Tues 31st Jan: OMG!!

 Talk about a last minute panic, it wasn't until late afternoon that I was told there was a delivery of puppies on the way, with many more still on hold for Wednesday.  We had to ask that today's group were sent straight to Elgin Street, where the four new dogs from AFCD had also been dropped off after their vet check.  These are the two poodles, the shiba inu and a Sheltie, but for immediate action it was the puppies that needed sorting out.

To make things more complicated, our Foster Coordinator, Cindy, is currently away on holiday, so it was left to me to deal with the foster enquiries.  I'm reminded when this happens about what an amazing job Cindy does, especially as a volunteer, and I can't wait for her to get back!  

Anyway, working both through the evening and again first thing in the morning (Wednesday), we have foster homes for the puppies that did a great job of wrecking the shop area at HKDR@Elgin overnight, so we'll have to see about any others.  It's not so much finding foster homes for young puppies, it's the forever homes once they're a bit older that's the challenge.  We already have a full house at Kennedy Town, so moving the pups straight from foster care to being adopted is what we're hoping for.  The new puppies are very pretty, but it's their size that makes the difference and at this point I'm not sure how big they're going to be as adults.

For now, while I catch my breath for a second, I'll share the list of adoptions for January, with a total of thirty one lucky dogs and puppies. 

Tai Po Homing Centre:

Jared (Multibreed)

Jayden (Multibreed)

Liam (Multibreed puppy)

Drummond (Multibreed puppy)

Kennedy Town Homing Centre:

Cherry (Multibreed puppy)

Hadley (Multibreed puppy)

Vespa (Multibreed puppy)

Gidget (Multibreed puppy)

Sugar (Multibreed puppy)

Rowan (Multibreed puppy)

Squash (Pekingese)

Harvey (Multibreed puppy)

Hunter (Multibreed puppy)

Kaka (Shiba Inu)

Gavin (Multibreed puppy)

Zinnia (Multibreed puppy)

Zara (Multibreed puppy)

Zoe (Multibreed puppy)

Toastie (Multibreed puppy)

HKDR@Elgin:

Maggie (Multibreed)

Soybean (Multibreed)

Miffy (Poodle)

Muffin (Poodle)

Sparky (Chihuahua Pomeranian cross)

Hester (Multibreed)

Helga (Terrier cross)

Maddox (Shih Tzu-Terrier cross)

Ap Lei Chau Red Dog Centre:

Marnie (Shih Tzu cross)

Foster Homes:

Zach (Multibreed)

Pumpkin (Pekingese)

Hazel (Multibreed puppy)

Our Forever Dogs:

Amber (Foster)

Nico (Red Dog Centre)

Foxy (Tai Po)

Rescued Dogs (Total: 36)

From AFCD: 15

From other sources: 21

Mon 30th Jan: New arrivals confirmed, and new arrivals maybe

 Some new small dogs will be arriving on Tuesday from AFCD, although not youngsters other than a female Sheltie (Shetland sheepdog) who's only three years old.  This is a popular breed so I'm pretty sure that she (yet to be named) will find a home quite quickly, even if she does apparently have a skin problem.   The others are two poodles, one a ten year-old male and the other a six year-old female, and an almost-ten year-old shiba inu, and all are apparently very friendly.   If you are interested in these dogs, or any others, please complete the adoption questionnaire (if not already done) at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire.  

Pumpkin is staying in her foster home

A previous small dog from AFCD had her adoption confirmed today after a follow-up visit to Concordia Pet Care confirmed that Pumpkin had healed very quickly from her surgery (desex and facial fold removal).  Of the three ex-breeder pekes that came on the same day, now only Gherkin still needs a home. You may remember that he had to have one eye removed, but he's still a very sweet and happy boy. 

