Fri 11th April: Unfortunate accidents

 Two of the dogs that had to go to Acorn Vet Hospital today were there for unusual reasons, not exactly freak accidents but certainly unforeseen.  One of these dogs was Bucket, a Cane Corso who came to us as an older puppy and who is still with us due to his breed, size and strength, making him unsuitable for most homes in Hong Kong.  Being a large dog with tons of energy, it was very noticeable that he had become very quiet and subdued, and we thought he had injured his leg or hip somehow.  However after a thorough examination, including X-rays, Dr Tony diagnosed a snake bite, thankfully not fatal but painful enough to make Bucket feel very pretty bad.  He's getting better now, and looking on the bright side we at least know that all of his legs and hips are in good working order. 

The second dog was my Lamma boy Irwen, already suffering from a very bad heart which has necessitated him going for regular drainage of fluid from his abdomen (ascites).   I have no idea how it happened, but another dog must have accidentally bitten Irwen's eye, rupturing the eyeball. There is nothing that can be done to save the eye as it's already gone, but I have a strong painkiller and antibiotics for Irwen to at least make him as comfortable as possible while the wound heals.  Of all the dogs to have this happen to him, Irwen is the least deserving as he's such a calm and sweet boy, not to mention already very slow because of his heart condition.  However, what's done is done, and I know whoever caused the injury didn't mean to hurt Irwen because all of the dogs get along well. 

With the weekend coming up I hope we'll be seeing more dogs leaving for their new homes, even if there's rain forecast.  While little Barbie (now Oreo) left to start a new family life, we took in three new dogs from AFCD.  All have sad stories (obviously, since they ended up at AFCD), but at least the two smaller ones will have adoption interviews on Saturday.  Now-Milky, a very sweet mixed breed girl, will probably be waiting a lot longer for a new home, even though most of the Tai Po dogs are just as sweet and easy as their Kennedy Town counterparts.  

There was another adoption that I want to give a special mention to because Jinks is a little dog who had a very sad back story.  He has been in a wonderful foster home for a long time, but now he has been made an official member of the family.

"After almost two years, I need to inform you that Jinks’ foster failed.  My family has decided to formally adopt Jinks, we cannot let him leave.

The image of first meeting Jinks back to May 2023 has always been lingering in my mind.  His eyes were full of fear and hopelessness.  Although he was badly injured, got a metal bullet under his ear and looked like handicapped, our family has never had backed down in his foster.  A big credit to my helper to spend huge efforts in taking care of him.  We gained his trust after almost two years, and he now enjoys being hugged by humans.

After a few physiotherapy sessions, daily training and massage at home and a set of proper wheels, we found a miracle is born, Jinks is now a three-leg dog, instead of walking on both wrists.  He has been trying to be normal and working hard to walk by one of his front paws and we can see he is building confidence in front of my other two dogs.

I really hope Jink’s story can deliver a message to everyone that the dogs waiting for adoption may be shy, not friendly, handicapped, sick or under horrible condition just like Jinks, love heals."  (Please see the video of Jinks in the comments below).

I would also like to give a big thank you to the foster parents of newly-arrived Collie, Shanti, as the anal lump that was removed has shown to be a carcinoma (cancer). Although completely excised, the tumour was already very large so will inevitably already have spread, meaning ongoing care will be palliative.  The very kind foster parents have said they will look after Shanti until the end, for which we are really extremely grateful.

Not every home is suitable for keeping a dog, no matter how kind and loving the people are, just because there are certain things a dog needs which love only can't provide.  I found the following video which I thought explained it very well, and might be helpful to those whose applications to adopt were turned down.  It's never a personal judgement, rather part of our mission to educate about dog ownership and to try to prevent the never-ending abandonment situation: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzdjh_dypVU

Sun 6th April: Lucky dogs and lucky families

 We have so many absolutely beautiful (and super cute) puppies available at the moment, and volunteer photographer Laura Nie was at Whiskers N Paws today to show exactly that: Puppy Adoption Day 6th April 2025. I adore them all, and would honestly find it hard to resist if I could squeeze more little bodies into my home, but other lucky families will have to do that instead.  Please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ if you're looking for a puppy, or an adult dog, small or large. 

