Tues 26th Nov: Crazy days

 It was a huge mistake to imagine that there would some downtime after Peak to Fong was over, as today was non-stop crazy, just like all of the other days at HKDR.  I had to take two of my Lamma dogs to Acorn in the morning, and that automatically wipes out several hours anyway, but it was the Kennedy Town crew who were overwhelmed when yet more small and medium-sized dogs were dropped outside the doors late in the afternoon.  They were still trying to cope with the other recent intakes, including the seven puppies that had come on Monday, so it just wasn't going to be possible to cram in another eight dogs into such a small space. After frantic messaging, Catherine's Puppies agreed to take four of the dogs so they were put back into a Gogovan and driven off to Sai Kung, while the remaining four could only be quickly checked and fed before the staff had to leave.

We urgently need foster homes for the recently arrived dogs and puppies, but I do need to mention that however desperate we are for fosters the same requirements for care still apply.  The only difference between foster and adoption applications is that foster homes are not expected to keep the dogs for ever, and HKDR provide food and anything else that's needed.  If you can help with the current overload, please complete the foster form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering, and if you're interested in adopting please go to www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.

We still have most of the puppies that came to us on Monday and are in need of homes, temporary or permanent, as well as the other small and medium-sized adults that arrived today, or recently. One of these is a miniature pinscher if you're a fan of this breed, with the others being more of a mix. 

Some of the medium-sized dogs will have to move to our Tai Po Homing Centre, where are course they will be considered small in comparison, so once everything has been sorted out I can update on who's where. 

I've just realised that next Sunday will be the first day of December, and the start of the rundown to the end of the year. I'm always taken by surprise at the speed at which the weeks and months fly by, and I'm sure we'll have some things planned for the Christmas season.  Apart from anything else, please remember that we have great gift items available, including the HKDR desk calendar, which has been such a popular choice.  If you want to buy family or friends something that's not only useful but also supports our work in saving dogs and puppies, there's our HKDR caps, T-shirts and outerwear that everyone will love. 

Sun 24th Nov: Peak to Fong, and what a week!

 You can probably imagine that the week leading up to today's big event was pretty crazy, because everything else has to continue while the arrangement for Peak to Fong reach last-minute fever pitch. Now it's over so the team can breathe again, and I want to say a huge thank you to not only the staff members who have been working on this for many months, but also the volunteers who play such a huge part as well.  It's amazing to see how many familiar faces,  past and present, turn up to help and support, and I'm only sorry that there's never enough time to personally thank everyone on the day.  I'm sure you have already seen the many photos that were posted on our Facebook Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) and Instagram hkdr_official  pages, and if not please take a look.  There will be many more to come as well. 

Apart from the human faces, there were so many beautiful dogs I wanted to greet, the lucky ones with their families and the still-to-be-adopted with volunteers.  I love them all.

It was business as usual at our Tai Po and Kennedy Town Homing Centres, as well as Whiskers N Paws for the regular Puppy Party, even though all of the photographers were busy helping out at Peak to Fong. It was left to our long-term volunteer Catherine to take the photos of the puppies, and you take take a look here Puppy Adoption Day 24th Nov 2024. 

There were even some adoptions at Kennedy Town, with Aggie, terrier pup Ando and poodle Adele being three of the lucky ones.  However there was a kind of miracle adoption too, as the foster parent of four of the newborn babies will be keeping them all. In most cases this wouldn't be a suitable situation as four siblings would be a real handful, but if there is space and enough people to take care of them then it can be fun.  Since I have had almost all of my Lamma dogs since they were puppies together, I know that it can work.

There are still more small dogs coming to Kennedy Town this week, including four small-sized puppies (meaning they will be small as adults), so please keep checking for details.  We'll be needing foster homes for the puppies, if not forever homes of course. 

If you're interested in adopting please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire, and for fostering the application form is at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/foatering/.  

If you're not in a position to adopt of foster but would still like to "adopt" in another way, you can become a sponsor of one of our many dogs-in-waiting by joining the Life Saver Club.  There are different levels of sponsorship so it doesn't mean committing to a large amount every month, but you can choose which dog you would like to "adopt", or we can suggest one for you.  Many of the Lamma dogs for example, who are unlikely to ever find their forever families, but who are guaranteed a safe sanctuary for life. Please email Eva at lifesaver@hongkongdogrescue.com for details of our sponsorship programme, and how to get started.  

Tues 19th Nov: Rain babies need help!

