinics separately and had been given different age assessments as well as potential adult size.  We tried going back to the original day when they came to us and their teeth development at that time, because that's the way you tell roughly how old a puppy is.  We didn't come to any real conclusion by the end of the afternoon so I'm now trying to get some information from the actual rescuer of the pups, hoping she knows the mother and perhaps even when the litter was born.  We can be fairly confident that these youngsters won't be large sized as adults, but we don't know if they're final size will be at the small end of medium, or the middle.  Having just this moment received a photo of the mother I think it's the latter. 

Edgar's new siblings

Edgar was the lucky puppy adopted at Whiskers N Paws while Pizza joined the Failed Foster Club, or rather his new parents did.   

Parley and Pizza came at the same time as the P Litter

Rodger So was today's photographer at Whiskers N Paws and the photos will be posted very shortly on our HKDR Facebook page. 

Ramen and his goofy smile

Another newcomer puppy was adopted at Tai Po too, one of three who would normally have been sent to Ap Lei Chau but stayed at the big Homing Centre due to lack of space.  Caramel has two siblings, Sundae and Romeo, also at Tai Po. 

Caramel, the lucky one of three

There were more "almost" adoptions at Tai Po,  one a double if it goes ahead, but as always there'll be no names until the paperwork is signed and the dogs have left. 

Sat 24th April: No guarantees about size

 

Warren will be Baguette's big brother

There are several adoptions in the pipeline but for now I'll just mention the confirmed names, and it's a double: Warren and Baguette.  They were the perfect choice for this home wanting a puppy and an adult, as the two are already good friends. 

Baguette

We have so many puppies coming in all the time I have to make sure I write everything in my diary, the dates they arrive, their age and then the names.  On the ninth of this month we got six babies who were subsequently given "P" names: Penny and Prissy being the girls and boys Percy, Pringle, Pickle and Pesto.  At the same time there were a further two, slightly older puppies, Pizza and Parsley. 

Now the litter of six are eight weeks old and have had their first (of three required) vaccinations, and some of them will be at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday afternoon.  The reason I mention them specifically is that the vet at Acorn (not sure which one it was) estimated that these puppies would be smaller sized as adults, but of course we don't hand out guarantees. 

Pickle and Penny now

For any adoption interest please make sure you complete the questionnaire in advance: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

10/F Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau

Fri 23rd April: Puppies and more puppies

This daughter was caught

 While I was still busy discussing the campsite dogs I wrote about yesterday AFCD beat us to it and took two of them away, the mother and one daughter, and they'll now be locked up in kennels and wondering what on earth happened to them.  I'll be following the case closely of course, and will try to get the remaining dogs before they too are hauled off to prison. 

Poor Maya has never been outside before

We hadn't previously noticed a huge increase in surrenders and dogs being left behind, but that's suddenly changed and every day there are more needing help.  Today we took in a dog we've called Maya, nearly ten years old and she's never been out of her home before.  Naturally she's terrified and you can see from the photo the drooling, a sign of high anxiety, but hopefully she'll start to adjust and learn that going out is actually fun.

Yuzu, Ziti, Kiwi, Lemon, Quartz, Udon, Mango, Pasta (Sugar at the back)

We also accepted three young puppies at Tai Po, and while they would normally be sent straight to Ap Lei Chau we have a full house right now so they'll be staying where they are, at least temporarily.  Maybe they'll have beginner's luck and be adopted before having to go anywhere other than a new forever home.  

At least it's the weekend and that means an increase in potential adopters coming to meet the dogs and puppies, and it's also almost time for the Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoon party again.  Now that we're getting back into the swing of things after such a long break, we'll have a photographer to record the session, and hopefully adoptions, as well as new volunteers helping out (hooray!)

Thurs 22nd April: Correcting a Sugarbabe error

 

Sugar is still available

I have to start by correcting a mistake I made when I said all four Sugarbabe sisters had been adopted as we still have Sugar left.  There's no reason why she should have been the last one as they were pretty much identical as well as being very sweet, so if you're lucky you could be the one(s) to take this lovely little girl home. 

Two new puppies today, Aston and Martin

The puppies are really coming in fast these days,  and we're also being asked to take in so many other dogs including those from areas in the New Territories where residents are being displaced to make way for development.  It's very cruel for both sides that people aren't being allowed to take their pets with them when they're re-housed, and how can Animal NGOs be expected to accept so many dogs? There really needs to be a change in the Pubic Housing policy for existing pets like these. 

One of the campsite daughters

The mother is 7 years old

We've also been asked to help a family of dogs that have been living on a campsite for several years and now the site owner has decided he doesn't want them around any more.  The mother looks a lot like a malinois while her daughters, all thankfully desexed, are completely different and varied.  The dogs are obviously used to being around people which is helpful at least. 

All of the dogs and puppies that come to us need to see a vet, be vaccinated, adults desexed (if not already done, as in the case of the campsite dogs) and have whatever treatments needed.  Dogs that have lived outside invariably have heartworm, and that's expensive to treat.  That's just one of the reasons why we're so grateful for any support, like the Bodhi Love Foundation Matching Programme, soon coming to a close. 