I can't understand why we still have some of our small-medium dogs remaining at HKDR@Elgin, especially the young, happy and friendly ones.  Of course we have to be sure that any potential homes are suitable, and unfortunately many aren't for one reason or another, so we will wait for the right family and situation to come along.  In the meantime the dogs are happy with their temporary "home", and their friends.  I love the way little Stella has really opened up, and and watching her playing with Scooter and Sybil in this video really made me smile.   Again as a reminder, Stella came to us with her litter of puppies, all now adopted, so at first she was unsure of what was happening.  She's since been desexed and has forgotten about her past life of being a mother, and now she behaves just as any normal young dog should. 

Gabby and Griffin are now staying at WNP

Puppies Griffin and Gabby stayed behind after the Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday, so they are now our HKDR Ambassadors at the store until they're adopted.  Please feel free to meet them any day of the week during opening hours. 

Some of our other puppies waiting for homes

It's possible that we will have more small-medium dogs coming in, potentially quite a lot of them, but as always we're just given some warning of the potential arrival and then we wait to see what actually arrives, if any. Keep an eye on my blog in the coming days for updates if you're interested. 

Sun 29th Jan: The first puppy party of the Rabbit Year

It's what Sundays are for

It was party time again at Whiskers N Paws, with thanks to Rodger So for being the first volunteer photographer in the Year of the Rabbit  Puppy Adoption Day 29th Jan 2023.  

Although there were no actual adoptions that took place, we were lucky enough to receive a wonderful donation of $3110 from Madeleine and Isabelle.  Thank you so much girls! 

Madeleine and Isabelle

As the puppies that were enjoying the games on the terrace are only a representation of those we have available, you can meet many more at our Kennedy Town Centres, both at Brilliant Court and North Street.  Please just remember to complete the adoption questionnaire in advance, at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

I can reveal the name of the lucky Tai Po doglet who was taken for a trial with the resident dog as being Drummond, because his adoption is confirmed along with his new name of Corto.  Being in a home with another dog has made all the difference to Drummond, who isn't the most confident of characters.

River 

I was looking through the photos shared by hkdr_eagle and saw a lovely one of River, a particularly shy girl who took a very long time to come out of her shell at the Lamma House for Small Dogs.  Comparing her to Maisie at our Elgin Street location, you can see that they're obviously related, although Maisie isn't shy at all.  As I have so often said, what happens during the development phase of a puppy's life will shape their character for life.  The three things to remember are very simple: be kind, be patient and be gentle.

Maisie

Sat 28th Jan: Big day for Toastie

Toastie has a lovely home now

 The "T" litter came to us at the end of November, and while Tessa was adopted quite quickly, the remaining three girls have been waiting since then to be chosen.  Happily today was Toastie's big day, leaving Tinker and Tansy hopefully following suit before too long.

We'll be at Whiskers N Paws (2pm to 4pm) with some of the available puppies on Sunday, and with many people coming back from their extended Christmas-New Year-Chinese New Year breaks, interest in adoption is finally starting to pick up again.  Not before time either, as puppies grow like weeds, and even two weeks can make a huge difference in size, looks and behaviour.  

It's something I have to remind puppy adopters of when they're feeling frustrated about things like play biting or toilet training, as that period of learning passes so quickly, almost on a daily basis.  One day you might be cursing and swearing that adopting a puppy was the worst ever decision, and the next day all of that's forgotten as everything falls into place.  I can't tell you how many times over the years we've had this experience, so when I say "trust me, it will be fine", I really mean it. 

I need to mention that we're still looking for a new staff member to join the Kennedy Town team.  We're happy to consider younger applicants without experience as long as everything else is there, such as being a dog lover (of course), bi-lingual (English-Cantonese), sensible and willing to learn, and to work as part of a team.  The work can be hard and frustrating, at times heartbreaking, but there is a real sense of satisfaction at seeing real and tangible results when dogs and puppies are adopted.   If you are genuinely interested in this job, please email iris@hongkongdogrescue.com. 

