Sat 30th April: Another month gone by

GG - Gorgeous Gaia

Today was gorgeous little Gaia's turn to be chosen, and I was right in thinking that she wouldn't have to wait long before being spotted by a lucky adopter.  

I hope the same will apply to mini dachshund Hunter, as he became the first small dog resident at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre.  I think this is the first time he's been homeless as his previous adopter took him directly from the first owner.   

Unfortunately shiba inu Akio's adoption lasted a very short time, and while I don't want to go into details I have to remind all adopters of something that's written very clearly in the Adoption Questionnaire:  "Do you understand that these dogs may have been abandoned and may need time to adjust to a new home?"  Can you imagine what it's like for any dog to be picked up by complete strangers and taken to their home, a place you have never seen before and which is full of strange smells and unfamiliar surroundings?    What we always ask is that touch and interaction is left up to the dog to initiate, and that anything such as bathing and nail clipping, even brushing,  isn't  attempted until some sort of relationship has been established.  Even with my own Lamma dogs who have been with me since they were puppies, there are still many who hate having their nails clipped, or their feet being touched.  You have to respect each dog's individual likes and dislikes and take your time to work round them, slowly building up the trust so you can eventually do those things that need to be done.  It's unfair to expect a dog to immediately accept you, your home and your interactions as if they have known you all their life.   As for Akio, we have another potential home for him so I can't say he's available again, but in his case he was surrendered to AFCD by his previous owner, and then came to our Tai Po Homing Centre before the failed adoption, and that's already a lot of upheaval in a young dog's life. 

Sunday, as you wll know, is both the first of the month and a Public Holiday, and we're not anticipating that there will be crowds at Whiskers N Paws for the Puppy Party.  It's also likely to be raining which means being indoors, so the number of puppies attending will be smaller than usual.  However, remember you can also meet puppies at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre, Shop 4 Brilliant Court, and we're open every day from 10am to 6pm.  

 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Fri 29th April: Good news, and our first KTHC residents

Akio

 I'm very happy to have two adoptions to write about today, one being that of shiba inu Akio, who's been staying at our big Tai Po Homing Centre due to there being nowhere else for him.  Of course, now that the Kennedy Town Homing Centre is open that would have been his next stop, but he has a real home instead.

The other adoption is a Failed Foster, meaning puppy Weston will be staying with his sister Wendy, who had already been confirmed as adopted.  That's a Double Happiness result for both puppies, and it means no more Whiskers N Paws Sunday events for Weston.  

The first Kennedy Town residents

Today was also a big day for our younger puppies who had to be crammed into the "Red Dog" Centre in Ap Lei Chau, as they became the first residents at Brilliant Court, Kennedy Town.  These are siblings Dotty and Daniel, and the slightly older "E" litter of Esme, Evan and Edgar.  They're all available for adoption of course, and we're ready and waiting to take our first adoption photo at the KTHC. 

Eagle designed the front door

Stand here for your adoption photo

Hunter 

Miniature dachshund Hunter will be arriving at KTHC on Saturday to become the first small dog staying there, and as much as we really hoped he would be able to move directly from his current home to a new one, I'm optimistic that once he can be seen in real life rather than just a photo, he won't have to wait too long. 

It's frustrating that as we build very good working relationships with certain AFCD staff members, they get moved to another position and location, as happens to all government workers I think.  Today was the last day for our AFCD Sheung Shui "partner", but as a goodbye message Fish had put together this touching collage of all the Sheung Shui dogs and puppies HKDR had taken in from this particular Animal Management Centre during his time there.  I hope that his replacement will be just as caring and helpful.  Thank you Fish!

Thurs 28th April: Kennedy Town, and Tizzy

 It's time to reveal the location and address of the new Kennedy Town Homing Centre, which will be where the smaller dogs and young puppies will be staying.   It's not fully completed yet but it's pretty much ready to start moving in the temporary residents of the "Red Dog" Centre in Ap Lei Chau, meaning the puppies and a couple of the non-"Red" dogs.   Access to the entrance of the KTHC (Kennedy Town Homing Centre) is via a small lane which you can actually approach from either end, although the entrance is much clearer and cleaner coming from the Praya direction. 

Sai Hong Lane from the Praya entry

For the time being we will continue to have the Red Dog Centre at 21 Main Street Ap Lei Chau, as these dogs will eventually be moving to the second Kennedy Town location which won't be ready for some time yet.

