Thurs 30th Nov: Early start and late finish

Gershwin as a young dog, many years ago

 I missed another day of posting as I had one of those dreaded vet visits to make, meaning having to make the hardest of decisions for an old dog who no longer had any quality of life.  As in many cases, I had already cancelled a previous appointment for Lamma dog Gershwin, but I couldn't delay the inevitable any longer.  I know many of you will have been through the same anguish of not knowing what to do, or when, and there is always the niggling doubt about whether it was too soon.  Anyway, Gershwin has joined this month's list of Forever Dogs, a list which is also inevitable as so many dogs grow old with us.  

The adoption number for those lucky dogs who found their forever families was 33, and here are their names:

Tai Po Homing Centre

Mochi (Malinois cross)

Moose (Alaskan Malamute)

Victor (Multibreed doglet)

Simba (Golden Retriever puppy)

Elsie (Multibreed)

Kip (Multibreed)

Kennedy Town Homing Centre

Preston (Multibreed)

Nancy (Mini Bulldog)

Latte (Poodle)

Eden (Multibreed)

Otto (Miniature Pinscher)

Baxter (Poodle)

Mocha (Poodle)

Elodie (Multibreed)

Charlie (Terrier cross)

HKDR@Elgin

Toto (Golden Retriever puppy)

Whiskers N Paws

Smartie (Multibreed puppy)

Foster Homes

Primo (Mini Schnauzer)

Babs (Multibreed puppy)

Bijou (French Bulldog)

Butter (Pomeranian)

Zelda (Multibreed)

Rex (Multibreed)

Nova (Multibreed)

Zara (Poodle)

Riku (Shiba Inu puppy)

April (Multibreed puppy)

Andy (Multibreed puppy)

Horlick (Multibreed puppy)

Toffee (Multibreed puppy)

Rex (Multibreed)

Rudi Hans (Dachshund)

Pepper (Pomeranian puppy)

Our Forever Dogs

Dawn (Taipo)

Duncan (Taipo)

Prissy (Taipo)

Raisin (Kennedy Town)

Rollo (Kennedy Town)

Mack (Foster)

Ronnie (Foster)

Dainty (Lamma)

Gershwin (Lamma)

Rescued Dogs (Total: )

From AFCD: 6

From other sources: 32

The late finish to the day was because Yannie, Winki and I attended the Gala Dinner for the Knights of the Truffle and Wine of Alba - Hong Kong Delegation, a non-profit organisation whose aim is to promote the food, wine and culture of Alba, Italy.  

Winki, myself and Yannie not in our usual attire

HKDR was chosen as the beneficiary charity for the evening's raffle, and Yannie also gave a presentation about HKDR and our work.  Other than being lovers of wine and the region's white truffles, several of the guests were also adopters of HKDR dogs, so it was lovely to be able to put faces to the names I was familiar with.  Of course we were also happy to sample the wine, cuisine and truffles during the evening. 

Tues 28th Nov: In case you missed Peak to Fong

 I have to be out early again on Wednesday so it's another hurried post today, but in any case we're still playing catch-up after the big event on Sunday.  Several people who weren't able to attend on the day have been asking how and where they can buy the the clothing items that were launched at Peak to Fong, and I'm happy to say everything is available as follows:  

Exciting News! HKDR Merchandise Now Available Online and at Elgin Store!

We're thrilled to announce that the highly sought-after HKDR windbreaker, as well as the Dai Pai Dong Tong Gau T-shirt and sweatshirt, are now available for purchase online and at Elgin Store!

HKDR@Elgin

Address: G/F, 22 Elgin Street, Central

Business hours: 10am – 6pm, Monday to Friday

Peak to Fong may have come to an end, but you can still get your hands on these fantastic merchandise items and we've launched our Etsy store for the first time to make it easier for you to bring them home!

Visit the link: https://www.etsy.com/hk-en/shop/HongKongDogRescue to explore the HKDR Etsy store and browse through our incredible selection. Whether you're looking for the limited-edition windbreaker, the Dai Pai Dong Tong Gau T-shirt, or the cozy sweatshirt, we have something to suit your style.

And here's the best part: we're offering FREE shipping, even if you purchase just one windbreaker!

Plus, if you buy two or more items from the Dai Pai Dong series, you'll also receive free shipping.