Fri 27th Jan: Everything comes in threes

 It always seems to happen that things break at the same time, and for me it was the dryer first,  then the washing machine and finally the hot water tank.   So today I had to get someone in to fix the hot water (desperately needed during such cold weather), and pick up a new (donated) washing machine to be transported back to Lamma.  For now there's no need for a dryer, but if anyone is able to sponsor a new one for when the rain comes, I'd be most grateful.   In fact we're also in need of a dryer for our HKDR@Elgin space, as there's always so much laundry involved when you have multiple dogs.

Maybe I should also mention another thing that appears to have "broken", because anyone who reads this blog on my personal Facebook page may have wondered why I've disappeared.  It's got nothing to do with me, rather the "improvements" by Meta (or Facebook, whatever you want to call the company) which has not only resulted in annoying changes, but has wiped all memory of one of my own pages.  I say one of my pages, because thanks to another strange Facebook glitch, I ended up with two pages under the same name, one which only works on my phone and the other, now gone, which  worked on my computer.  I'm sure someone with technical knowledge will find it easy to resolve, but for now I can only post on the Hong Kong Dog Rescue Facebook page. 

Other than the need for dryers, please don't stop bringing newspaper to any of our Homing Centres, as we're always running out with so many puppies that insist on peeing and pooping!  It's amazing how quickly, and automatically, they learn to use the designated spot where the newspaper is, but it needs to be changed many times a day. 

Hopefully there will be fewer dogs soon

We also need to keep up the volunteer schedule for the Elgin Street, Soho, Centre, as Cam can't be there every single day.  If you can help out please just add your name to the roster at, or email elgin@hongkongdogrescue.com.  You don't need to undergo the orientation that's required at the official Homing Centres, but you do need to be over 18 years, and have some experience (and confidence) with dogs.  The dogs at HKDR@Elgin are all adults, small-to-medium size and good natured, but some people find groups of dogs quite intimidating. 

Volunteers needed at HKDR@Elgin, 22 Elgin Street, Soho, Central

We need volunteers to help with cleaning, walking and socialisation of the dogs. If you can help for even a couple of hours at a time, please email elgin@hongkongdogrescue.com or register via the link below:

https://docs.google.com/.../1PGDgc3Hh0oQt7Cg5TmOS.../edit...

- We will need 3 volunteers for each shift

- Please fill in your contact number

- Please be on time if you have committed to helping

- Only age 18 or above is allowed

Thank you!

Thurs 26th Jan: Thank you for the happy updates

 Just as the Lunar New Year holiday comes to an end, officially at least, the weekend is coming up, and I know a lot of people have taken the opportunity to extend their time off work to include the extra days. Hopefully that means there'll be a rush of adoptions once everything is well and truly back to normal, and I know there's at least one dog at HKDR@Elgin that this applies to. 

It was the perfect day for the traditional CNY hike

As promised, I have the photo of the traditional Chinese New Year hike by volunteers and their chosen Tai Po Homing Centre dogs. The weather was perfect and everyone had a great time, dogs included.  Remember, if you are an experienced and registered volunteer you can apply to take a dog out for the day, although we prefer to keep those at the top of our potential adoption list at the Homing Centre so they don't miss out on any chance of finding a home. 

Mia-Hazel flew as carry-on

After yesterday's very sad story about Theo, the dog that came back to us after having been badly treated, there were some lovely updates to compensate.  Such as poodle Mia, now called Hazel, who is now in the US after what looks like an in-cabin flight. 

"O" puppy Odile, now called Koume, is clearly more than happy in her home, and once again you can see that two dogs keep each other entertained in a way that humans just can't replicate. 

Doglet Juliet, now Julie, was adopted from our Tai Po Homing Centre as an older puppy, and she too is having the best time with her new(ish) family.  "Kung Hei Fat Choi from Julie (Juliet).  She’s a very happy, clever girl - eats well, enjoys her walks, has made some doggie friends, likes to help carry bags into the house and can do lots of tricks.  "

We so much appreciate that hundreds of adopters every year open their homes to the dogs and puppies that are desperately in need, because it makes all the hard work and heartache worthwhile.  If you would like to do the same, please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step. 

