Weds 31st May: 39 adoptions for May

I want to say that I know for sure that this particular dog will find a new home in an instant, and I'm rather dreading the avalanche of adoption enquiries even before I share the details.  For that reason I'll start by saying that we will choose the best home that's offered, as well as the adopter who can take the dog home immediately (on Saturday afternoon).   

However, having said that I'm sure about this particular case, these days I can't say I'm sure about anything, as dogs that I imagined would be scooped up within minutes are still waiting.  Anyway, the dog in question is a ten month-old golden retriever boy, and the reason for surrender is that the current owner doesn't have time to take care of it, and when I say that I mean REALLY doesn't have time.   Please complete the adoption questionnaire if you're seriously interested, have the space and time, and can adopt immediately. 

https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/ 

1 year-old boy

In addition, and as already mentioned, on Thursday we have another large intake of smaller dogs arriving, including puppies (which will grow to be small adults).  From what I have been told the adults are young dogs, most a year old, and currently rather overgrown and shaggy so the volunteer groomers will be busy in the coming days.   

Again as mentioned, we'll be holding a special Saturday adoption event for the small adult dogs at Whiskers N Paws, Horizon Plaza, from 2pm to 4pm, but we will need everyone to have completed the adoption questionnaire in advance and to have been invited to come.  Unfortunately not all homes are suitable to keep a dog, and we don't want to waste anyone's time by having to say no after making the effort to get to Whiskers N Paws. 

There were thirty nine lucky dogs and puppies adopted during May, and sadly also seven Forever Dogs, meaning those who have died naturally while still under the care of HKDR.  

Tai Po Homing Centre

Didi (Multibreed puppy)

Freya (Siberian Husky)

Dawny (Multibreed puppy)

Drake (Multibreed puppy)

Kennedy Town Homing Centre

Lewis (Multibreed)

India (Pomeranian)

Rosie (Multibreed puppy)

Giselle (French Bulldog)

Dory (Pomeranian)

Speedy (Multibreed puppy)

Susie (Multibreed puppy)

Donna (Poodle)

Della (Poodle)

Julie (Bichon Frise)

Dizzy (Multibreed puppy)

Opal (Multibreed puppy)

Lewis (Multibreed puppy)

Lennox (Multibreed puppy)

Jerry (Multibreed)

HKDR@Elgin

Lola (Bichon Frise)

Whiskers N Paws

Poncho (Multibreed puppy)

Paulie (Multibreed puppy)

Pebble (Multibreed puppy)

Foster Homes

Tomo (Shiba Inu)

Jay (Multibreed)

Rama (Multibreed)

Timber (Poodle)

Ruby (Poodle) 

Roy (Terrier)

Rhonda (Terrier)

Rose (Pug)

Rina (Terrier cross)

Tina (Poodle)

Robin (Pomeranian)

Asher (Terrier cross puppy)

Rebel (Poodle)

Astrid (Multibreed puppy)

Imogen (Poodle)

Gherkin (Pekingese)

Our Forever Dogs

Tooki (Tai Po)

Django (Tai Po)

Naomi (Tai Po)

Margie (Lamma)

Tilly (Lamma)

Mary (Lamma)

Fiji (Lamma)

Rescued Dogs (Total: 39)

From AFCD: 6

From other sources: 33

Tues 30th May: Getting ready for Saturday

Ali on Sunday 

 For female puppies just a few months means the difference between being a helpless baby and needing to be desexed (spayed) to prevent unwanted pregnancy and more puppies being born.  We do this at six months for girls, while the males don't need to be neutered until they're a year old, and in fact these days it's recommended that for larger dogs especially, desexing isn't carried out too early.  Anyway today it was my favourite puppy Ali's turn to be spayed, so now all she needs is the right home to tie up her story.  I should mention that not only is Ali an incredibly sweet puppy, but she's also only medium sized and perfect for any family with children.   She's lucky to have been in a loving foster home for a while, so you can arrange to meet her in a familiar environment, or any Sunday at Whiskers N Paws from 2pm to 4pm.