There was a very special adoption confirmed today, that of almost-blind Rex, who had been in a foster home before needing to move to a new temporary home, which quickly turned into forever.  Rex also has a heart problem so we're especially happy and grateful to his new family for giving him this chance of a lifetime. 

Johnnie Rottweiler 

The new Rottweiler at our Tai Po Homing Centre has a name now, Johnnie, and we're also expecting the Doberman boy as well as a young Malinois (Belgian shepherd).  These are all large and friendly dogs, and we really need homes of fosters for them.   The current situations of the Doberman and Malinois are not good, so we really hope that we can move them into loving homes soon.

 

Ronald the Doberman 

If you have the space and a love of these breeds, please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/, or for fostering it's www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/

2 year old Malinois 

Mon 27th Nov: Now P2F is over bar the counting

 Peak to Fong is like Christmas, with weeks of anticipation and build-up and then suddenly it's all over bar the tidying up and counting.  We're still waiting for the final photos to be shared and for the total amount raised to be tallied, but we're already moving on to the next event which takes place on Thursday evening.  I'd mentioned this a while ago, and while we haven't been involved in the organising, HKDR is the chosen charity to benefit from the Annual White Truffle Dinner of the Knights of Alba Hong Kong.  Yannie, Winki and I will be attending to talk about HKDR and our work, and to enjoy the fine Italian food and wine of course. "The highlight of the evening will be the Knights Of Alba Charity Raffle with amazing prizes. As a tribute to the tireless working truffle hunting dogs in Alba, all profits from this year's Charity Raffle will go to the Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR). HKDR is a no-kill rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming center for dogs and puppies in the city."

The rottie is waiting for a name 

The young and very friendly Rottweiler arrived at our Tai Po Homing Centre in the morning, while a senior was leaving with Terry, our adopter of many oldies.  We're so grateful that there's the opportunity for such dogs to live out their days in a family home, and many surprise us by lasting quite a few more years.  Kip was today's lucky senior, and I hope he has a wonderful retirement. 

Kip leaving Tai Po with Terry

It's been a long time since any staff or volunteers had the time to visit Lamma and to catch up with the dogs that stay in my little part of the world, so I'd asked if Eagle could make the trip just to update our "catalogue" of the shy or difficult-to-home smaller dogs who for one reason or another couldn't stay at the Homing Centre.  

Boomer Bubu is a happy boy now

The most recent arrival, a few months ago now, was corgi Boomer, or Bubu as he was previously called.  He's a young boy but his ex-owners seemed to have had no idea about dogs, and were actually afraid of Boomer.   When he first arrived he was a mental wreck who didn't move from his bed, even peeing and pooing on the spot.  Gradually his confidence started to build, and he began to explore the large outside area that the dogs are free to roam in, and since then he has taken over as boss of all the dogs in the house.  He also joins in the happy greeting every time I walk in through the gate, but I kept myself from touching or petting him so he wouldn't feel threatened. Today was another big breakthrough when Eagle turned up and Boomer rolled on his back and rubbed against her legs, allowing her to (briefly) pet him.  I think from now on his fear of human touch will gradually fade, and who knows, he may even be ready to find a new family.  We've seen it happen before, and with another corgi, so we know nothing is impossible. 

Sun 26th Nov: Return of Peak to Fong - and what a day!

What a great day! 

 I can't post all of the hundreds of photos from today's amazing event here, so please just go to Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) to take a look.  We had eleven volunteer photographers for the day, co-ordinated by Elena Mathew who also posted the albums as fast as she could.  There are still more to come as I write, so keep checking back when you have time.  

Many other volunteers also donated their time, including teams along the route from Standard Chartered and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and even ex-HKDR staff members turned up to help. It was lovely to see them, as well as so many familiar faces from over the years, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to say hello to everyone (although I did try). 

Anya was our MC for the event, and we had brilliant live entertainment from Nico Meiring, and The Lemon Ones. I know everyone enjoyed the music as much as I did.

So much goes into organising an event like Peak to Fong and it starts months beforehand, so I want to give a shout out our two staff members Yannie and Winki, as well as long-term volunteer Vivian, for their blood, sweat and tears (not literally I hope), as well as the team from Whiskers N Paws and the Lan Kwai Fong Association.  There are always huge sighs of relief at the end of the day, especially when it all turned out so well, as the photos prove, 

I hope all of the sponsors enjoyed the day and that it was worthwhile, and walking round all of the booths I could see there were lots of great giveaways on offer, as well as special promotions, so I hope you managed to take advantage of these.  