Since we knew we would have to be leaving the previous Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, we have relied almost entirely on foster homes to accommodate the many dogs and puppies that had nowhere else to stay.  In a way we were lucky that lack of travel combined with working from home for so many meant we were able to find enough temporary homes, but now things are moving back to some sort of normality it's just as well that at least one of the new centres can take back some of the dogs.

Plum is a (small) medium size

Others are going to be more tricky because they were the ones who stayed upstairs at Wai Fung Street, and while most of these dogs moved to Lamma at the end of February, others like Plum went to foster care. Plum is a shy girl, who like all other timid dogs really needs to have another dog companion in the home.  She has plenty of friends in her foster home and has blossomed during her time there, so we really want her to have a forever home now.   The alternative will be that she will move to Lamma, and while that's more suitable for her than staying at the Kennedy Town Homing Centre, it still seems a shame.  Plum's foster says "She walks like a dream and enjoys our walks and hikes with the pack, exploring new smells along the trail....". 

We're very grateful to all of the foster parents who stepped in to help when we were so much in need, and while everyone has done an amazing job in raising puppies or helping shy dogs like Plum to learn about life as a family member, there's one particular foster couple who I'd like to mention specifically.   

Tizzy loved tennis balls

At a time when we were taking in a lot of small dogs at the same time, sometimes in groups of twenty or so, one of the dogs was a one year-old French bulldog I called Tizzy.  Tizzy had a horrible skin condition on her back legs, with open wounds that looked like giant ulcers.  Unfortunately there were two separate causes, one being MRSA (antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection) and the other a cancerous tumour.   I was advised that there was no treatment for the cancer, although at least the infection responded to one of the stronger antibiotics.   Despite everything, Tizzy was offered a foster home for as long as needed, which we assumed would be a matter of months.  After a very short time the foster parents asked if we would approve them trying chemotherapy for Tizzy, which they would pay for, and of course I agreed.   Everyone was aware that this was not a cure, rather a temporary solution, and while Tizzy responded fantastically to the chemotherapy and the tumour all but disappeared, eventually it came back,  and today Tizzy's fosters said goodbye to the little dog they had loved and done so much for.   

I can't say how grateful we all are for the extra time that Tizzy was able to enjoy as a "healthy" and funny young dog, living life to the full and having the best of everything.  As it happens, the couple are going to be leaving Hong Kong very soon, and I was already wondering how we would be able to find Tizzy another foster home knowing that the cancer would return before too long.  I think that Tizzy knew, and she chose to give the same back to her foster parents that they had given to her.  

Weds 27th April: A mixed bag

Baxter is a lovely and happy young boy

 I forgot to include Baxter in my list of new and lovely Tai Po dogs yesterday, so here he is, again just a year old and a very sweet and happy boy.  Like many others he living a family life until he was brought to us, so he's been a house dog since he was a puppy and is fully ready to go to a new home. 

Being so tiny is not a natural state

Most of the adoption enquiries are for smaller dogs, and quite a few potential adopters have asked about tiny poodle boy Gyro.  However he's a loving little guy he's probably best as an only dog unless the other dog is larger, because Gyro likes to tease.  His tiny size has also resulted in some neck problems, meaning on-off pain relief and supportive acupuncture is needed.  Despite this, I'm surprised Gyro is still waiting for a home.

Hunter 

We also now urgently need a new home for mini long-haired dachshund Hunter, and again it's strange that this usually popular breed hasn't received any suitable offers of a home.  There's a slight catch with any breed,  and dachshunds are no exception.  Their original purpose was to hunt badgers so their long bodies and short legs served a purpose (to get down into the badger holes), but it now makes them prone to spinal injuries.  Care must always be taken with all long-bodied dogs when picking up and carrying, or letting them jump up and down off sofas etc.  As hunters by nature the dachshund (literal translation from German means badger dog) is usually a feisty character, so even the miniature versions think of themselves as guard dogs.   This is what Hunter's family say about him: "We adopted Hunter from HKDR about a year ago. He is one of the sweetest companion dogs you have ever met. He never shies from showing affection for his humans and truly loves a good play time - fetching and belly rubs are his favourite things. He would follow you around the house and rest right next to you wherever you are. He's still active and energeticat eight years old." 