Poodle Jazzy was also at Acorn having a hernia fixed, and she's  now ready to be adopted.  Initially it wasn't known whether the lump in her tummy was something more sinister, so when it turned out to be simply a hernia it was very good news.  Jazzy had a lot of interest when she first arrived but we needed to hold on until we could be sure that she was healthy.  In fact there's the double good news that unlike many smaller dogs her knees are stable so she's now good to go. 

Our tireless volunteer Foster Coordinator Cindy has been busy rounding up the small dogs in foster care to attend Saturday's Small Dog Party at Whiskers N Paws, again 2pm to 4pm, and we're also wondering if the new dogs due to arrive on Thursday will be suitable to attend.  I'm just waiting for details and hopefully photos, and the appointment at Concordia Pet Care is booked for Friday so unless there's something that means they can't be there to meet potential adopters, they'll be ready. 

You can also meet any of the dogs and puppies at our Kennedy Town Centres, but please make sure you complete the adoption questionnaire in advance so we can tell you which place to visit, or suggest the most suitable dogs for your home and situation. https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/ 

Tara 

Remember we also have some small dogs staying at our Soho space at 22 Elgin Street, including small poodles Tara and Tatum, both of whom are incredibly sweet and cuddly. In fact anyone considering adoption of these lovely girls needs to be prepared to give them pretty much full time attention and companionship, particularly Tara who just loves to be picked up and carried.  You can see more photos of the Elgin Street dogs and others at hkdr_eagle

Mon 29th May: Small dog Saturday coming up

Our current small foster dogs 

 With the anticipated arrival of more small dogs on Thursday, we're going to be holding a Small Dog Adoption Party at Whiskers N Paws this Saturday, 3rd June, from 2pm to 4pm (the same place and time as the Sunday Puppy event).  If you are interested in meeting any of the small dogs that will be coming from their foster homes to gather in one place, please make sure that you complete the adoption questionnaire in advance and have received a reply with an invitation to attend. https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/ 

There are often those who come along out of curiosity only and without any real intention of adopting, and the venue is too small to accommodate anyone who isn't genuinely interested in offering a dog a home (and has been approved).

These 4 stay at 22 Elgin Street

While not all of the dogs in foster homes are young or 100% fit and healthy, we still have plenty who are really ready for their forever homes.   The grid shows all of them, and if you would like more information on any particular dog(s), please include their names on the adoption questionnaire. 

Jerry has been adopted, while the others are at North Street

Of course we still have the small dogs at our Kennedy Town Centre, 13-19 North Street, and they will probably also be there on Saturday assuming there is room for them all.

Jerry is happy in his new forever home

We're also in real need of Hot Weather Foster Homes for the dogs staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre, particularly for the huskies but also for those who can't really tolerate the heat.  As you'll know, the temperature is already very high, so we can expect it to be a long and very hot summer.   

Please complete the foster questionnaire if you're able to help with giving a dog some relief for the hot months, and maybe even for ever.  The form is at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/

Sun 28th May: Sorting for easy viewing

 Even though it was a beautiful day today, at least where I live, on Sundays I'm always anxiously checking my phone or computer so I don't miss anything important, such as adoption enquiries that need immediate replies.  However, as keen as I am to see dogs and puppies leaving for their new homes, we'll never waiver from our belief that there are certain things that a dog needs to be happy, and with the never-decreasing number of dogs being surrendered we also insist that a home adoption means a home for life.  There are still too many dogs being given up as though they were nothing more than a piece of furniture that's no longer wanted, and while I'm aware that flying a dog to another country is expensive, I believe a dog is a family member that's worth the cost. 

We already knew that sweet Pebble would be leaving to start his new life today, and here's the photo to prove it, along with many other wonderful shots of the puppies enjoying their time at Whiskers N Paws  Puppy Adoption Day 28th May 2023 (with thanks as always to Eric Tang for his exceptional camera work). 

Small-sized Avia 

 

Volunteers have also been busy at Kennedy Town with grooming the dogs to make them look rather more presentable, with poodle Justin having the most dramatic makeover.  You can't even see that it's the same shaggy and overgrown dog that first arrived! 

We've also arranged the photos in grids for easy viewing, although I think Teddy should be with the small dogs rather than the medium so I've given him his own space here.  His haircut has also totally changed his appearance , which just goes to show that beauty really is only hair deep. 