There were two such lucky families today, and two equally lucky puppies in Casper and Amos.  We also welcomed Samara and her TwoPresents donation, for which many thanks, and if you would also like to share your birthday or any other celebration with HKDR and our puppies, please check out their website at www.twopresents.com. 

It's not long now before we'll be packing up our Centres in Kennedy Town and making the move back to Ap Lei Chau, and if you haven't already seen the previous messages about short-term foster homes, here's what we need.  I do want to make one special request for all potential fosters, and that is if you offer to bring a dog home for the short period needed, that you don't change your mind later.  Sadly this happens a lot, and in this particular situation we can't risk being left with dogs that have nowhere to go after having been promised temporary care.

SHORT-TERM "RENOVATION" FOSTERS NEEDED FOR SMALLER DOGS!

In case you've missed the news about our upcoming move from Kennedy Town back to Ap Lei Chau, there will be a period of about 10 days when the fixtures and furnishings at our current Kennedy Town Homing Centre will be taken down and re-installed at Ap Lei Chau.

We will need to move all of the dogs out of our Brilliant Court (Kennedy Town) Centre by 20th April for that period, after which they can move full time to Ap Lei Chau.

Normal foster care requirements will still apply, but as it's only for a short time we hope that we can find enough temporary homes for all of the dogs.

If you can help, please complete the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/

If you have adopted a dog from us, or have fostered before, please email Cindy direct at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com.

Thank you in advance for your help, and we look forward to welcoming you all to our new Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre after the 1st May!

Fri 5th April: A long weekend catch-up

 We took in some new dogs at Kennedy Town today, Sunny, Simon and Skittle, while previously-resident Patch and Paula are now on trial adoptions to see how they get along with the respective family dogs.  Corgi Bella was also on a short trial for the same reason, and her adoption has now been confirmed. 

The first two of the new fluffy pup litter have already been adopted, and happily they have gone to the same home where they can enjoy lots of fun and games as they grow up together.  Of course there are many other gorgeous puppies waiting for homes, and you can see their photos here Puppy Adoption Day 30th March 2025, taken by Carol Chan at last Sunday's Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws, 10/F Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau.  We're there every Sunday afternoon from 2pm until 4pm, and it's the best place to meet all of the puppies at the same place as many of them are staying in foster homes.  

As I'm sure you know, foster homes play an important - if not vital - part in the successful running of HKDR, and we're always very grateful to those who offer temporary care to the dogs and puppies in need of a place to stay while waiting for adoption.  One particular foster of several of our smaller dogs, now in their own forever homes, arranged a get-together of her previous charges who are all now living close to each other.  In the photo you can see Sally, Umbria, Porter, Toffee and Gabby, and it's also lovely to hear that previously shy and overweight Gabby has undergone a transformation. "Gabby has come a LONG way, no longer obese and actually playing! Approaching new humans and even running! I cannot believe it. Incredible."   

No matter how many times we've seen this happen, seeing timid dogs come out of their shells once they feel secure, it always makes me happy.  Several of the dogs staying at our Kennedy Town North Street Centre came to us as very scared individuals, completely shut down and refusing any human interaction, but over time they have blossomed into sweet, happy and trusting characters.  Some of you will remember Hetty when she first arrived at our then-Elgin Street Centre as being so scared, curling her body up to avoid being noticed or touched,  while now she is the happiest dog in my Lamma-dog family.  All any of these dogs need is a home where they can feel safe, secure and loved, and while it can take time and a lot of patience, seeing the turnaround is worth the wait. 

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

We prefer that puppies stay in foster homes until they're adopted, while for the adult dogs it's usually the surgery or special needs cases that benefit most from being in foster care.  These could be the shy ones, or seniors, or those who find it hard to cope with being at the Homing Centres. 

Sun 30th March: A busy week one way or another

 It's been a busy week for me one way or another, and finding time to catch up with the incoming dogs and puppies as well as sharing happy adoption news is quite difficult.   