Zara

We have so many puppies that have been in foster homes since they were very young babies and are now at the age when they really have to move on to their forever homes.  A lot of people who have been working from home and have had the time to care for such puppies are returning to work, and we really don't want to have to send any to our Tai Po Homing Centre and put the puppies through the stress of losing their homes and having to adapt to a completely different environment and way of living.  One such puppy is Zara, an unmistakable girl with one blue eye.  Her foster family say she can be a bit timid with strangers so she may not be suitable to be with young children, but once she knows you she's very loving and affectionate. 

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

Rhubarb 

There are always losses along with the new arrivals, and this week we have said a sad goodbye to two Tai Po dogs, Rhubarb and Squirt.  Both were sent to Acorn when we were concerned about their health, and emergency surgery revealed their cases were hopeless.  Rhubarb was always a shy boy so Tai Po was his home, while Squirt was originally with me on Lamma before moving to Tai Po, and most recently he's been in a wonderful foster home with ex-HKDR dog Felix, now Haru.  We can take some consolation from the fact that his final weeks were incredibly happy ones. 

Squirt in front, with his best friend Haru (was Felix)

Tues 26th April: Candy, Mandy and a Brilliant job

 

Candy is only 10kg in weight

My van-riding companions today were two incredibly sweet girls, Candy and Mandy.  Candy is a small-medium sized dog who was surrendered to AFCD with her four puppies, all of whom are now in loving homes.  Under normal circumstances a dog the size of Candy would have stayed at our smaller Homing Centre, but since the closure of our Ap Lei Chau site we haven't had anywhere for the little ones other than foster homes, Lamma or Tai Po.  I'm absolutely sure that if potential adopters had been able to meet Candy at our old small-dog Homing Centre she would be in a home by now, but at least she had a temporary space and everyone at Tai Po loves her, so it's not all bad. 

Mandy is 2 years old

Mandy is a newcomer, and also not a large dog.  She's incredibly sweet, friendly, happy and affectionate, and the only negative is that she turned out to have badly infected ears after spending all of her previous two years in kennels somewhere.   If you're looking for the perfect family dog please consider Mandy.

Gaia was surrendered as a whippet cross

I can say the same about another two recent additions at Tai Po,  also medium sized and really lovely in looks and temperament.  Gaia was surrendered as her family were leaving Hong Kong, while Fabian's story is unknown as he came from AFCD.   He's only a year old, and while many people want to adopt puppies because they want to experience the whole life of their dog, a year is barely an adult, and the best thing is you know exactly what you're getting in terms if size, looks and character.

Fabian is another young and happy dog

Gaia is also a small-medium size (just 12kg)  who would normally have stayed at the small Homing Centre, and she too is a very happy and lovely girl. 

Akio 

Finally there's Akio the shiba inu, and we're still waiting for the perfect home for him.  I did ask AFCD about the reason for him being surrendered in case it was for biting, and I'm happy to say it was only that his owner was moving to Public Housing where dogs aren't alowed.  AFCD found Akio to be a very friendly little dog, and we have also tested him with other dogs to see if he has the typical shiba reaction, and no, he's fine.  So for all the I have said about the difficult character of this breed it seems Akio is one of the exceptions.   

With so many totally wonderful dogs to choose from, both in looks and character, there must surely be exactly the right dog for any family wanting to adopt.  It's true, they're not labradors, golden retrievers or any of the "doodles" that we get so many requests for, but those are only labels anyway. What matters more than anything is what lies inside, and a heart of gold is worth a thousand designer breed names.   If you want to be the lucky adopter of any of our HKDR dogs, please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at  https://hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

A "Brilliant" job by Iris Wu

My last stop today was Kennedy Town where the staff were busy getting everything ready for the upcoming opening.  I'm not sure that it can be a "Grand" one this time, more a low key and quiet affair, and maybe the neighbours wouldn't appreciate a noisy party anyway. 

I have to mention someone who's been working incredibly hard over the past months, doubling up on her job as Homing Centre Manager to take on the role of Chief Designer of the Kennedy Town Homing Centre.  Iris used all of her design training and combined it with the knowledge of what was needed and how everything could be fitted into the small space available, and she's done a brilliant job (the address is coincidentally Brilliant Court).  Thank you and congratulations Iris! 

Mon 25th April: A promise for the future

Homeward bound: Elodie and Edie

 Two very lucky puppy sisters were adopted today, just a couple of days after arriving from AFCD.  Elodie and Edie are going to have each other growing up, and that makes life so much more fun for everyone.