The smaller dogs at Kennedy Town 

If you would like to see full photos of any of the dogs please ask, and if you're are interested in adopting start by completing the adoption questionnaire https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/ with as much detail as possible so we can try out best to recommend the best match.  We also have dogs and puppies in foster homes, as well as four that are currently staying at our Elgin Street Centre, namely poodles Tara, Tatum and Bee, plus Rex, who we were told was blind but who can actually see something, even if not clearly.  

The small-medium sized dogs at KT

The poodle-ish family sorted and named 

Sat 27th May: Shy or sticky, both take time

Eliza is happy to go out 

 Not all of the small dogs that come to us are instantly adoptable, and with some it can take quite a while before they can be taken out for walks.  This particularly applied to one group that arrived at the same time, with only Eliza quite quickly adapting to her new circumstances and becoming one of the regulars to join the outings to the Kennedy Town waterfront and dog park.  

Now thanks to the volunteers who have been working with the shy dogs, another from the "E" group, Esme, finally took her first steps outside, even if it wasn't for too long.   We never know the history of these dogs, where they came from or what their life was like before, but in many cases we can assume there wasn't much human interaction.  

The ten "poodles" are always like this

We do know the story of the ten "poodles" that came as a family, and they're very sweet and friendly towards humans, but the problem with them in terms of finding suitable homes is that they're so incredibly "sticky".  They are always squashed together and I don't know how they would react if separated.  Like the very shy dogs I'm sure over time they would adapt, but seeing them adopted in pairs is still the easiest way to get round the issue of separating them.  I should mention that they're not particularly young, so they have had years of living as a family group.

Little Julian had a beauty treatment in the morning

Happily not all of the dogs are shy or sticky, and there are many that can be adopted without any of the dramas of separation.  One of the most recent "J" intake, Julian, left today for a trial adoption with the resident dog, and maybe his morning bath and haircut helped with his good fortune. 

 

Lhasa Apso Dylan is young and friendly

There are many small dogs and puppies still available, and news came late today that there will be even more arriving next week.  These look like terrier types, plus the odd poodle as always, and we're in need of foster homes to temporarily take care of these dogs until they're adopted.   Please complete the foster questionnaire if you can help: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/

On Sunday it's back to Whiskers N Paws for the puppies, from 2pm to 4pm, if you're looking for a younger family member to take home. 

Please remember to complete the adoption questionnaire as a first step for all enquiries: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/

Fri 26th May: Hot huskies need homes!

 It's only just hit me that we're almost at the end of May, and I can't believe how the time is flashing by. It will soon be mid-summer so it's definitely time to haul all of the fans out of storage, for the dogs as much as me.  Our morning walk is already cut short as the heat intensifies, and the beach is more appealing than the hills.   Please take care of your dogs during these hot hot months, and remember that heatstroke kills too many every year.

Rebel and her new family 

We had quite a lot of visitors at our two Kennedy Town Centres today because it was a holiday, although most of the adoptions were quietly taking place away from the Homing Centres as foster dogs were being upgraded to adopted.  These include Robin the pom, and poodles Rebel and Imogen.  Congratulations to all!

We have so many small dogs waiting for homes now, so we're going to be holding a Small Dog Adoption afternoon at Whiskers N Paws next Saturday, so look out for updates on that and who will be attending. 

This Sunday will be Pebble's last at WNP

I can also announce the upcoming adoption of puppy Pebble, currently staying at Whiskers N Paws as a full-time guest, even though he won't actually leave until Sunday.  Pebble was yet another of the group of nineteen puppies that came together in February and started off their HKDR life at Elgin Street, and bit by bit the numbers are being reduced.  

Ali is an incredibly sweet girl 

These puppies were divided into two groups, "A" and "P", and you can meet the still-available ones at Kennedy Town (Aspen, Parker, Pip, Paxton etc), or at Whiskers N Paws on Sundays (Penny, Ali and Avia).  Plus all of the others, of course. 