 All of the new intake at Kennedy Town have had their vet checks and are now ready for adoption, so as always if you're interested please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.   They are all young dogs, with Ando being just a puppy, and have added the information with the photos.  

Many times we're asked if a potential adopter can meet the dogs before completing the form, but we really need to assess the home beforehand to see if it's a good match for the requested dog(s), or indeed if the situation is suitable for a dog at all.  Having a dog means providing not only food and shelter, but also companionship and exercise as well as socialisation.  Not everyone has the time for all of these things, in which case becoming a volunteer is the perfect compromise as it means you can spend your spare time with lots of dogs, as often as you want. 

As all of you who are currently in Hong Kong will know, the weather is cold and rainy at the moment, but happily not for long.  Sunday will be bright and sunny (as forecast by the HK Observatory), so don't be put off coming to join Peak to Fong.  I know that some people haven't bought their T-shirt/tickets yet, and as always we've already sold out of some of the sizes.  Please don't leave it until the very last minute, especially as the Sponsorship forms are in the T-shirt packing and we need you all to get those sponsors signed up!  There are fantastic prizes to be won for the highest amounts raised, and apart from that we are relying on a good turnout and result for ongoing HKDR funding to be able to continue to help the dogs and puppies in need.

Talking of puppies that are desperate in need, you may have seen and urgent post for foster homes for newborns.  A stray mother have birth under a truck to ten puppies, two of which had already died by the time the rescuer managed to get first four, and then another four, out from under the truck.  The mother had no milk to feed her babies, being a starving and homeless dog herself, so there was no option but to get her pups to safety.  This awful situation occurs all the time, and it's just heartbreaking as well as frustrating that the government don't take the matter seriously.  Anyway, for these eight newborns, they need to be in foster homes in pairs, to be bottle fed for the first two to three weeks until they're able to start eating soft puppy food.  If you can take in a couple, please complete the foster form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/ or email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you have already registered as a foster parent.  Please note that these puppies will need feeding every few hours initially, so it won't work if you're not at home to take care of them. 

One dog that a lot of people asked about when I shared her photo on an earlier blog was Oona, the one year-old border collie girl.  I though we had a home waiting for her as soon as she arrived, but as so often happens there was a last-minute change meaning Oona had to stay at our Tai Po Homing Centre. Although there were several offers of a home, border collies need a particular kind of care, with plenty of exercise combined with mentally stimulating activities.  They're not suited to city life, while we have many other dogs that would be perfectly happy in that kind of environment.  If you can give a suitable home to Oona, please complete the adoption questionnaire. 

 

Sun 17th Nov: All change at WNP

 Before talking about the "all change" at Whiskers N Paws, I just want to mention that next Sunday will be our big fundraising event, Peak to Fong, and the weather is still forecast to be dry for the day, thankfully.  So if you haven't already bought your T-shirt/ticket for whatever reason, be sure to get one before the big day so you don't miss out.

Back to today, thanks to Lexi Vittachi for jumping in at the last minute to be our photographer at Whiskers N Paws  Puppy Adoption Day 17th Oct 2024 , and being on hand to record the adoptions of both resident puppies, Posy and Jiro. They will be replaced on Monday by two lovely sisters coming from AFCD, and I'm posting their photos in case anyone is interested.  Also black-and-white puppy Jasmine has already moved in, so she'll be happy to have the company of the soon-to-arrive sisters. 

We're also expecting another intake of small dogs and puppies at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre, so keep a lookout for details as they come in.  Remember to complete the adoption questionnaire as a first step, and you can find it at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

I'll see you all on Sunday I hope, ad it going to be an amazing day for sure.  There's new information about what's going to be happening being updated all the time on our Facebook Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR)   and Instagram @ hkdr_official pages, so be sure to keep checking in, 

Thurs 14th Nov: A dry day forecast for Peak to Fong

 It's been a strange week for me, and not a happy one to be honest, starting with one of my Lamma dogs having to go back to hospital on Monday with a mysterious wound on her side that had become maggot-infested.  This can happen very quickly, as the eggs hatch within hours of a fly laying them. The worst thing was that the dog, Nona, had recently had surgery to remove a giant-sized cyst from her underside, and she was recovering very well.  The current wound was unrelated, and I can only think that a wild boar may have caused it.  

On Tuesday I made the very difficult decision of having two of my fifteen year-old dogs euthanised, as their lives had become extremely difficult for them, and for me.  Domino's mind was sharp but her body has completely given up on her, while Misha was still able to walk but her advanced dementia meant she had no idea where she was or what she was doing.  I'd been thinking about letting them go for some time, but it had got to the point where they had no quality of life at all.  For me, the build-up to making such a decision is the time when I grieve for them more than after the deed, because it's heartbreaking watching a dog you have known for so many years become so completely helpless.  

