I was thinking that typhoons are like Christmas, with the build-up and anticipation lasting much longer than the event itself, and the day usually turning out to be something of an anti-climax. Not that I'm disappointed that Typhoon Kompasu passed through without living up to the warnings, but now the dogs will be coming back to Tai Po from their foster homes and maybe I can get that dog food delivery to Lamma.
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| We can make the 1st October the birthday for the Rain Babies |
I'm happy to report that all of the newborn foundlings, being two litters of six pups each, are doing well in their respective foster homes, and as you will know if you follow the Instagram@why_i_foster account, the Rain Babies have opened their eyes. That usually happens at two weeks of age, so we work out the birthdate from that momentous (for the puppies) event.
Without a natural mother to take care of them, the work of a baby pup's foster parent involves much more than just feeding. If you don't know, a newborn puppy, as well as being blind and deaf, can't pee or poo on its own, and these actions are normally stimulated by the mother licking the pups so that has to be replicated using damp cotton wool. The licking of the mother dog also serves many other functions that are necessary for a pup's healthy development, so gently stroking, touching and holding baby puppies is the work of the human carer. Touch is vital for every baby animal, from human to mouse and everything in between, and the difference between a puppy that has been handled from birth and one that has never experienced that comfort and feeling of security around people is huge. It's thanks to our wonderful foster parents that so many baby puppies have graduated from their infancy as happy, healthy and social characters, fully ready to face the world and to start their lives with forever adopters.
We know that not all homes are forever, especially during these difficult times of travel restrictions and lack of flight availability for dogs. However I strongly suspect that quite a few people are using the situation as an excuse to leave their dogs behind when they move to another country, and that's very upsetting. There's no denying that it's a challenge to take your pets with you, but that doesn't mean it's not possible as hundreds of dog owners have proved.
Some of the dogs left behind are lucky because they're easy to re-home, such as the husky I posted on Facebook yesterday and almost immediately had to put a stop on the enquiries due to the large numbers of applicants to adopt. Many were very nice homes and it's such a shame that we can't put a dog into every one of them, but it's the husky breed that was so attractive.
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| Nola is a petite girl, only 12kg |
A while ago I posted about a similar situation of a dog being left behind when the owners moved back to the UK, but there were no such offers of a new home despite Nola being only a small-medium size, two years old and a perfect family dog. Maybe one of you reading this post might be interested?
Although purebreeds always attract a lot of interest, that doesn't always mean it results in a new home. I can't begin to count the number of unsuitable applications I've received for the shiba inus we have at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, and the fact is that the reason these dogs ended up with us in the first place was because they have been in such homes before. Some applications are so shocking I can't believe that anyone could imagine that what was being offered was remotely acceptable, especially when life at the Homing Centre is very enjoyable for the dogs that stay there.
Still, finding the right home is our ultimate goal, and I've asked staff member Eagle to help to promote each of these dogs individually, starting with cocker spaniel Phaedra. She's had her share of hard experiences, even though she's still young at only two years, but we've seen how she's changed (for the better) since coming to us. None of these dogs are suitable to be in a home with young children or inexperienced owners, but we can see for ourselves that they're all perfectly fine when they feel relaxed and safe.
"Cocker spaniel Phaedra's story is very sad, and it explains why she's wary of strangers and barks loudly at them, although she never bites and quickly loses interest in the barking too. However that's not the real Phaedra. Now that she feels comfortable at the Homing Centre and knows all of the other dogs, she's actually no trouble at all and is far more interested in her two favourite things: toys and going for a walk (plus treats of course). The two marks on her back are where she had the injections for heartworm treatment, and the scar on her paw that was very badly damaged has just about disappeared. Only the memory of what happened to her is taking a bit longer to heal, which is why we want to be sure that Phaedra's next home will be the perfect and forever one."
For all adoption enquires, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/
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