Remember, if you missed out on buying any of the great new HKDR merchandise such as our windbreakers or the Tong Gau T-shirts and sweatshirts, you can buy them at our retail outlet at 22 Elgin Street, Soho, Central.  

St John's Ambulance were on hand in case of human mishaps, while Acorn were also on standby for the dogs.  According to Dr Joe there were a few minor cases but nothing serious, and I think most visitors to the stand were after the free gifts on offer or just to say hello to Dr Joe! 

As is now tradition at Peak to Fong we had a magnificent donation from Gino's Gelato, which are proceeds from the sale of the Doggie Gelato throughout the year.  This year the Giant Cheque was for $40,000, so a huge thanks to Gino's Gelato, and their parent company the Aqua Group, who have been such great supporters for so many years. 

Gigi, Elsie and Yannie 

Now back to the dogs, with some great news about Elsie, who is now settling in her new home in Canada.  We had been frustrated by the challenges of finding a flight volunteer and an airline who would accept a dog, when suddenly both popped up at the last minute and Elsie was on her way. 

Elsie in Canada

This poor pup has a broken tail 

We took in the four very cute little pups today, and they went straight off to foster homes, with one poor little pup having to go via Acorn as she arrived with a broken tail.  She will need to have the tail removed unfortunately, but it will heal quickly and she'll be fine.  I haven't had time to give them names yet but they're too young to be adopted as singletons at the moment, so there's time. 

One of the 4 puppies 

It's lovely to see a rottie with a natural tail 

On Monday we'll start the week with taking in a very friendly rottweiler who appears to have been abandoned at a housing estate in Yuen Long.  The security guards obviously didn't want him around, but as he's really a sweet dog (we were sent videos) we agreed to take him in.

  

Sat 25th Nov: Early post for a Big Day!

 I won't have time to write anything on Sunday morning as I have to be up and off very early, so this is just a last-minute reminder that we have a fantastic event planned for Peak to Fong, and the weather is also set to be just perfect.  

I do need to remind everyone, although I'm sure you already know, that it's really important for many reasons that everyone who is bringing their dogs makes sure you have them under control and have plenty of poo bags and water bottles for the afternoon.  We need to show that we're responsible dog families and not to encourage any complaints. 

The route down from the Peak should be easy enough, but make sure you're wearing proper walking shoes as the path is steep in some places.  Thankfully with the dry weather at least it won't be slippery.  We will have volunteers standing along the route from beginning to end, so you won't get lost, and there will also be water bowls for the dogs to have a drink from as needed.

When you reach Lan Kwai Fong please pick up your free gift-filled goodie bag (for those who are wearing the T-shirt), and head to the HKDR booth to hand in your sponsorship forms and money (I hope you all remembered to do this part!).

We'll have a lot of our own HKDR dogs coming along with volunteers, so look out for them as they're all available for adoption.  They'll be wearing special bandanas kindly sponsored by www.wearescruff.com, and I must also give huge thanks to all of the other sponsors, in particular our Title Sponsor Whiskers N Paws, and Gino's Gelato.  Your dogs will love the free Doggy Gelato being offered too!

Acorn Veterinary Hospital will be there in case of dog emergencies, and they're offering a special Wellness Plan for your dogs and cats that will also benefit our HKDR dogs, so please stop by to check it out.

I'm going to be meeting so many old friends, and their humans, so I have a feeling it's going to be a busy few hours. See you there!

Fri 24th Nov: Almost there!

We finally have fosters for these four 

I'm very happy to say that we have enough foster homes to be able to accept the four puppies that have been waiting for space, so they will join the up-and-coming list this weekend after they arrive.

These 3 pups are ready to go, and they're gorgeous!

It's also worth mentioning the totally gorgeous and very sweet puppies now staying at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre, as they also need homes or at least foster situations.  These are the parvovirus pups, now fully recovered and very playful.  They won't grow to be large adults, and there is a fourth member of this litter who managed to escape infection entirely.  Rennie is already in a foster home but she will need to leave very soon as her foster parents are going to be travelling. 