Girls Farrah and Echo

Boy Boris

Now that the weather will only be getting hotter, is there anyone who can give a home to the three huskies staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre (not together of course)?  Two of them are girls, only a year old, and the other is a slightly older boy, and all are very friendly.  

For adoption please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/, and for fostering it's at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/

Thurs 25th May: What's an overbite?

Astrid and her "Failed Foster" family

 I don't want to make every story about the ten poodle (types) that suddenly arrived, but they have been taking up most of the attention, especially as Friday is a holiday so everything needed to be done in a hurry. However before anything else I'll share the adoption photo of puppy Astrid, looking rather larger and older than the tiny puppy that came to us in February as one of the group of nineteen.  

Piper adores his adopter but no one else

Astrid was always happy, confident and very friendly despite her original tiny size, unlike some of the other puppies that came on the same day and who were very scared and timid. One of those was Piper, who was adopted a few weeks ago but who remained reluctant to interact with anyone except his adopter.  I had suggested taking a second, more outgoing, puppy to help with Piper's issues, and today Dinky left Kennedy Town to become Piper's emotional support.  It was an instant success, and the video I was sent of both puppies happily playing really made me smile, especially Piper's mad zoomies as he flashed past the camera at high speed. 

Dinky is Piper's emotional support

Some dogs just can't be without another dog for support, and that's why we always suggest a second dog or puppy in cases such as Piper's.  A shy dog can build a close relationship with its human parent, but most people want a dog that can be social with more than just themselves. 

One big sticky family

The new ten poodles (for want of a better word to describe them) are very sweet and friendly dogs, but they are literally a family, with many being actual siblings who have been together their whole lives.  If you talk about a dog pack this is what it means, a group of dogs that are related to each other and who have a very strong and natural bond.  For this reason we don't want to separate them into singles, so for the moment we will only consider homes that will adopt a pair. 

Grady has an overbite 

As mentioned, several of the poodles are siblings, and although the exact age is impossible to assess we can say they're young adults and without any health issues.  A couple of them have overbites, which doesn't affect them in any way other to give them a sweet-funny face,  The most extreme example of an overbite can be seen in Tuna Melts My Heart who became a famous face on social media.  

Sharlene was described by the vet as a "sweet sweet dog"

By coincidence, another recent HKDR arrival, Sharlene, was also at Acorn today and she shares the same overbite as poodles Gunner and Grady (they are all 'G' names).  

If you're interested in adopting Sharlene, a "poodle" pair, or any of our dogs and puppies, please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Weds 24th May: Thanks, but please be patient

 As always the message about a whole family of small dogs that needed help came in the late afternoon, and the story is that the owner of the dogs, an old man, had passed away.  A death is always sad, but in this case it meant rescue for the dogs, who had never been desexed (or seen a vet) and had been allowed to breed freely, resulting in the large number and of various ages.  Catherine's Puppies had previously taken in some dogs from this family that had been found wandering and in very poor health, and it's clear that the old man was totally incapable of caring for them.  Today it was also Catherine who arranged for the poodles (or poodle types) to be picked up from the old man's home and taken to Pets Central in Sai Kung for safety, and HKDR will collect them from there on Thursday morning.  There are ten in total, with ages unknown but three are old and I don't think there are any puppies (many of the enquiries for fostering or adoption have been for puppies). 

On the way to safety 

By late evening I had already received so many emails about this dog family that I wasn't able to even begin replying, especially as we have no specific information about age or health.  After we collect them from Sai Kung we will be sending them to Concordia in Happy Valley to checking and vaccinations, so they won't be available to meet until after that. 

I also want to mention that these dogs have always lived as part of a large family group and will find it very difficult to be single dogs.  Whether for fostering or adoption we will therefore give priority to homes where there is already a resident dog, or to anyone who can take a pair.  If you have sent either an adoption questionnaire or a foster form, thank you, but please be patient and wait until we have had a chance to even briefly assess the dogs.

Please also remember that we already have many dogs of all sizes and ages that have already been through all of their health checks, vaccinations and everything else, so if you want to help then please also consider one of these. 

Tues 23rd May: Rearranging at Kennedy Town

 While it seemed to be raining heavily over all other parts of Hong Kong, it remained dry and pleasantly breezy on Lamma (at least my corner of the island), and perfect for the dogs to enjoy the donation of organic bones from growsFresh  which they're still gnawing on as I write. 