Apart from that I have been sporting a massive black and swollen eye since running into a (closed) glass door, and it's quite likely that it will still be quite colourful when I go to Peak to Fong on Sunday 24th.  

The good news is that I've been watching the long-range weather forecast closely, hoping that the current rain will have disappeared by then, and according  to what I'm seeing the day will be dry.  We've only had one rainy Peak to Fong, and of course although everyone turned up for the event it put a literal dampener on the whole day.

More good news, both of the puppies currently staying at Whiskers N Paws will soon be leaving with their new families, so that means two new puppies will take their place.  They could be sisters Inky and Isa, or two new recruits from AFCD, we haven't decided yet.

Apart from the two puppies at AFCD, there's also a one year-old border collie girl who was surrendered by her owners when they left Hong Kong.  Of course it's terrible, so we want to find her a new and definitely-forever home as quickly as possible.  If you can offer a suitable home and environment to this lovely dog, please complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step. 

With just over a week to go until Peak to Fong, the excitement (or is it anxiety?) is building, as there's so much for the organising team to do and think of to make sure the day goes smoothly.  Yannie is also combining her role as Events Manager with working at our Tai Po Homing Centre, so I'm quite sure she's going to be doubly-relieved when the Monday 25th arrives.  Then it's just a month until Christmas, so our dogs are already busy making their Santa Wish Lists, top of which is always treats and toys, with the number one wish being a home of their own.  

Sun `10th Nov: Only two more weeks to go

 Only two weeks to go!  I'm talking about Peak to Fong of course, and the time is just flying by as usual.  I think I have just enough time to recover from a huge black eye I got when I ran into a glass door thinking the door was open and finding out it was definitely not.  Now I look like a panda, but at least the door survived.  Please don't leave it too late to buy your T-shirt-tickets for this amazing event, as they're selling fast.

Each 𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙏𝙤 𝙁𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙏-𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 includes a 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢. Invite your friends to sponsor your walk, and remember to hand in donations at booth No. 32 before 4pm on event day! Top fundraisers will win fantastic prizes, with more to be announced soon.

Get your Peak to Fong T-shirt ticket now at Whiskers N Paws’s website or retail locations shown below.

Join our event page on Facebook for all essential info! HKDR Peak To Fong 2024 - empowered by Kakato

Eric Tang was our volunteer photographer at today's Puppy Party, and you can see the wonderful shots here  Puppy Adoption Day 10th Nov 2024.  We also received a lovely Twopresents donation from Muskaan and Shaye who were kind enough to share their birthday with the HKDR puppies. 

Of course the shiba puppy Jiro was very popular, but as always we need to remind potential adopters that this breed isn't the easiest as they're strong-willed and can be challenging.  If you like a dog that's very intelligent but also with a definite superiority complex, then that's a shiba.  Oh, and they shed like crazy.   

The second shiba puppy, a girl called Keiko, had been adopted during the week, making her stay with us (or rather Whiskers N Paws where both were sent to) very short.

There have been several adoptions over the past week, and happily two of these were Tai Po dogs, although both Joey (now Oliver) and Navy came to us as young puppies and have grown up at HKDR. Both are incredibly sweet and loving characters, and I know they're going to make the best family members.

Over at Kennedy Town there were also adoptions, and in no particular order the lucky dogs were Della, puppy Izzy and Katie.  

We often get dogs arriving in family groups, even if they're not direct siblings. Binky, Blossom, Bonnie, Brenda and Beemer were a small black-and-white family, and one of the adopters arranged a lovely get-together over the weekend:

On 9 November 2021 HKDR rescued a small group of black and white beauties! They were all adopted by wonderful families, and to celebrate their third rescueversary a small gathering was organised. Beemer could not join on this occasion (hopefully they will all meet up at Peak to Fong), but Pippin, Lim Lim, Wonton and Brandy, plus their extended families, had a great time. 

Thus 7th Nov: Starting the countdown to Sun 24th November

 Rather than trying to share details of some of the dogs that are waiting for adoption at either of our Homing Centres, please check out our Facebook Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR)  and Instagram @ hkdr_official pages for photos and information.  There are far too many wonderful girls and boys to even begin to list here on my blog, so I'll stick to adoption updates instead.  