Well, Sunday is almost here and that means Peak to Fong of course.  The team at HKDR and Whiskers N Paws, the event's main sponsors, have been working round the clock to make sure everything is ready, and I know there's going to be huge sighs of relief once the day arrives.  It's not only the arrangements for the meeting at the Peak, the walk down to Central and the street party at Lan Kwai Fong that have needed every detail carefully planned, but all of the legal requirements from the various government departments, including the Police whose demands have been particularly stringent this year.  So thank you to everyone involved for holding steady and staying calm while I've been not-so-quietly tearing my hair out.  

We still have a few - very few - small-sized T-shirts left, so if you want to grab last-minute tickets you can still make it.  If the T-shirts are too small, put them on your dogs. 

Coincidentally, and just following my post yesterday about the importance of desexing, I received an adoption enquiry for surrendered labrador Kaya, who is currently in season. The potential home was actually very nice, but they already have a male labrador who's entire, meaning not neutered, so I asked if there was a reason for this.  The answer was that they didn't think it was natural to desex dogs, and would I mind explaining why it should be done.  I could have gone into a lot more detail but this is what I replied:

You're right that it's natural for dogs to remain entire, meaning not to be desexed.

It's also natural for a female dog to come into season at 5 months, and to have her first litter of puppies while still a puppy herself.  When in season, a female dog will actively seek out and encourage males to mate with her. 

It's natural for male dogs to mate with every female in season, and to fight other males to be able to do that.

It's NOT natural to keep a dog entire while not at the same time allowing other natural behaviour as described above.  

On top of that, females who are not spayed very often develop mammary tumours, something that doesn't happen in desexed females.

The life expectancy of desexed dogs is known to be longer than that of entire dogs.

However, the main reason for desexing is to prevent the many thousands of unwanted puppies that are born, and die, in Hong Kong every year.  Every single rescue organisation insists on their dogs and cats being desexed. 

Thurs 23rd Nov: Please, please desex your dogs!

 It really seems that we have endless dogs coming in but very few leaving, and this is almost certainly due to the approaching Christmas and New Year holiday season with so many planning their getaways. Meanwhile, at HKDR we carry on as normal every single day of the year, regardless of what's happening, so yes, there will still be a Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday, the day of Peak to Fong. 

Ronald looks very unhappy 

Yesterday I wrote about a Doberman that was in need of a new home, but at that time I hadn't been sent a photo so here it is.   This boy, Ronald,  has had a sad life up until now so I'm really hoping he has the chance to find out that not all dog owners are as heartless as his past experiences made him think.

Kaya the labrador 

Normally a young and very friendly labrador would be snapped up, which just goes to show that things are really slowing down.  Kaya is a gorgeous girl who loves water, which is typical of the breed.  Unfortunately, like the Doberman, Kaya hasn't been desexed and is now in season, so we have to wait before we can arrange to have her spayed.  I'm still surprised by the number of owned dogs that are entire, meaning they can mate and produce more unwanted puppies, and it's totally irresponsible to contribute to what is already a massive problem.  

Max the Japanese spitz (?)

There was yet another surrender request for an eight year-old dog described as a Japanese spitz.  He too hasn't been neutered and he has a bad skin problem which may account for the fact that he looks nothing like a Japanese spitz (in the photo).  Regardless of that, he's a dog that has been with his family all his life and he deserves better.  He has no behaviour problems, and it seems that the falling-out coat is the reason why he's being thrown away.  I very much doubt there'll be a rush of offers to adopt him, and this makes me very sad.  From a dog's perspective there's no such thing as breed or looks, they are all just dogs to each other, and the hair loss is something that can be treated.  I would love to see him restored to full health and looking handsome again. 

At least the two dogs left behind at a grooming shop have been desexed, and we agreed to take them in as there was nowhere else for them to go. These two, a male and a female, are absolutely lovely and just two years old.  Once again what has happened to them is just totally unfair, and incredibly sad.  

As always, if you're interested in offering a home to any of our dogs or puppies, please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/, and for fostering it's www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/.

Weds 22nd Nov: Puppies needing foster homes

Pickle the shiba puppy is 5 months old 

 There was a big response to the arrival of two ex-breeder puppies today, a pomeranian and a shiba inu, and the pom has already been taken home.  The shiba boy is five months old, and both of these puppies are survivors of the dreaded canine distemper virus which has left them with the typical neurological twitching.  Hopefully this will improve over time and as the puppies grow to be adults, but there are never any guarantees.  