Mandy is 2 year old and very sweet

We took in yet another very sweet young adult at Tai Po, and now-called Mandy is an incredibly happy girl who loves everyone.   Will she be as lucky as the two puppy sisters?  That's something that's impossible to predict, especially as there are so many other contenders for "best dog in the world" waiting to be noticed, adopted, and taken home.  We try to update the website with all of the new dogs and their details as quickly as possible, and you can take a look at the hundreds of dogs-in-waiting at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/dogs/ (puppies aren't included). 

Thank you Meggie! 

I was thrilled to be informed that there had been not only one, but two Legacy Donations made today via the free Will-writing platform 遺善最樂 ForeverGift.hk.  Of course this doesn't mean that HKDR immediately receives the donations, but it does mean a promise for the future and the ongoing work that will continue long after I too have gone.   I have often been asked about this, and what will happen when I'm no longer around or able to function as "boss" of HKDR, but we already work as a team, and I know that if I disappeared tomorrow (not that I'm planning to) the charity would simply carry on.   I have full trust in the staff that have been working with me and HKDR for many years, so I'm not at all worried that everything would fall apart.   You may also want to take advantage of what is normally quite a costly exercise by taking a look at ForeverGift, and whether you choose HKDR or another charity to remember in your Will you can have peace of mind that your legacy will be helping others in the future. 

Thank you Karen Cheung!

Sun 24th April: Hot days mean danger for dogs

 We had a selection of ages at Whiskers N Paws today, as the puppies who have been in foster for the past couple of months are obviously considerably older now, and we thought having the new youngsters there would offer something different. The photographer was long-term (and very much appreciated) volunteer Jimmy Tsang, and here are the lovely results Puppy Adoption Day 24th April 2022.

As it happens it was just-returned-from-foster older puppy Leo who won the prize of a wonderful home, and as it was last minute Jimmy had already left so volunteer Catherine stepped in to take the photo.  Now another puppy will be chosen to take the place of Leo.

Now that temperatures are in the sweltering range, I need to remind all dog owners about the dangers of heat stroke and how quickly it can kill.  You may have seen the very sad story being shared on social media about a black labrador who died during a hike, and it's really important to think about the time of day, whether there's shade on the route and how much water you have with you, both for yourself and the dog. A quick look at the weather forecast shows temperatures this week will be in the 30s, and with high humidity, so please keep your walks accordingly short and under shade as much as possible.

This week should see the opening of our new Kennedy Town Homing Centre, even if the finishing touches still have to be completed.  I think you all know the story of why we had to leave Ap Lei Chau and how hard it was to find an alternative site, bearing in mind that a lot of buildings don't allow dogs and there had to be easy access for staff, volunteers and potential adopters, as well as somewhere to walk the dogs.  We looked at so many places, some great in terms of space but not location, and in the end when we were really at the end of our time limit we were forced to split the Homing Centre side of the operation from the office and Red Dog space.   

The new Homing Centre is small, and while the Kennedy Town waterfront is very close it requires crossing a busy road to get there.  That's why we'll have to be extra careful about volunteer training, and strict about safety measures.  Many of our dogs and puppies are nervous about walking on unfamiliar streets, and if a dog slips out of a harness in Kennedy Town it's a very different scenario from the same happening in Ap Lei Chau where the dog park was so close to the Homing Centre.  While we are all still feeling very sad about having to leave Ap Lei Chau we have to try to look at the positives, such as Kennedy Town being a dog-friendly area and with hopefully lots of potential volunteers and adopters.  See you soon!

Sat 23rd April: There are always puppies you can meet

 Some puppies come at just the right time, and for the five "E" litter it seems that two of them are going to be very lucky.  Elodie, the fluffy girl, and Edie are due to be going to a home together on Monday, so for now we'll be holding them back.  The other three are available to meet at our small Red Dog Centre at 21 Ap Lei Chau Main Street, and if not adopted before next weekend they will be moving to Kennedy Town as some of the first residents.   