It's not often that I get to visit the Homing Centres these days either, as I have so many dogs to take care on Lamma, with frequent vet visits taking up whole days.  However, this week I made it to both Kennedy Town and Tai Po, and got to meet the little hopefuls as well as a few of those at our big Tai Po Centre.  There are so many and I didn't have enough time to cover the whole area, but I got plenty of enthusiastic welcomes from those I did manage to say hello to. 

At both sites I couldn't help but wonder why there are so many such lovely, sweet and friendly dogs that are homeless, especially the little ones at Kennedy Town. Gibson (more medium than small), Kingsley, precious Celia, who is so incredibly sweet after being horrendously injured before coming to us, Hilary, Bobbin, Soda - all such happy characters, as well as many others. Small Dogs available for adoption in KTHC (MAR2025).  It's just as well I can't fit any more dogs into my home because I wanted to take them all. 

Despite already having so many dogs at HKDR, especially at Tai Po which is a very big space but full to capacity, we are inundated with surrender requests on a daily basis.  Some of these are genuine cases, such as one dog who was adopted from us several years ago but whose adopter recently passed away.  Delphine, as she was called before, is a lovely girl, and our commitment to all of our dogs means that we will take her back, even though the chances of her finding a new family are sadly very slim. 

On Monday we will be taking in an older Collie, who is homeless due to unforeseen family circumstances, and I hope that being a breed this boy will at least have a chance of finding someone to take him in.  We would be happy for a foster home, even if not an immediate forever family.

We've also been asked to accept a Dutch Shepherd, a breed similar to a Belgian Shepherd in terms of intelligence and energy. As it happens I managed to find a great home for a young Malinois (Belgian Shepherd) this week, but that was pure luck and perfect timing, and a rare occurrence.  These breeds are not suitable for most homes, and I wish the breeders would stop adding to the already too many that are abandoned as adults.  We still have one at Tai Po waiting for a home, and it's very upsetting to see such magnificent animals not living the life they need and deserve.

We took in more puppies this week, the "A" group, although they're not all from the same litter. They are, however, all gorgeous, as you can see from the photos.

Luckily almost all from the previous intake, the "C" puppies, have now found homes, but surprisingly the one I thought would be the first to leave is still waiting for a family to adopt him.  Casper was the odd one out, as the others were from the same litter. 

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

For fostering, please complete the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/, or if you have already registered you can email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com.  Please note that not all dogs need foster homes as it's often better if they can stay at the Homing Centres to be seen by potential adopters, but puppies and older dogs like the Collie need fosters while waiting for forever homes. 

Mon 24th March: The lucky, and not so lucky

 Luck plays a huge part in a puppy's life, with some finding homes almost immediately and others waiting, sadly sometimes forever, to be chosen. We have a lot of dogs at our Tai Po Homing Centre that moved there as puppies from Kennedy Town when they grew a bit too big to stay with the small dogs, in fact too many to name. I really don't know why they missed out on finding their families, and it seems so unfair.  

Quink is one of the very lucky ones, as she came to us from AFCD only on Friday, with her look-alike brother Quito, and she was adopted today after being chosen at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday.  

Foster puppy Calypso will also be staying in her current home, and her formal adoption was recorded by Laura Nie, the volunteer photographer for the regular Sunday Puppy Party.  You can see there are a lot of beautiful puppies waiting for homes at the moment Puppy Adoption Day 23rd March 2025.

Unfortunately too many puppies end up in homes that are either unsuitable for a variety of reasons, or with people who can't commit to keeping the dog for its whole life, again for different reasons.  The average lifespan of a large dog is around fourteen years, with many living a lot longer than that, so you need to be sure that you have considered this when welcoming a puppy into your life.  Puppies are small and very appealing, but while they may grow in size they never grow into self-sufficient adults in the same way that humans do.   Dogs will always need to rely one hundred percent on their humans for everything, meaning food and water, exercise and companionship. 