At least the twitching isn't as severe as it was with Kira, another ex-breeder shiba, probably from the same disgusting illegal breeder whose poor animals are clearly spreading the virus amongst each other, killing many of the puppies.  Kira is now much improved with the medication she's on to control the muscle spasms, and she's taking regular swimming lessons to build strength and coordination in her legs.  You have to bear in mind that before coming to us she wasn't even able to stand, so her life has improved dramatically, not to mention that she escaped from the horrors of life as a breeding dog.   Kira is a very sweet dog, just a year old, and it's really time for her to move on and into a family home.

There are four of these lovely youngsters 

The other puppies who were also stricken with one of the two puppy viruses that vaccinations protect against are also now ready to leave.  For these three it was parvovirus, and at least once recovered there are no ongoing long-term effects.  We would love to see these puppies in their forever homes now, or at least in foster care.  There's a fourth puppy in this litter, Rennie, and she was one of the lucky ones whose immune system is strong enough to fight the virus before it takes hold. 

Four gorgeous babies needing foster homes

Also, as mentioned yesterday, there are some puppies that are not yet with us as we need foster homes for them before we can accept them.  They will need to be fostered in pairs until a bit older, and remember that we provide everything that you will need as a foster parent in terms of food, bed, toys and fences.

In case you're wondering about crates or cages for puppies, or even adult dogs, we are strongly against the use of these for training or confinement purposes.  Modern research into dog behaviour has shown the importance of allowing dogs freedom of movement and the option to choose their sleeping/resting locations.  For example, dogs love to lie in the sun, so as the sun moves during the day a dog will follow.  It's also important that dogs are allowed to make choices (to a sensible degree of course), and confining them in a cage takes away that ability.   Dogs that are kept in cages/crates can become very insecure without them as they can't develop independence and freedom of thought and action.  If you need to keep a puppy safe while you're out of the home, then using a fence or baby gate to section off an area is the way to go.  The space must be large enough to allow for free movement, and to contain a separate toilet, play and sleeping area. 

I almost forgot to mention that two puppies taken for fostering when they arrived as almost-newborns have been adopted by their "failed" foster home.  These are the Rain Babies, also called the Warehouse Puppies, and they'll be staying together forever now. 

If you can foster any of our puppies, or puppies-in-waiting, or even adult dogs, please start by completing the foster form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/

For adoptions it's www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoptionquestionnaire/

This is not about a puppy but yet another surrender request for an adult dog, a Doberman, four years old.  I'm still waiting for a photo, but I think if you know the breed you'll have a pretty good idea.  Sadly this boy has had a sad life of being kept isolated so he won't cope with being kept at our Tai Po Homing Centre, and we're looking for an understanding home that can give a Doberman the chance of a new and happy future. 

Tues 21st Nov: The dogs that really need your help

 I'm relieved that the weather is going to be fine for Sunday's Peak to Fong, and we've always been lucky in that respect other than one rainy year.  Still, mornings up at the Peak tend to be quite chilly, so remember to wear something warm over your P2F T-shirt for the start.   We have a sell-out event for our return after so many years of not being able to hold any kind of gathering, so I know there's going to be a really amazing buzz as everyone and their dogs gets ready to begin the walk down to Lan Kwai Fong. 

Kelsey 

I'm often asked if the situation regarding dogs in Hong Kong is getting better or worse, and while there have been so many positive changes in the way dogs are regarded and treated since I first started out on my dog rescue path, the increase in dog ownership means there are more dogs than ever being abandoned or in need of new homes.  There's rarely a day that goes by when we're not asked if we can accept more dogs, and today there were two new arrivals at our Tai Po Homing Centre from AFCD.  These are middle-aged dogs who have been someone's pets before, and while they are obviously better off with HKDR than starving in the hills somewhere, it's still a very sad situation.  We already have a very full Centre and not enough staff or volunteers, and the adoption chances for such dogs is really very low.