Beth (l) and Leo are staying at WNP

Sunday is Whiskers N Paws day, and there are now two store residents after Leo was dropped off in the afternoon to join Beth, who's been there for a few days now.  If not adopted this weekend, you can meet them any day of the week during store opening hours, and if they are lucky enough to find homes then they will be replaced by another two.  If you're planning on going to meet the puppies on Sunday, please be sure to complete the adoption questionnaire in advance at https://hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

While we wait (somewhat impatiently) for the small Homing Centre in Kennedy Town to open, which will hopefully be in the coming week, we had to send shiba inu Akio to Tai Po.  The Red Dog Centre is very small and we had to use the remaining space for the five "E" puppies, so there was absolutely nowhere for a shiba as well.  His photo and details were posted on our Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR)  Facebook page, and I was immedaitely inundated with adoption enquiries, most of which weren't suitable for this particular breed.   I really hope that one of the potential adopters who were invited to meet Akio will be able to take him home, because the longer they have to wait, the harder it becomes to find such homes.  As a reminder (and yes I know I have repeated this many times) we still have Donny and Damson staying on Lamma, and Goji in a foster home, and they're also young adults.  Maybe this will be the time when we find them a home too.  I don't really need to share photos of the other shibas as they all look exactly the same! 

Toffee, with Candy behind

Sweet little dog Toffee was adopted from Tai Po today, another small girl who would normally have been staying at the Kennedy Town Homing Centre.  Hopefully the other dog that came with Toffee will also find a home this weekend, and her name is Candy.

Doberman pinscher Adrienne also left Tai Po today, and although not a confirmed adoption it's lovely that she has a place to stay where she can continue on her healing journey.  When she came to us she was very thin and not at all well, but while at first we were concerned that she had something seriously wrong with her it was a simple case of malnutrition and neglect.  Since arriving at Tai Po Adrienne gained weight and built up her muscles, and now she's looking good and enjoying life. 

Fri 22nd April: Looking for small or medium sizes?

Elodie

Today's leading photo is one of the five new puppies we took from AFCD Sheung Shui today, and this heart-melter, and the four siblings, will probably grow to be larger sized adults.  I've given them all "E" names and there are two boys, Edgar and Evan, and girls Elodie, Edie and Esme.

Little Duke with sister Daphne

 Most adoption enquiries are for small or medium sized dogs, and while we never know how big the baby pups will grow to be as adults, as I wrote yesterday I'm pretty sure that tiny Duke won't be larger than a medium, in fact I'll go so far as to (almost) guarantee it.  You can adopt Duke right now as long as you take his sister Daphne on a foster basis until they're old enough to be separated, and as we're urgently in need of a new foster home for this pair anyway, it's a good time to do it.  Please email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you can help with fostering, or complete the adoption questionnaire if you want to be the lucky adopter of Duke, Daphne or both.  By the way, they currently live with a cat who's taken on the role of part-time caretaker, so a home with a cat or two would also be lovely.  

Gaia is a small-medium size

I mentioned a dog that was surrendered the other day, Gaia, and her ex-owner had said she was a whippet cross.  I don't know about that but she's really quite small and only weighs 12 kilos, not much more than a dog that falls under our "Small" category.  Gaia is sweet and friendly too, so again please complete the adption questionnaire if you'd like to adopt her.

One of today's news arrivals from AFCD Sheung Shui is another medium size, this time a one year-old boy now called Fabian.  His previous name was apparently Fei Fei, so I try to make new names sound reasonably like old ones.   Fabian is beautiful as well as being very friendly, and his weight definitely falls into the Medium category.

Fabian

Of course the new shiba inu, now Akio (I don't know what he was called before) is obviously small, and at three years still a young boy.  He'll be at our Tai Po Homing Centre for the weekend if you want to meet him, but as always we will need a suitable home for this breed. 

Akio

A last minute add-on from AFCD was the girl with the injured paw, and we now know that one of the toes had been severed and the site had become infected.  Now-Camille will have to stay at ALCVC for a while to have the wound regularly cleaned and dressed, and luckily we have a lovely foster home lined up for Camille to go to once she's ready to be moved.  Camille is also young, not large and incredibly sweet. 

I'll spare you the gory up-close photos

Candy

Also definitely in the small size category are Candy (at Tai Po) and mini long-haired dachshund Hunter, who's currently still with his soon-to-be-leaving owner. 

Hunter

Puppies that will at Whiskers N Paws this Sunday joining now-resident Betty are Lucas (who will be staying at the store too if not adopted), Luna, Reece, Ronald, Bliss, Nettle, Nona, Colin and maybe Rachel.  Take a look at last Sunday's photos (by our regular long-term volunteer Catherine)  Puppy Adoption Day 18th April 2022

If you are interested in adopting any of our dogs or puppies please complete the Adoption Questionnaire as a first step: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Thurs 21st April: H-e-e-e-l-p!!