4 more days to go for our “Double the Love” matching program! Make a donation of any amount towards HKDR on or before 25 April and the generous donor at Bodhi Love Foundation will match your donation.

Please seize this opportunity to donate for a doubled impact: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/one-off-donations/

Thank you so much for your support!

We've also been very grateful for the New Zealand freeze-dried Bowl & Bowls donation, which the dogs absolutely love. In fact I can't open the packets fast enough and have started emptying them into big bowls to share around.  The products aren't available in Hong Kong yet but are coming soon. 

Now for the best bit, the adoptions!

Jimmy went home from our Tai Po Homing Centre, and it's always especially lovely to see the larger mixed breed adults adopted.

Jimmy has a lovely new home

Also surrendered dachshund Hunter, who went to a new home for a short trial, had his adoption confirmed.

Hunter was in and out

We have a special puppy who needs a special home. Esme and Edgar are probably siblings as they came together, but they are very different in size.  On their first vet visit Esme was found to have a heart murmur, and a subsequent specialist scan confirmed that it was quite a serious one. It's impossible to predict the future for a puppy like Esme as some dogs with such heart problems can live a long time with medication, but what we can say is that Esme needs a quiet home where she can enjoy short walks and lots of love.  We assume she's not going to grow into a large adult, in fact it seems she's going to be small-medium, but is there anyone who can give this gorgeous girl a home? 

Little Esme and much bigger Edgar

Weds 21st April: Being unique

New boy Tanner now has a photo and a name

 If you're looking for a lovely mixed breed to adopt we can be sure to have the right one for you, however if you want a particular breed or type of coat you may have to wait.  For such adoption enquries I always ask that people read my blog to hear about new dogs or puppies coming in, or potentially arriving.  As you know just getting a surrender request doesn't mean that the dogs will ultimately turn up, although what often happens is that they will come sometime later.  

I received a request from someone to re-home two dogs, both a year old, a bichon and a labrador, and as usual it came to nothing.  Now weeks later the same person has asked again about finding a new home for the dogs so let's see.  There's also a young beagle in the "surrender pipeline", so again we'll wait for confirmation, but please do submit the adoption questionnaire if you'd be interested in any of these dogs. We'll choose the home that we think best suits the dogs and their needs, always assuming they turn up of course.

You all know I love the mixed breeds more than any other dogs, and I have such a diverse bunch of characters living with me on Lamma that I draw all my experiences and knowledge from.  Each dog has its own unique personality and that's what makes them special, no off-the-peg lookalikes.   I have shy dogs, outgoing ones, lazy and energetic, social and introvert, bossy and submissive, and the truly unique like Griffin who re-wrote the rules about being a dog. 

I've never known another dog like Griffin

Honey is the last of the Sugarbabes

Still, one litter of puppy sisters that we got in from AFCD all looked the same, so I assumed they were crossbreed rather than a total mix.  These were the "Sugarbabes", and today the last of them was adopted.  I was surprised that they weren't snapped up as soon as they arrived as they're smaller-sized and gorgeous, but sometimes potential adopters don't see the treasures in front of them until it's too late. 

That also often applies to foster homes, who insist they don't want to adopt until we have a potential new home and the foster faces losing a dog or puppy they have come to love.  This is what happened to the rascal King, a shiba inu (yes, one of those) who was being fostered by my neighbour.  Although the home was perfect in that there is a very large amount of land that King could explore freely, he started to go further afield, visiting neighbours or just sitting on the beach, and basically doing whatever he felt like.  Nothing could stop him or keep him in, and eventually another home in the bay asked me about adoption and we agreed a trial period.  Of course King wandered off from there too, going back to his previous home or visiting other neighbours for a change of scenery, and today it was his foster family that signed the adoption paperwork and made King formally theirs.  I know he'll still be off on his adventures and that suits this breed perfectly, but I'm very happy to know that this funny, obstinate and definitely challenging little dog has a new and forever home at last.

Truly King of the Bay

Now I just want the same for the other shiba, three year-old Damson, shown here with our driver Ming. 

Damson and Ming

. 

If you're interested in any of the dogs and puppies waiting for homes, please complete the adoption questionnaire as a first step: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Tues 20th April: Don't blame the dog

Big smiles from two lovely girls

 The Tai Po Homing Centre team were busy with new intakes today, starting with the two very sweet junkyard puppies, now Cotton and Poplin, the "Material Girls". 

There was a last-minute addition to the dogs coming from AFCD Sheung Shui, what we were told was a boxer-Staffie (type) cross and certainly a short and muscular boy (photo to follow).

This gorgeous girl is quite small

1 year-old girl, also a smaller size

The medium-sized girl is incredibly sweet and I can't see her waiting long for a home, the same for the black girl who is also quite small for a mixed breed.

This boy is 6 months old

You may already have seen that the husky girl Eski has already left Tai Po for her new life and home, and she deserves the lovely family who adopted her.