Terrible things happen to many dogs when their families no longer want them, and I'm sure you know that Hong Kong is full of strays that were once pets, discarded on the street or in the hillsides.  (In fact puppies Quink and Quito were found by a rubbish bin, thrown out like trash).  Another one of the dogs that we'll be taking from AFCD this week was left behind in the apartment when her family moved out, another not uncommon scenario, and again really quite terrible.  This is how she was described by the AFCD staff member (so how could we say no?)  "This girl was found abandoned in an apartment building and efforts to trace the owner has proven fruitless. Nonetheless, she has melted the hearts of many people here with her sweet, innocent nature and she greets everyone not just with a wagging tail but a wagging backside! She is considered small-medium sized, weighing around 15-17kg."

 Also coming from AFCD at the same time is a six month-old poodle boy, and I have no doubt he will quickly find a new home. 

I mustn't forget another lovely adoption from Kennedy Town, this time of Olive, a shy girl who has been with us for a while.  

We have so many lovely dogs of all ages and sizes waiting to meet you and hoping that you can offer them a loving home for life.  If you're interested in adopting, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ so we can help with finding you the perfect match.

Tues 18th March: More new dogs and puppies

 We have some new incoming dogs and puppies, which we would obviously like to get into homes as soon as possible.  The shiba inu is and ex-breeder girl who was surrendered to AFCD, while the two identical puppies were found dumped by some rubbish bins and taken to AFCD.  One is a boy and the other a girl, and they're definitely beautiful. 

Three others are a poodle (or bichon), a corgi and a little mix, with details shown in the photos.  

As always, if you're interested in adopting any of these newcomers, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.  

If you're not looking for a dog or puppy to adopt, we also have plenty of other ways to support our work, including fantastic HKDR-brand products which you can see here:

For all merchandise, you can take a look on our website:

https://hongkongdogrescue.com/merchandise-2/

 

Some hot items are available for online order at Etsy, for other items you can order directly and contact admin@hongkongdogrescue.com

Sun 16th March: Some very happy news

 As I've mentioned some very happy news in this post's heading, I'll start with the confirmed double adoption of two little seniors,  Pringle and Snickers. They have joined recently-adopted "red" (no longer) poodle Carrot's lovely family, and you'll be able to follow their adventures on Instagram @flora_broom. 

There was more very good news today when runaway boy Tonka was found after several days.  He was in a drain and needed to be rescued by the fire service, and I suspect he got stuck in there after hiding during the thunder and rain.  It's obviously a huge relief for everyone, including the Kennedy Town volunteers who had taken Tonka's mother, Tinker, over to help with the search.  

Any adoption at Tai Po is always extra special, and it was Skylar who was the lucky dog this time.  It's a very sad fact that mixed breed adult dogs are extremely lucky to be chosen, and many if not most will spend their entire lives at the Tai Po Homing Centre.  It doesn't matter how sweet, loving and well-behaved they are,  most adopters want small dogs, puppies or specific breeds, and it's very sad.

Eric Tang was the photographer for this week's Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws, and you can see his heartwarming shots here Puppy Adoption Day 16th March 2025.  Names will be added very soon if you're interested in knowing who the puppies are. 

It was also quite a relief to say goodbye to young poodle Bingo today, because he was a very popular boy with lots of interest from potential adopters.  Biggles also has many potential homes, and I hope they don't all turn up at the same time to adopt, as so often happens. 

We are still in need of temporary foster homes for the renovation period during the move from Kennedy Town to Ap Lei Chau.  This should be for two weeks during April, and hopefully everything at the new location will be ready for occupation by the end of April.  If you can take in a small dog while the fixtures and fittings are being torn out of our Kennedy Town Centre to be re-used, please complete the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer.fostering/, or email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you are already registered with us. 

Sun 9th March: Adoptions and donations in kind

 It's been a busy weekend, which is always good of course, and throughout the week we've seen quite a few dogs leaving for their new homes or having trial adoptions confirmed (like Georgia). 

We also saw two pairs go to foster homes, puppies Roo and Riley, and the others being older small boys Snickers and Norton.  Obviously we're happy about all four, but especially the little seniors who will benefit greatly from having the comforts and space of a real home. 