Weds 25th Jan: Triple adoption, Theo, and a turtle

A triple adoption!

 There's a mix of things to mention today, but I'll start with the very happy news that the three (maybe) sisters, namely Zara, Zinnia and Zoe, were adopted together.  I say maybe, because we're not sure if Zoe is actually a sibling, only that she came with the other two and they've been together since then.  

It doesn't matter, of course, because dog sisters or brothers don't have to be related, and again I know this from personal experience of my Lamma dogs, as some formed pairs that have bonded very strongly.  Interestingly, the two "brothers", who are not related, look very alike, and similarly females Peta and Margie used to be almost identical.  Now Peta is rather overweight while Margie is slim, but these couples are never apart and do everything together. 

Helga started her new life today

Helga was picked up from our Elgin Street Centre after having met the resident cat on Tuesday, and seeing there was no response from either side the adoption could go ahead.  

That's the good news.

Theo today

As you may know, our interest and concern for our HKDR dogs doesn't end when they're adopted.  That's why we're always happy to receive updates letting us know how things are going, even if it's just as a reminder of this or that puppy. Sadly not all puppies are lucky enough to have a happy life with their adoptive families, as we found out today when we were asked if we could take a dog called Theo back.  He was adopted as a puppy but the adopter went back to China, leaving Theo with the son who had no interest whatsoever.  Worse than that, he actively disliked the dog and (apparently) kicked and hit Theo, and told the helper to get rid of him.  We now have him safely back with us, and it would be wonderful if a new home could be offered, one which can promise Theo love and proper care for the rest of his life.

A promise of a happy life for puppy Theo was broken

Finally, I was asked if I could find a new home for a Red-Eared Slider turtle called Smally.  Her owner is leaving Hong Kong and turtles are not allowed entry to the other country.  Smally is living indoors, and is allowed to roam around.  (If outdoors, turtles will hibernate in the cold weather). This is her story:   "I named her Smally. She’s a hatchling when I found her at the rubbish area (our floor’s backdoor) with another one who unfortunately is dead; i assumed the owner thought she’s dead too. She was at the verge of death but able to survive (she has records at the exotic vet from Kennedy Town). Unfortunately, her one eye is too infected, eye was rotten so has to be removed. But she’s very much alright now, no health issues. She’s about 2 yrs old (based on when i found her), bigger than our hand size, a female and isn't scared of people. 

I would have given her a better life back home but I have tried so many times but there’s no possibility. I’m totally heartbroken."

If you can offer Smally a home, please email me at sallyandersen@hongkongdogrescue.com.  

Tues 24th Jan: How big will a puppy grow to be?

Sweet Hester left today

It was Hester's turn to leave our HKDR@Elgin space today, and tomorrow there will be another lucky dog heading off to start her new life.  There are still plenty to choose from if you're looking for a small or medium sized dog, though no poodles at the moment (as many are asking). 

Once again we had quite a few potential adopters coming to meet the dogs, and I was so happy to see that one of the Tai Po doglets had left for a trial with the resident dog.  As always I don't want to give the name just in case it doesn't work out, but this particular boy had come to us as one of a newborn litter who had ended up moving to the big Homing Centre when they outgrew the space at Kennedy Town.  When I say outgrew I'm talking both in terms of age and size, because although tiny as day-old orphans, these puppies just grew and grew.   The question that arises all the time with mixed breed puppies is "how big will he/she get?", and the answer is almost always that we have no idea.  

One of these three left Tai Po today

Sometimes you can tell that a puppy won't be a large adult because of the short legs, like Zoe, currently at our Kennedy Town North Street Centre.  She came with two other "Z" puppies, Zara and Zinnia, and although they all have the same body size, only Zoe has the short legs. 

Short-legged Zoe

When the gorgeous-but-shy "F" puppies first arrived, I had thought they would all grow to be large sized adults, but as they've got older it now seems that at least a couple aren't going to be big at all.  