Tally 

A boy and a girl, left behind 

I was also asked if we would be able to accept two lovely two year-old dogs who had been sent to a boarding facility before their owner absconded, leaving Hong Kong and subsequently informing the boarding kennel to dispose of the dogs.  Other than the photo I was also sent lovely videos of the dogs, both of whom are very friendly.  Two years is a perfect age for a dog, as it's fully mature while still being young and at optimal physical health, and if there is anyone reading this who can take in a pair of really happy and healthy dogs in need, please get in touch. It's heartbreaking for all of these dogs who have done nothing wrong and are simply the victims.

We all know that it can be difficult and very expensive to fly dogs to other countries, but just abandoning them is never acceptable.  If you have any plans or even a thought that you might be leaving Hong Kong, then don't get a dog that you will leave behind. 

Rufus, Romy and Reggie (video is Rennie)

There are four adorable puppies needing homes, all of them either having made it through having parvovirus, or avoiding infection completely.  If there's something positive to say about parvovirus it's that once recovered there are no long-term effects, and in fact there's a natural immunity to future infection.   If you're interested in adopting any of our dogs or puppies please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Can anyone foster these puppies?

We're always in need of puppy foster homes too, and if you're able to take in a pair of youngsters for a while please complete the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/.  We have been asked if we can accept some very cute babies but we need to be able to secure foster homes before we can say yes.

Mon 20th Nov: I'm back!

 Yes, I'm back online after a few days of unintentional internet detox, and there's a lot of catching up to do. We've had a few adoptions and new dogs arriving, but today I want to mention some urgent cases of dogs that need homes, obviously permanent if possible, but if nothing else then a foster home.

Pudding and Balu

We've been asked to help two innocent victims who lost their home due to Yuen Long South Development work, one male and one Female, desexed, aged around 4-5 years old. We were told they are well-behaved and good with kids. Ideally we would want them to go to the same home as they are tightly bonded.

This is an urgent case so at the very least we need a foster home, but obviously a forever home would be a much better option.

If you are interested in adopting them, please complete the Adoption Questionnaire at https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/...

We have also been asked if we can help another two whose owner is very sick in hospital, and it's apparently not necessary for them to stay together (although we prefer this if possible). The poodle is 12 years old and the beagle girl is 14, so please let us know if you can help. For all fostering offers please start by completing the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/. (Update: the poodle is not well so it's just the beagle who needs a new home at the moment).

The third case is really sad too, as they all are, but this one involves a dog you will know about if you've been following my blog or HKDR in general over the past few months. This is about Sharlene, the sharpei-type girl who had to undergo specialist surgery on her jaw and who was subsequently adopted. Everything was going so well, not only in Sharlene's recovery but also her relationship with the other dogs in the home. That was until she and another female had a falling out, apparently because Sharlene doesn't seem to be able to read the body language of others so fails to understand that there's an issue. You may know that when two female dogs fall out, it's often a forever situation and very hard, if impossible, to rectify. Apparently Sharlene is oblivious to the fact that the other dog now doesn't want her around and keeps wanting to play, resulting in her having to be separated for her own safety. This is a very difficult choice for Sharlene's family as of course they love her, but they also fear for her well-being and feel that another home would be the best option. Sharlene is a very sweet girl, and her health is absolutely fine now even if she does still have a funny face. Is there anyone who can offer her the safety of a new home?

The video below shows Sharlene and Alison playing so happily until Alison decided she didn't like Sharlene any more. It's very sad.

Things have obviously been hotting up for our big event on Sunday, Peak to Fong, and the number of still-available ticket-T-shirts is down to a handful, all X-small sizes. If you can't squeeze into one, you can wear it in another way, perhaps like a scarf or a hat (it's cold up on the Peak in the mornings), or put in on your dog. We just need to know who's officially part of the event.

We have lots of great new HKDR clothing options available for you to buy, with the launch being at the street party in Lan Kwai Fong. Obviously everything will be available to buy after Sunday too, and we're hoping to have a mail order option available too.

Charlie from the last intake was adopted

On the dog front we're expecting more new smaller sized dogs and puppies to arrive later this week, so keep an eye out for news of their arrival if you're interested. They're really very cute!

Puppy April was adopted on Sunday 

Thurs 15th Nov: A late arrivals for 3 new small dogs

 I was at Elgin Street in the afternoon for a meeting regarding an exciting upcoming collaboration with a very famous brand, and I'll be able to talk more about this later.  Coming up with new ideas and ways to spread the word about HKDR and adoption is always important, and even more so now that many things have changed so much in terms of big donations.  Nobody has deep pockets these days, and you will have noticed I'm sure that all of the animal NGOs are struggling financially, HKDR included.  Everything has become harder, including finding homes for our dogs and puppies when there are so many other organisations, and puppies illegally flooding in from the Mainland. 