It's been a particularly good week for poodles, as Henry, Rowan and Betty all found homes (not forgetting Snickers either). 

New-ish boy Bounce also left for a trial adoption, which we allow when there are other dogs (or animals) in the home that need to agree to the newcomer staying. 

I'm still waiting for the photos from the Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws, but gorgeous Casper was the star of the afternoon with a lot of interest shown, and I don't think he will need to be back next week. 

I get many messages asking if we can use donations in kind, so to answer the most-asked questions, we are very happy to accept towels and bedding that can be washed (so not pillows or woolen blankets), and also not small cushions for the same reason. 

Any kind of food is fine, but not opened bags.  We are happy to take unused medications that are within their expiry date.  Of course dog treats are always very welcome. 

We don't need dog clothes as we have enough, and for most of the year the dogs don't need coats which means we have to store them. 

Pee pads are very useful, but not diapers because we prefer not to use them.  Of course newspaper is always needed for the toilet areas, and for some reason dogs really like to use newspaper to pee on so it's helpful for training. 

We don't use cages, which some people call crates, but we do use travel crates for transporting dogs to the vet, or even sometimes to send dogs to other countries!

We're happy to take sundry items like cleaning products, or electrical appliances that are in good working order (preferably new, or nearly new). 

Larger items like buggies are usually too difficult for us to store, and at both Tai Po and Lamma the steep slopes and steps mean they're impossible to use. 

Whether we can accept donations or not, we're always grateful for the kind offers, so thank you. 

Tues 4th March: New dogs, an urgent case, and renovation fosters needed

 I assume that most readers of my blog also follow HKDR on either Facebook 

Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) or Instagram (@hkdr_official), especially if you're thinking about adopting and want to know about new arrivals.  In case you're someone who prefers to stay off social media, I try to update on arrivals and departures here, although now that I'm not writing a daily post I might miss a few here and there.

We took in four new dogs at Kennedy Town today, one young poodle from AFCD and three from an independent rescue group, and you can see their photos below.  At the same time a young and larger dog from AFCD was sent to our Tai Po Homing Centre, although I don't know what name has been given yet.  I choose the names for the Kennedy Town dogs, while the Tai Po team do the same for new arrivals there.

I also want to mention some dogs that aren't at our Homing Centres but are also looking for new homes, with one case being particularly urgent and not easy, as both dogs are fourteen years old.  Their sad situation is a result of a marriage break-up and neither side being able to keep them, but whatever the reason our concern is for the dogs, not the adults involved.  We're told that despite their age the pom and the chihuahua are in good health and have no behaviour issues, so if anyone can take this pair in please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

The other dog will certainly be or more interest to potential adopters as he's only two years old and a cocker/schnauzer cross.  Gandalf was brought over to Hong Kong by his owners when they moved here, but their jobs involve long hours and also frequent business trips abroad, which means Gandalf seeing very little of his family, even if he's cared for by others during those periods.  Realising that this kind of life is unfair to their dog, I was asked if we could find a better home for him, one where he could enjoy companionship and a stable situation.  Gandalf is healthy, fully toilet trained and without any vices, so he would be the perfect dog for any active family. 

Other than dog matters, renovation work has started on the soon-to-be new Homing Centre in Ap Lei Chau, where Iris and I went on Monday to talk to the contractor about layout and other details.  As I have explained before, the decision to move from Kennedy Town wasn't an easy one due to the cost of fixing up what is currently a bare shell, but the benefits of having the two small dog centres under one roof, as well as the office, outweighed the negative.  As much as possible we'll be taking the fittings from Kennedy Town to re-use in Ap Lei Chau, so there will be a period of disruption as this happens.   It would be very helpful to be able to move as many dogs into foster homes for the expected ten days or so that the workmen will be removing the cabinets and the kitchen fittings, so if you can help by temporarily fostering, please let us know.  The form for new fosters is at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/, and for already-registered fosters please email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com using the heading "Renovation foster".  Thank you. 

Mon 24th Feb: Puppy update

 We've had quite a few new puppies coming in over the past week or so, with seven youngsters arriving today and heading straight for their foster homes.  It's impossible to say at this point what their eventual adult size will be, but I'm guessing medium.