A real home and family for Eski finally

I was debating on whether or not to comment on the incident that happened at the Pet Expo (HKDR decided not to participate this time) when a kitten was killed by a shiba inu.  I don't understand why anyone would take their dog to a crowded event like this, but to take four shibas, being pushed in a buggy and not even walking, is incomprehensible.  As for taking cats, just no.  

I don't blame the dog at all, as shiba inus are hunting dogs with an instinctive prey drive.  Treating them like babies or lap dogs is going against their nature and what they are, and I've written about this breed so many times before.  They're probably the most popular of all breeds in Hong Kong at the moment, but like the poodles who end up abandoned, they're also the most misunderstood.  Don't take my word for it, you can Google any breed you want to find out for yourself, but as always it's a case of don't blame the dog, blame the owner:  

The Shiba Inu is a breed of hunting dog from Japan. A small-to-medium breed, it is the smallest of the six original and distinct spitz breeds of dog native to Japan.

A small, alert, and agile dog that copes very well with mountainous terrain and hiking trails, the Shiba Inu was originally bred for hunting.

Why are Shiba Inus so aggressive?

His aggressiveness can be triggered by other alpha male dogs as well as smaller animals (that he presumes are game). ... Also, when he's in the mood to be active, he can be very aggressive in doing and getting what he wants. Shiba Inus are the kind of dog who doesn't quickly back down.

Mon 19th April: One of the lucky ones

 I picked the new husky girl up from AFCD today, and as expected she was overjoyed to have many new friends at Tai Po and the games started as soon as she arrived.

.  Now-Eski was one of the dogs rescued from smugglers acting as pet-moving companies, and she's spent half her life and puppyhood awaiting release for re-homing.  I gathered today that other dogs have been claimed back by their owners while prosecution cases are being prepared, while sadly many others died after being thrown overboard from speedboats trying to evade capture.  You may recall the awful news stories of travel crates full of dogs and cats being found on beaches around Hong Kong.  

2 junkyard puppies

There are a further two dogs and one puppy coming to us from AFCD Sheung Shui on Tuesday, and we're told that the adults are very sweet, with one being a smaller size.  Many potential adopters are looking for medium sized adults, so I expect this girl will quickly be chosen. 

I was also asked if we'd accept a couple of older puppies from a junkyard who were due to be picked up by AFCD, so I said yes to those as well.  Whether these pups will actually turn up is another matter since we know that many never arrive, hopefully having found homes or at least safety elsewhere.  What always concerns me is the sheer number of unwanted puppies that are born and the limited space in suitable homes, and I assume that the adult dogs that end up at AFCD are often those that have been adopted as babies and then given up when they get too big or become a nuisance.  

All animal NGOs are always being told about stray puppies by members of the public, and it's just not possible to go all over the territory to try to catch such puppies.  HKDR don't have the staff or the equipment, and the best I can suggest is that you contact AFCD to send out the dog catching teams in such cases.  Remember that many of our puppies, as well as adult dogs, come from AFCD, so it's not true to say that all will  be killed as those that are suitable (meaning not wild) will be offered to the animal groups for re-homing. 

Ramen at WNP on Sunday

I'm happy to report that there was a positive response to my request for Sunday volunteers for the Whiskers N Paws puppy afternoons, and we also have a new photography team starting up.  It's been too long since we were able to share all the lovely photos every week like these from last Sunday https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=hkdogrescue&set=a.4254483567897676, but we also have this very sweet video of the tired puppies after their playtime on Sunday: https://www.facebook.com/hkdogrescue/videos/2837036013224922

Sun 18th April: Today's lucky sisters

The Edibles and friends at Ap Lei Chau 

 It was a very busy time at Whiskers N Paws today, in fact too busy for the number of volunteers that were helping so we need to recruit more.  If you can spare the time on a Sunday afternoon on a regular basis, please email me at sallyandersen@hongkongdogrescue.com, thank you.  You will need to be mature and confident enough to talk to potential adopters, and have a good understanding of puppies or dogs. Of course we will give training as needed.  We also need a new photography coordinator who can arrange the schedule for our volunteer photographers, as well as edit the photos that will be posted on our Facebook page. 

Lucky Lottie has her own family now

Two puppies were adopted immediately, with Sugar also being chosen but she will be picked up later as we ran out of time, plus one of the "Edibles" also being promised a home.  Remember you can meet these puppies any day of the week at our own Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre if you can't make it to Whiskers N Paws on Sundays.

Lori is Lottie's sister, so both found homes today

I hadn't realised until Iris sent me a photo that one of the newly-surrendered corgis has a full tail, and it's so lovely to see this.  Corgis, poodles, rottweilers, dobermans and all stubby-tailed breeds except the bulldogs are born with naturally long tails, and while it's illegal to dock (cut) them in many countries nowadays, sadly Hong Kong isn't one of them. 

Jimmy has the long tail

By the way, the corgis aren't brothers and don't need to be adopted together.  In fact their personalities are quite different so separating them would  probably be for the best. 

I'll be picking up the young husky from AFCD on Monday and she'll be staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre where I'm sure she'll love the space and having other puppies to play with. 

For all adoption enquiries please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/