 I'm not sure why the emails come from AFCD so late in the day and just when we think everything's done for the afternoon, but that's what happened today so we're going to need your help until the Kennedy Town Homing Centre opens.   The one adult (just a year old) mixed breed boy can go to Tai Po, but we have another very sweet and gentle girl who has a horrible paw injury, and she's going to need to stay in a foster home, at least until her wounds have healed.  There's also a three year-old shiba inu boy (we're told friendly), and five black-and-tan puppies, probably old enough to be adopted.  Photos will follow as soon as the dogs and puppies are with us.

If we had the small Homing Centre it would be easy to keep the dogs and puppies there, at least temporarily, but I'm still waiting to get the confirmed opening day.  It shouldn't be long now, but if anyone can help by fostering, even short-term, please let me know (sallyandersen@hongkongdogrescue.com).  Of course all are available for adoption too, and you can complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ if interested. 

Duke and Daphne (the big one)

We're also in urgent need of a new foster home for two babies who need to be moved from their current temporary home when their foster parent goes back to work as a teacher.   These are Duke and Daphne, the brand new newborns who came to us a couple of weeks ago.  Look at them now, and how Daphne is at least double the size of brother Duke!  We can assume that Duke is the runt of the litter and will be much smaller as an adult.  In fact as they're clearly large part sharpei, which are medium-sized dogs anyway, Duke might turn out to be quite a small dog when grown.   I can't help but wonder if our Tai Po almost-sharpei Buddy might be the father, as he looks exactly the same, or rather, the puppies look just like him. Buddy is also waiting for a home of course. 

Another view of big Daphne and little Duke

Could Buddy be the father?

A few of the under-age puppies have been adopted and are either waiting until they're old enough to be separated from their siblings-in-foster, or they're going to homes where there's already a dog living there that can take over as guardian, best friend, playmate and comforter.  Dougie is one of these, and you can see his updates along with his sisters' photos and videos on Instagram @why_i_foster.  Debbie has also been pre-chosen to go home from her foster home when she's old enough.

The pups when they first arrived

Weds 20th April: Last in, first out

 It might seem fair that the Tai Po dogs who have been waiting the longest are top of the list for adoption, but I'd like to mention two new arrivals who have come to us from homes where they are very used to what I'd call a "normal" living environment.  While many of our Tai Po dogs have been with us since they were puppies, and quite likely shy ones at that, and they enjoy the multi-dog life, dogs that come to us as adults usually find the outdoor living, noise and general experience quite overwhelming.  We would really like to move these dogs into new homes as soon as possible, so please consider Baxter and now-Gaia if you're thinking about adopting.

Baxter needs a new home

Baxter is only a year old and a very sweet dog, and although we tried to find a foster home for him to go to rather than having to come to the Homing Centre, in the end we ran out of time.  There's no training needed for Baxter, only a home that can provide love, comfort and lots of lovely walks.  Baxter is good with other dogs and chidren too. Although he will eventually settle, at the moment Baxter is confused and scared. 

Gaia also just arrived

Gaia's slightly older at six years, and although described to us as a whippet cross by her now ex-owner, somehow I think that's wishful thinking.  If you really want to find out if there's any whippet in Gaia you could always do a DNA test, but either way she needs a home.  

For any adoption please take the first step by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

With the imminent opening (finally!) of our new small Homing Centre in Kennedy Town, we're getting ready to welcome back all of the Ap Lei Chau volunteers who have been waiting to start up again.  The application form to sign up as a dog walker will be shared on our Hong Kong Dog Rescue Facebook page, and once I have the link I can also share here.

"Thank you for waiting so patiently  for the opening of our new Kennedy Town (KT) Homing Centre. As the environment of the KT Homing Centre is entirely different from that of the Ap Lei Chau (ALC) Homing Centre, current registered ALC volunteers who are interested in volunteering in our new KT Homing Centre will be required to undergo a free training session.

Because of the busy environment in KT, for the sake of volunteers' and dogs’ safety, starting from the opening of the KT Homing Centre we will be separating volunteers into cleaning volunteers (which will of course include playtime with the dogs and puppies) and dog walkers. Cleaning volunteers will need to attend extra dog walking training and pass a safety exam in order to become one of our dog walkers. Details will be announced later.

We understand many current volunteers have been waiting for so long to meet and walk our dogs again, so we will prioritise arranging a training session for current registered volunteers. Orientation classes for newcomers will be put on hold until our current volunteers have all their KT training sessions completed."