Other puppies like Ali are in foster homes 

There was a lot of rearranging of dogs and puppies at the Kennedy Town Centres today, as some move out and others move in, and personalities and relationships have to be accounted for.  The official Homing Centre at Shop 4, Brilliant Court, is where the older and larger puppies stay, while the North Street Centre is for small adults and younger puppies.  

If you want to know more about any of those shown below, please go to www.hongkongdogrescue.com/dogs/ for photos and individual details. 

Kennedy Town, Brilliant Court
1 Cassie 2 Cairo 3 Callum
4 Christian 5 Coral 6 Carla 7 Cooper 8 Carter
9 Oscar 10 Omega
11 Dandy
12 Victor 13 Violet 14 Vera 15 Viva
16 Wolfie 17 Willa
18 Parker 19 Olive (these two are actually smaller)

Kennedy Town, North Street (Ground Floor)
1 Elodie 2 Erin 3 Eden 4 Esme 5 Eliza
6 Gallant
7 Kai 8 Katie
9 Teddy
10 Aspen 11 Paxton 12 Pippa 13 Pip
14 Hetty
15 Ike
16 Ottilie

North Street (Upper Floor)
1 Dylan 2 Dinky
3 Jazzy 4 Jessie 5 Julian 6 Jolene 7 Justin 8 Jeremy 9 Jerry 10 Jinks
11 Mason 12 Melody

North Street (Upper Floor)
13 Usko
14 Jude
15 Austin
16 Tansy 17 Tinker
18 Yasmin
19 Quentin
20 Ritzy
21 Joey 22 Jack 23 Jimmy 

Elgin Street, Soho (Street Level) Bee, Rex, Tara, Tatum

WNP Gabby, Pebble

Mon 22nd May: Poodle day at Acorn

Roo's eye was very painful

For some reason almost all of the HKDR dogs at Acorn today were poodles, including little Twiggy who had the first of her knee surgeries (the second side will be done after six weeks), foster poodles Lulu and Dougal both with their varying health issues, and another foster poodle Roo, who sadly had to have all of his remaining teeth removed as well as one eye. 

Dougal is a tiny ex-breeder poodle

Twiggy is from the same ex-breeder family as Tara and Tatum 

 

A long time ago when the subject of licensing breeders was first discussed (Cap139b), it was also proposed that there should be some Duty of Care introduced, meaning a minimum level of basic needs that every pet animal should expect.  The subsequent discussions went on for such a long time, with (from my observations) the whole of the breeder licensing laws failing miserably, that I gave up even hoping that the HKSAR Government would take any action.  

You know my feelings about the lack of TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return) which would save so many dogs from the misery of having endless unwanted litters, especially since this has been available for cats for so many years.  The increase in the stray dog population following the Covid restrictions which meant few (if any)  volunteers were able to carry out TNR,  has created an overwhelming burden on the Animal NGOs, all of whom are bursting with puppies and unable to accept the hundreds still in need of shelter and safety.  Believe me when I say this is personally heartbreaking, as I'm sure it is for all of those who are in the same position of having to turn away the innocent puppies being born, and yet we wait in vain for real and practical action.  It's pointless to simply send out the hated AFCD dog catching teams to round up as many dogs and puppies as they can, because what can be done with so many when the rescue organisations are full?   And indeed  why should all of the financial burden be placed on the NGOs when the government continue to do nothing? 

Well it seems that AFCD have come up with this as the answer, at least to the Duty of Care side of things, and the NGOs have been asked to share the information.  So here is the  https://animalwelfareproject.hk/, and my question  would be couldn't the money have been better spent on TNR?  Or perhaps finding and closing down the illegal breeders who are still clearly operating as much as they were before the Animal Trader Licensing laws were introduced.  

Sun 21st May: A great start to a very hot day

 We had such a great start to the day with the double adoption of brothers Lennox and Lewis, and even though we were expecting the adopter to come after a few exchanged messages the previous evening, it was still a wonderful moment to see the boys finally leaving.  Now only Luke remains from the initial "L" litter and you can see his daily updates on Instagram @why_i_foster. 

