Tues 12th Dec: Troubleshooting and new puppies

 I seem to have been spending a lot of my time troubleshooting, whether it's lost dogs (now safely back home thankfully), or an adopted dog who went to Canada and was having trouble adjusting to her new family life.  Again thankfully, an ex-HKDR volunteer/adopter in the area agreed to help, so at least there's a safety line if needed.  The case of the dog who was turned away by Air Canada as the family were boarding their flight is still ongoing, so once again I would urge everyone to make absolutely sure everything is double-checked if you want to make flight arrangements without using an agent.  What used to be fairly simple and straightforward has changed, and it seems there are new rules every day. 

The puppies I wrote about yesterday arrived as planned, with an extra one added to the litter for good measure (now Frankie).  It's easier in a way to have six rather than five, as we need the pups to go to foster homes in pairs, or forever homes of course.  Happily we have foster homes offered for these six, but it won't be long before they will be needing forever homes, so if you're interested please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.   

Finn is also a different colour

Can I also add that although two puppies will entertain themselves by playing together, it's important that they also have human companionship so they get used to being handled, and that they don't spend all day and night confined in a small pen or area.  For a brain to develop it needs to be stimulated, and that means allowing puppies to explore and experience new things so they can learn about life.  Although dogs are not humans, it's easier to understand if you can equate a puppy with a human baby and imagine how a child would develop if left alone in a playpen and with little adult interaction.  Touch and play are vital in every animal as it develops, and puppies are no different. 

While the new "F" litter start their HKDR lives, the "B" puppies like Bandit and Bethany (on Instagram @foster_doggie_hk) are moving up the line and are ready to be adopted and to begin a new stage of their development.  As a reminder, these were the "Bucket Babies" when they first turned up at our Tai Po Homing Centre, and although they were all given names starting with B, when it turned out that Birdie was in fact a boy, his foster parents re-named him Jack.   Jack will be coming back to our Kennedy Town Homing Centre on Wednesday and will join the two other puppies staying there, Rufus and Romy.  I'm sure he'll enjoy having playmates after the unwilling poodle he's been lodging with. 

As well as the constant surrender requests for adult dogs that come in, we're also always being asked if we can accept puppies that have been found or have been abandoned.  It's clear from the number of puppies that we already take in, and who are in real need of forever homes, that there is an endless stream of unwanted puppies being born.  Some of these are the result of owned dogs that haven't been desexed, while the majority are born to stray mothers.  It's a very sad state of affairs that needs to be seriously addressed by the HKSAR Government, because there's a limit to the number of puppies any rescue organisation can  help with.  It's easy enough to take care of a litter of babies, but it's the following fifteen years that are the problem.  We have many dogs staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre that have been with us since they were newborns, because there simply aren't enough adopters for larger sized mixed breeds.  Until the situation changes we have to say no to almost all of the random requests from the public to accept puppies, and it's incredibly sad.  Many of these puppies will end up as young mothers, or being adopted by unsuitable homes who will abandon the dogs once they are no longer cute and small.  Until the problem is properly addressed, it will continue.