Unfortunately I had to keep an eye on my phone during the meeting as we had a few things going on, including the expected arrival of three new dogs at Kennedy Town.  They were due in the early afternoon but seem to have gone missing somehow, and it wasn't until closing time that they eventually turned up. The explanation for the delay was that it was a woman driver, which in this day and age was both funny and quite alarming.  I didn't know that women were still considered to be useless drivers. Anyway, the dogs are now with us and will be going for their vet check on Thursday so they can be ready for adoption as soon as possible.  They're all young adults, with Charlie being only a year old so hopefully they'll quickly find homes.

Yesterday I mentioned a shiba inu puppy that we'd received a surrender request for, and true to form the poor pup had been passed on to a friend after we had said we could take it.  It hadn't even had one vaccination, and I'm sure that it won't be long before it's passed on again, with it ending up being abandoned with serious behaviour issues, as so many shibas do. 

I had also mentioned another surrender request for two chow chows, and while we had a new home (and a very nice one) for the pair, the owner changed his mind, even though he is living in Public Housing and has been given notice to get rid of the dogs.  Then during today's meeting at Elgin Street, Yannie told me that the dogs' owner had come back to say that he would have to give them up, so Yannie had arranged for the potential adopter to come to get them after the agreed surrender time.  It seemed that the matter was finally settled, but in the evening the owner had once again changed his mind and said he wouldn't be bringing the dogs after all, and now we're wondering what will happen to them. 

Today's surrender request was for a young adult black labrador, but until she actually turns up I'll say no more.  

Only smaller sizes are now left

If you are only now trying to buy your T-shirt/tickets for Peak to Fong (on Sunday 26th November), we only have the smaller sizes left.  That might mean squeezing into one that's too small, or you can be innovative and sew the small T-shirt onto one that fits.  Maybe if it's going to be cold you can wear a small T-shirt as a hat, or some people put them on their dogs.   

Tues 14th Nov: There are so many to choose from

Stylish and practical windbreaker 

 With Peak to Fong now less than two weeks away and most of the larger T-shirt sizes already sold out, we're anticipating an amazing event for Sunday 26th.  For updates and information please check our Facebook Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) and Instagram @hkdr_official, including details of brand new must-have merchandise like the weatherproof windbreaker, an item that previously quickly sold out.  This new version is even better than the last, so make sure you check out the HKDR stall in Lan Kwai Fong.  We have loads of goodies for yourself and your Christmas present list, and you'll find a fantastic variety of goods on all of the other stands too, so come prepared to spend (and remember to bring cash!). 

We had an in-and-out adoption today, one that had been planned in advance after we were asked if we could accept a golden retriever puppy, actually the second such puppy in a the past two weeks.  We have plenty of potential adopters waiting for this breed so there's no need to advertise, and we can just work our way through the list.  If you're one of those still waiting, you never know when the next golden retriever will come in.   

Hugo 

We do have a golden retriever adult waiting for a home, in the very round shape of Hugo, sadly massively overweight.  Even a foster home would be helpful for this lovely and very sweet boy, just so we can try to get him to shed a few kilos.  If you can foster Hugo, please complete the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/, or for adoption it's www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.

Reuben 

Labrador Reuben is also staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre, but although he's around the same middle age as Hugo, he's in good shape and health and still very active. 

We're seeing more and more of these expensive breeds being bought on a whim and then needing new homes while still puppies.  We took in the two poodle puppies recently, both adopted of course, as well as the standard poodle not that long ago.   Now someone is asking if we can take a shiba inu puppy, and I really have to wonder how much thought goes into these purchases, and how much money do people have to spare as breed puppies aren't cheap. 

In any case, if you love dogs and want a loyal and loving companion, why not choose a mixed breed?  Apart from those already waiting for homes, we have three gorgeous small dogs due to come in on Wednesday, including an adorable-looking boy who's only a year old, with the other two also young at two and three years. Come back tomorrow for photos, and remember to complete the adoption questionnaire for all dogs, large or small.