The full "L" litter in February

Asher is a forever dog now

Another really happy message arrived too, confirming the adoption of "untrainable" adopted-and-returned Asher, who not only proved himself to be a great little dog but also perfect with children, the resident dog, and almost perfect with the cat (that will be fine too). 

Asher and his big brother 

 "I would like to confirm Asher’s adoption, he’s a fab little dog. He has had non stop interactions with people this weekend and has been a rockstar. I had him on leash at the yacht club terrace with 5 other dogs at other tables and he didn’t bark once except when they arrived, he also accepted cuddles from all the men that wanted to talk to him whilst we were there, he’s not a problem with women but seems now he has no problem with unknown men either."   

So you see, it really isn't the dogs are that the problem, it's just understanding them and finding trainers that know what they're talking about.

Benjamin Po was the volunteer photographer for the regular Whiskers N Paws Puppy Party which takes place every Sunday from 2pm until 4pm Puppy Adoption Day 21st May 2023.  There are so many great shots and so many wonderful puppies it's always hard to pick just one or two, but there's Ali again getting her full quota of love and attention from anyone who's willing.   She's an exceptional puppy in terms of her sweet and loving personality, and I have a video of her from the day all nineteen puppies first arrived, many of them really quite scared, and there's Ali on her back wanting a tummy rub. Why she hasn't been adopted yet is a total mystery to me. 

Teddy has waited too long for his home

Over at Kennedy Town it was Jazzy who was the must-have dog of the day, but as I had warned when the details were first posted, I made the age assessments based on photos (while I was on a bus) so I knew they may not all be accurate.  When Jazzy went to Acorn for her full health check she was found to be older, as well as having some lumps that may or may not be serious.   She will go back to Acorn on Tuesday for a more thorough check as well as a dental, so we'll know more after that, but in the meantime there are many other poodles who are younger and very sweet.

Dusty will look beautiful after grooming

One of the poodles is a blind girl called Dusty and she was taken for fostering today, while the white fluffy Jemima was also chosen and will leave on Monday. 

Scottie Jolene will also look completely different after a haircut

If breeds are what you're interested in, then we have Scottie (Scottish terrier) Jolene, and Lhasa Apso Dylan.  Both are young and very sweet too.

Lovely young boy Dylan 

Sat 20th May: A handful of adoptions today

Only Julie has been adopted so far 

 It wasn't any of the new intake of small dogs that found their forever homes today, although Johnny was taken for fostering by one of our regular and lovely foster parents.  He was the only dog in the group to have tested positive for heartworm, so he'll need the pre-treatment before having the injections that kill the worms, followed by the post-treatment rest period.  Heartworm is no joke, but it's so easy to prevent it still shocks me that dog owners either can't be bothered or don't even know about the disease. 

Two of the dogs that now have forever homes are those that have also been staying in foster, and coincidentally they were both part of the same "R" group of thirteen that came in April.  I think many of you may have seen Rebel's Instagram posts @sweet_potatoe, and today Rebel was chosen for adoption by a new family.  

Rina the day she arrived in April

The second foster dog to become part of a forever family is Rina, a terrier who will be staying as a "foster fail".  

Pom Robin is another dog from that same "R" intake, and although he's a great little character and impeccably well mannered, he has yet to meet his forever family.  His day will come soon,  I'm sure of it.

Dizzy going home 

The other lucky dogs today were Dizzy, quite a recent arrival at North Street, Kennedy Town, and Opal, one of the many smaller-sized puppies staying at the same centre.

Opal's best friend Odette is still available

I almost forgot one of the "A" puppies that came as a group of nineteen and became what are known as The Elgin Puppies, even though those that haven't been adopted have long since moved to Kennedy Town.  Astrid is also now a "Foster Fail", and I'm sure many volunteers will remember her as the tiny black puppy from back in February on that memorable day.  

We still have a few puppies left from that intake, including fuzzy-faced Avia, sweet Aspen, Penny, Pip and Parker (plus others).   You can meet them on Sunday at Whiskers N Paws, 10/F Horizon Plaza, 2pm to 4pm.