Weds 28th July: Hot and hazy days

Safari staying cool

 It turned out to be a relatively quiet mid-week day, if you don't count the fact that the dogs need looking after every single day and there are literally hundreds of them at our Tai Po Homing Centre.  It's especially tough when the weather is as hot and humid as it currently is, with the pollution creating a yellow haze even on Lamma.  For some reason my big (heavy) dog Safari decided to come on the morning walk, which he very rarely does in the summer months, and when he realised his mistake he got into the water catchment and sat there waiting for me to come back.  Even then I had to coax him out.   Heat stroke is a real danger in weather like this so I discourage, even ban, the older dogs from the walks, and Safari will be on my no-go list from now until it starts to cool off.    

We have new dogs arriving at Tai Po all the time and it's becoming a real concern, not only because of space but also that the heat and humidity makes taking care of so many doubly exhausting.  I have to thank not only the volunteers who turn up to help out, but also the Tai Po staff who face an extremely tough day's work every morning when they turn up at the Homing Centre.  If anyone can spare the time to lend a hand during the week we would be very grateful, and volunteer applications will be fast-tracked for Monday-to-Friday offers.  

We also need puppy fosters based on Hong Kong Island who can take care of puppies that have to be taken to the vet clinics we use for check-ups and blood tests.  These are mostly the puppies with tick fever whose red cell count needs to be monitored and regularly checked.  Please email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you can help out, and of course we provide everything you need in terms of food, beds, bowls and so on, as well as covering all vet costs.  All we ask you to do is to get the puppy in your care to the clinic as needed. 

On Thursday we'll be taking yet another newcomer from AFCD Pokfulam, an adult mongrel from Discovery Bay so I'm assuming one left behind by the owners.  I'll find out more when I pick him up but he'll be heading to Tai Po to join all of the others there. 

Just as a reminder we still have many original Chinese paintings for sale at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre and you can email eva.loo@hongkongdogrescue.com for the catalogue.  I think the horses were the most popular and may already have sold out, but there are plenty of others still available.