The previous new arrivals are slightly older so they were able to join the regular Sunday Puppy Party at Whiskers N Paws Puppy Adoption Day 23rd Feb 2025, while one of the resident guests at the store was adopted just before the party started.   These puppies are Rufus, Roo, Raffle and Riley, so you can check them out in the photo album.  Rufus has been transformed in the few days he's been with us, and he's now a gorgeous ball of fluff, while Raffle has been lucky enough to be taken home for fostering. Thanks to Carol for being our volunteer photographer for the event, and if anyone with camera skills would like to join the team please email the photography coordinator elenamathew@gmail.com.

The adopted puppy Lulu came to us from AFCD, and the reason I want to mention this is because when we're asked if we can take in puppies from wherever and we're unable to do so at the time, I suggest the puppies are taken to AFCD.  This is usually rejected on the grounds that AFCD will just kill them, but as long as the puppies are friendly and adoptable, they will be offered to all of the rescue organisations for re-homing.  That means that even if HKDR don't have space, perhaps others will.  For Lulu and the second resident WNP puppy, Liza, the timing was lucky when AFCD asked if we could accept them. 

Sat 22nd Feb: More new arrivals plus adoptions

 I wanted to write a quick update with news of yet more arrivals at Kennedy Town, and a very sad story of a beautiful young labrador who is due to be brought to us on Monday.  He's only two years old but has been kept on a chain his whole life, so I'm happy that we can take him in and find him a real home that can provide proper love and care.  If you would like to adopt this boy, or any other of our many dogs and puppies, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

Today's new small dogs are also young, with Gibson not much more than a puppy and Georgia estimated to be two years old.  

Porridge left the Kennedy Town Homing Centre today to start his new life, while corgi Rosie had her adoption confirmed after a short trial and is now called Bella.

Another corgi, Celia, will be going to a foster home soon to continue her journey to full health, and I'm sure she won't have to wait too long for that.  Despite what happened to her and the terrible condition in which she was found, Celia is an incredibly sweet and loving one year-old girl, proving once again how forgiving dogs can be. 

The young puppies I wrote about yesterday have foster homes to go to, so as soon as they arrive they'll be heading out again.  Meanwhile we have other gorgeous puppies available, and of course our regular Sunday Puppy Party takes place at Whiskers N Paws from 2pm to 4pm every weekend.  It's the best place to meet the available puppies in a comfortable and spacious environment, with delicious food available at the in-store cafe and everything you could possibly want for your new family member filling the shelves. 

Fri 21st Feb: Dogs in and dogs out

 I'm sure a lot of you are on Instagram and follow our @hkdr_official post, as well as many other dog-related pages.  Social media is great in many ways, but it can also be a minefield when it comes to dog training advice.  I don't always agree with everything the trainers that I follow say, but I know enough to be able to take it or leave it, and being discerning applies across the board of course.  There is one particular Instagram account that I can wholeheartedly recommend and that's @trickwoofs, because it contains a lot of helpful (and true) advice and information about understanding your dogs, and in a lovely and easy-to-understand way. 

So many dogs are given up because their humans don't understand them, meaning they can't communicate in a way that dogs understand, and are unable to see what their dog's body language is telling them.  All animals have their own way of communicating, and it's up to us as dog owners to learn their language.  Shouting commands in a loud voice is such an old-fashioned and useless way of training a dog, as their hearing is so much better than ours and you can convey your meaning in a soft voice much more effectively.  Using hand signals is also well understood by a dog, as are much more subtle cues.  I'm sure everyone has experienced their dogs picking up on tiny movements if it means they're going to get food or go for a walk, and you can use the same for all training.  Dogs are simple in their needs and wants, but at the same time are intelligent animals that are capable of so much more than they're given credit for. 

