Weds 7th July: Talking about our upcoming Flag Day

 I haven't talked much about our upcoming Flag Day on the 24th of July so it's time I promoted it and how you can support, even if you're not going to be out and about on the actual Saturday, because you can buy the "flags" ahead of time.   There are also different levels of flags, like the Gold Flag which includes a metal pin on the sheet of stickers.  For any enquiries regarding the Flag Day, please email 

flagday@hongkongdogrescue.com

3-legged Joshua and his flag

The annual Flag Day involves a huge amount of work and preparation, starting with the actual application and then the design, for which we have to thank Melissa Tan of  Paintinks by melt, and a ton of other things which thankfully Ka Yan at the office handles so I don't have to worry (phew!)  It's also one of the few opportunities for younger volunteers to be able to participate in as we always need people out on the street for the actual big day.  If you see anyone on Hong Kong Island holding an HKDR collection bag and selling flag stickers, please do stop and buy, and maybe say thank you to the volunteer at the same time. 

There's always a mix of adoption enquiries along with surrender requests waiting for me in the morning when I open my emails, and those surrender messages are a good reminder that not every home is suitable for having a dog.  Many of them are from people who thought taking in a puppy was a lovely idea, only to find out that puppies grow into adult dogs that need taking care of, and by that I mean actually walking them every day and not just providing food and water.  Others have adopted (or bought) a puppy for their children who have also grown up and either lost interest or left home to go to college abroad.  It's always a concern when parents apply to adopt a puppy for their children because a dog's lifespan can be fifteen years more or less, so if the child is five then he or she will be twenty by the time the dog's life comes to an end.  You have to adopt a puppy or a dog as a family, not just for the children, and if you're already a young adult you also need to consider the changes in your life that lie ahead.  If you're single you may get married and have children, and too many dogs are given up when that happens.  Please think ahead and whether you can really include your dog as part of your life to come no matter what. 

Arriving on Thursday but no name yet

The beautiful dog that's coming to us on Thursday doesn't fall into any of the usual surrender categories as she's one of the hundreds that lost their home due to the big redevelopment of the North West New Territories.  These poor dogs were rounded up by AFCD and had to be considered suitable for re-homing before being released to the NGOs that could accept them, and I hate to think how many didn't make the grade. 

Thankfully there are also dogs and puppies going out to balance those coming in, and I hope to be able to share the happy adoptions over the next few days.