Of course I have my eye on several that I would definitely bring home if I had any choice in the matter, but I'm very happy with my little pack of collectibles who have become my new walking companions. What I love is seeing how they change and open up given time, bearing in mind that they ended up moving to Lamma because of their shy nature, or unsuitability to be staying in the small Kennedy Town Homing Centre.  They're all amazing, and each one of them demonstrates the intelligence and unique personality that each dog possesses. 

The most recent intake at Kennedy Town have proven to be very popular, not surprisingly as three of them are young poodles. The two boys are already spoken for and the girl will probably be leaving before the weekend, but there are so many more still waiting. 

However don't forget the hundreds of dogs staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre, from older puppies to seniors, all hoping that today will be their special day.  

One special day for so many dogs and their humans will take place later this month, meaning Peak to Fong on Sunday 24th November.  It's a huge day for us too for so many reasons, and I can promise that everyone will have an amazing time, with lots of freebies to take home, as well as the brilliant T-shirt (which is your ticket in case you don't know yet).  Remember to bring a spare shopping bag for all of the great products that you'll be able to buy at the Lan Kwai Fong Street party, where you can also enjoy great food at the many eateries, and live music too to keep the party rocking.  I'll be there of course, so I hope we can catch up and say hello.

Sun 3rd Nov: Countdown to Peak to Fong on Sunday 24th

Thirty eight lucky dogs and puppies found their forever families during October, so thank you to everyone who gave them the opportunity to live as family members.  Dogs really are family, and as social animals that by nature live in tight-knit groups, it's unnatural for them to be alone. This is something that anyone thinking about adoption needs to consider.  Having a dog is not only a commitment to potentially 15-plus years, it also means a commitment to giving the dog what it needs in terms of companionship and regular exercise, as well as the obvious food, water and shelter.  

Thirty eight may seem like a good number, and we're really happy for all of them, but as every dog leaves the Homing Centre we take another one in, so there are always literally hundreds waiting at any given time.  I really hope that before 2024 ends many more will have been added to the list of lucky ones.  If you're thinking about adopting, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/, and let us introduce the dogs that we feel will be the bust match for you, your home and family. 

Tai Po Homing Centre

Darcy (Border Collie)

Tansy (Multibreed)

Hunter (Terrier cross)

Dorina (Doberman)

Zoe (Multibreed)

Joy (Labrador)

Kennedy Town Homing Centre

Pax (Poodle-Terrier cross)

Palmer (Terrier cross puppy)

Oona (Pomeranian)

Opal (Multibreed)

Ocean (Multibreed)

Google (English Cocker Spaniel)

Piper (Pomeranian cross)

Penny (Corgi)

Gail (Shiba Inu)

Perrin (Multibreed puppy)

Phoebe (Multibreed puppy)

Sniffy (Beagle)

Cressie (Multibreed)

Simon (Multibreed puppy)

Gemma (Chihuahua)

Scampi (Terrier cross)

Bertie (Multibreed puppy)

Barrier (Multibreed puppy)

Kai (Schnauzer cross)

Snoopy (Beagle)

Sidney (Beagle)

Scooby (Beagle)

Scout (Beagle)

Whiskers N Paws

Dimple (Multibreed puppy)

Poppy (Multibreed puppy)

Knox (Poodle)

Foster Homes

Violet (Poodle)

Flora (Multibreed doglet)

Rain (Siberian Husky)

Petra (Terrier cross puppy)

Jimmy (Multibreed puppy)

Echo (Mini Pinscher)

Our Forever Dogs

Chess (Tai Po)

Toppie (Tai Po)

Gordon (Foster)

Audrey (Foster)

Rescued Dogs (Total: 41)

From AFCD: 8

From other sources: 33

November is a big month for us as we look forward to our big fundraising event, Peak to Fong, and it's also a day when we get to see so many of our ex-HKDR dogs again.  I know a lot of you have already bought your T-shirt/ticket, and for those who haven't yet done so, please don't leave it until the last minute when the size you want may have sold out.  This happens every year, so make sure you're not left trying to find something that will fit.

There's also something that has been in the background for a while, and that's the potential new Homing Centre to replace our current two sites in Kennedy Town.  I'm sure I've talked about this before, but the situation is that although we have found a new space that's (just) large enough to be able to combine both Kennedy Town Centres, plus the office, we still face the problem of having to pay for renovation.  With every month's income barely covering the regular outgoings, even for the most basic work of floors, walls and air conditioning, the cost will be almost $1 million.  We don't have that money to spare, so it's really a big problem that's holding us back.