Sun 28th April: Another month, and an unusual donation request

Two first-timers

 Another month is coming to an end, so it was the last Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws for April, with Aaron Howland being the volunteer photographer for the event  Puppy Adoption Day 28th April 2024.  It was the first appearance for the four youngsters currently being fostered by Lyndsay (Instagram @why_i_foster), and if you follow her popular page you'll know that she and her husband will soon be packing up and leaving, making it imperative that the current puppies find their forever homes before that time comes. 

Georgia 

There was a double adoption at Kennedy Town as the couple who arrived together, and who we insisted stay as a pair, finally found their forever family.   Poodle Georgia was also lucky, as she too left the Homing Centre, and all three will be replaced on Monday by some new small arrivals.  

Dollar and Dina stay together

Button is 4 years old 

It's both funny-strange, and upsetting, that there was so much drama and publicity regarding the labrador that took over all dog-related social media over the past week.  We had initially been asked to find a new home for Jack Jack, which I had agreed to do as a matter of urgency, but then the story kept changing, as well as the number of people who seemed to be involved, and in the end the dog ended up with a breeder. 

Not only was the whole situation upsetting because the poor dog had been ruined by his ex-owners, and subsequently passed from home to home to home, but also because while so many people were desperate to help Jack Jack, we have a happy and friendly labrador at our Tai Po Homing Centre who's not only two years younger than Jack Jack, but also without any behaviour issues.    It's also worth mentioning that we have many other sweet and friendly mixed breed dogs that are waiting to be noticed, but there's no desperate messages coming in begging to adopt them. 

What happens when our HKDR dogs die while still under our care?  

HKDR's commitment to being a No-KIll Organisation means that no dog under our care will be euthanised unless there is a humane reason for doing so.  Subsequently many of our dogs reach old age, and either die naturally or will be gently let go if suffering a non-treatable illness.

Since many of our staff, volunteers, or foster parents will have grown attached to the dogs over the years, we arrange a cremation to see them off on their final journey.  However, like everything else, the cost of even a very basic, no-frills cremation for the dogs has been rising steadily, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to justify spending precious funds on those who are no longer living.  The alternative to cremation is to literally throw the dogs into the designated rubbish collection points. 

We have a Cremation Fund that staff and volunteers can donate to, but that has now run dry so we're faced with the dilemma of not being able to pay our final respects to the dogs that have meant so much to us.   If you would be willing to donate to this fund please go to https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/one-off-donations/, and you will see the names of those dogs whose cremation you have contributed to every month, listed as our Forever Dogs on the monthly list of dogs homed.  .....