You must have heard the saying that there's no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad owner, and that's absolutely true.  The only thing I will say is that puppies born to wild-living parents may have an inborn mistrust of humans, and all breeds have genetic behaviour, even if that's been diluted over generations.  It still upsets me to see working breeds like border collies and Belgian Shepherds being expected to behave like quiet house pets, and even small terriers have traces of their rat-catching ancestors in them.  Just because a dog is small doesn't mean they don't have the same needs as larger dogs, and even tiny chihuahuas love to go out for walks and to see the outside world. 

I also need to add that a walk doesn't mean going round the block on a leash, or thirty minutes in the dog park.  Even if that's all that you can manage on a regular day, dogs need to experience exciting things and new smells, so please make sure you add those outings into your dog's life as much as you can. 

Now for the in and out dog updates.  As I mentioned in my last post, "Red" poodle Carrot was taken for a trial adoption, and we were all thrilled to have his forever status confirmed after only a day.  If ever there was a lesson in what I've just written about it would be this, as well as the other poodle in the family who was also adopted from HKDR as a "Red" dog.  Carrot is loving being in a home, and since I mentioned Instagram before, you can see the dogs on my own @sallythedoglady account, and how they have also all changed from being very timid and scared to having a wonderful life. 

New Kennedy Town dog Tully was also adopted, while we have other new arrivals coming on an almost daily basis.  On Saturday there will be two lovely dogs, and as shared on our Facebook page, a lovely litter of puppies are in need of foster or forever homes.  From the photos I was sent they look as though they will grow to be small-medium sized adults, but as they're not with us yet it's hard to be sure. 

For fostering please complete the form at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/, and for adoption the questionnaire is at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.

Tues 18th Feb: The end of a very long wait

 You may have seen us talk about being a "No Kill" organisation without understanding what it means.  Quite simply, it means that once a dog or puppy comes to HKDR we promise to care for him or her for life, with euthanasia only being an option when the dog is very sick, old or suffering and it's the humane thing to do.  It's one of the reasons why we can't operate on an open-door, all welcome policy, which would become completely unmanageable very quickly.  We're asked all the time to go out to pick up strays that people have seen, however not only is that an impossible task, but these dogs are often born wild and would never adapt to being in kennels, let alone homes.  

Even so, with few adopters willing to consider adult mixed breeds, we always have around four hundred dogs at our Tai Po Homing Centre at any one time (that number being the limit),  and both Kennedy Town Centres being constantly full, even if the turnover of smaller dogs is much higher.

We also have a group of what we call "Red Dogs" at Kennedy Town, these being mostly poodles who have defensive behaviour problems.  They're not bad dogs, they just need understanding and patient adopters who can see them through the initial period of not really trusting, but of course they're not suitable for homes with children or for inexperienced adopters.  Given the choice of a sweet and friendly dog and one that is challenging, of course almost everyone opts for the former, so the "Red" group stay with us until they get old.

From time to time, and really very rarely, a  "Red" dog is given the chance to start a new life, and today that happened to poodle Carrot.  He has been with us since he was a youngster twelve years ago, so you can imagine the joy and excitement of the staff and volunteers who have known Carrot all that time.  I don't know if I should even be writing about this as Carrot has a week's trial period, but his adopters have previously taken other "Red" poodles home with great success. 

As Carrot left Kennedy Town today, we took in another young poodle boy, now called Rowan, as well as another puppy, Riley. 

On Monday we received three other puppies, a French bulldog and a corgi, with Rosie the corgi leaving today after a very short stay. 

Almost all of the dogs are very sweet and not at all "Red", so I want to share the list again as we already have so many  Small Dogs available in KTHC (FEB2025)., 

As always, if you're interested in adopting, take the first step by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.

Sat 15th Feb: Finally the adoption slump turns around

 The last blog that I posted was talking about the endless stream of (mostly) small dogs that were arriving on a daily basis, and the past week has been about vet visits so everyone could be checked, vaccinated and licensed.   With all of that done it was time to start finding them homes, and thankfully today felt like the adoption-slump dam had finally burst and the Kennedy Town Homing Centre welcomed many potential adopters, resulting in quite a few lucky dogs.