The "F" puppies

Unfortunately, although they have definitely lost some of their initial fear, these youngsters are still quite timid and will need to live in a home with a more confident dog, and without children. Under the right conditions and with proper guidance and training, such dogs can become as sweet and affectionate as any others, but it takes time.  Many of my Lamma dogs came to me as very scared puppies, but now it's hard to remember that they were once like that as they ask for petting or cuddles. 

One thing I can say about these shy puppies is that they're very good guard dogs, as they respond to strange sounds or anything unusual in the home.  However, even guard dogs do best as family members, living inside the home and not kept out in the garden.  If you really want a dog to protect you, let it sleep in the bedroom by your side, and you will have the best burglar alarm ever. 

Mon 23rd Jan: Please take a look at Oliver

 I'm so happy to be able to write about adoptions, especially unexpected ones.  I really thought that the New Year holiday would be quiet and that we'd have to wait until after the break for potential adopters to re-appear, but I was wrong. 

Bye Sparky!

I said Sparky would be leaving today, which he did, and Hester will also be heading off to her new life on Tuesday.   Now there's another little dog whose adoption paperwork has been completed after a successful meeting with the resident cat, and that's Helga.  

Helga

Further meetings are also scheduled for other Elgin Street dogs this week, with a couple already chosen assuming they're still available when the potential families get back for their holiday.  It's taken much longer than expected for these lovely dogs to find their homes, but I know that was due to Christmas/New Year/Chinese New Year being so close together, meaning many families waiting for them all to be over.

We had some promising (dog) interviews at Tai Po as well, and at least a couple of families will be coming back on Tuesday for a second meeting. 

Oliver was in foster before coming back to Kennedy Town

Not forgetting the puppies at Kennedy Town, both Centres, again there were several meetings with potential adopters although no final decisions made.  There's such a big choice, and as I always say I'd find it hard to pick just one if I had to.   However I have a soft spot for Oliver, named after my beautiful Lamma boy who died not long ago.  My Oliver was an amazing dog, and the puppy Oliver looks so similar that I feel he'll be just as lovely.  

There's also the up-and-coming babies in foster homes that will soon be ready to leave but not yet included in the following available puppy list.  Two of these are staying with our regular foster, and you can see daily updates on Instagram @why_i_foster.

HKDR Kennedy Town Homing Centre - Shop 4, G/F, Brilliant Court, Sai Hong Lane, 28 Praya, Kennedy Town

 

Clio (F), Molly (F), Ike (M), Ottilie (F) and Yasmin (F)

Austin (M), Josh (M) and Jude (M) 

Cairo (F), Callum (M) and Cassie (F)

Connor (M), Christian (M), Coral (F), Carla (F), Carter (M) and Cooper (M)

Quentin (M)

Tansy (F), Toastie (F), Tinker (F)

Omega (F) and Oscar (M)

Griffin (M) and Gabby (F)

Ruby (F), Rosie (F), Ritzy (F), Rina (F) and Riley (M) 

Dandy (M)

Haven (F) and Hannah (F)

Oliver (M)

 

HKDR Headquarters - Shop 4, G/F, Cheong Yue Mansion, 13-19 North Street, Kennedy Town

 

Frankie (M), Fitz (M), Ford (M), Farley (M), Finley (M) and Felix (M)

Jilly (F), Jimmy (M), Joey (M) and Jack (M)

Maya (F), Mason (M), Max (M) and Melody (F)

Victor (M), Violet (F), Vera (F), Viva (F) and Vivi (F)

Zinnia (F), Zara (F) and Zoe (F)

 

Foster homes on Hong Kong Island

Cressie (F) at Chung Hom kok

Hailey (F) at Central

Hudson (M) at Central 

 

Foster homes in Kowloon and New Territories

Hazel (F) at Tseung Kwan O

Hayes (M) at Ma On Shan (Instagram Page @foster_doggie_hk )

Judy (F) at Kowloon Tong