Hopefully Sunday will be just as busy, but for now these are the dogs who are no longer available:  Teasel the terrier pup, Freddie, Charlie, Penny the poodle, and young corgi Saffy.  Japanese spitz Zippo also had his adoption confirmed after a very short foster period, and we're especially happy for this boy as he's not a youngster and also hasn't been in the best of health. 

There are still a lot of small dogs waiting, young, old and in-between, and you can take a look at them here  Small Dogs available in KTHC (FEB2025). If you're interested in meeting any of them please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step.  I know I repeat this every time I write a new post, but still many people ask if they can just drop by to take a look.  Our Homing Centre is small so we prefer not to operate on an "open house" basis, and by having the details in advance we know which dogs would be suitable. 

Sunday is Puppy Party day at Whiskers N Paws, so you can meet the puppies that are staying in foster homes as well as the lovely pair that are currently full time guests at the store.  

Also remember that there are many many lovely dogs at our Tai Po Homing Centre, many of whom have been with us since they were tiny babies.  Seeing them find their forever families is really special to us, especially when they're the only ones from their litter still waiting.  Life can seem so unfair sometimes.

Sat 8th Feb: Still more new arrivals

 Just another quick update on some new dogs that we took in at our Kennedy Town Centre today, two of which are mother and son (Tinker and Tonka) and another just a puppy (Teasel).  All three adults are young, so as always I hope they will find homes very soon. 

I also wanted to share a photo one of our volunteers took of recently-arrived Soda, because I think it shows how beautiful he is.  A photo often doesn't do justice to a dog, or show the personality, which is why when we receive enquiries about a specific dog it's often the case that it's another one entirely that ends up being chosen.  That happened today with the adoption of little poodle Lottie, as her now-family had actually come to meet Penny (also a very sweet poodle). 

Anyway, there's the right dog for almost every family if you don't insist on a particular breed or age.  Being realistic about your home and lifestyle is what matters, meaning if you want a quiet and laid-back companion then choosing a young and active dog means neither side is going to be happy. Dogs don't just come in all shapes, sizes and colours, but in character too, so please let us help you to choose the one that will be right for you and your family.

Start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ before coming to visit so we know who to recommend. 

Fri 7th Feb: Guy the Frenchie is ready for a home

 Four more new dogs arrived at our Kennedy Town Centre (North Street) today, with still more coming in over the next few days.  We haven't had a chance to assess the newcomers for age or anything else yet, but at least they look young from the photo and they all have "P" names allocated for identification. 

We don't know the back story for these dogs, or most of the others that come from different sources, but by the time they have been in who-knows-how-many places along the way, many are very scared by the time they come to us.  I want to use French bulldog Guy as an example, as we were told he had behaviour issues in advance of his arrival which is why he was moved to Lamma rather than staying at Kennedy Town.  He was provided with his own "compound" and a snug igloo for his "man cave", and for the first day he just slept.  It was clear he was completely traumatised by whatever he had experienced, but after that long sleep he came out to explore.  Fast forward just a few days and Guy has transformed into the sweetest and most affectionate little dog, desperate for attention and chin/belly scratches.  I know he's lonely in his own space, so now I really want to find him his own home where he can enjoy companionship and walks. At only a year old he's still just a youngster, but to be on the safe side we will be looking for a home with no young children or other dogs.  Actually he may be fine with both, but it's better to be careful. 

There are so many dogs at both Kennedy Town and our Tai Po Homing Centres waiting for homes, as well as two new puppies staying at Whiskers N Paws, but before coming to meet any of them please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.  Please give as much information as possible, as well as providing a full address so we don't have to go to Google maps to try to find out where a street or building are (I have to admit this drives me crazy).  Also giving vague answers like "it depends" aren't helpful or acceptable, because if you don't know then it's likely you shouldn't even be thinking about having a dog.  Most of all be honest, both with us and yourself, because having a dog can be time consuming and a burden if you're the sort of person who enjoys an active social life and likes going away for regular holidays. Becoming a volunteer can be just as rewarding as having your own dog, because you can enjoy being with dogs as much as you want but without having the worry or the cost.  

Weds 5th Feb: Will it ever end?

 I'm not sure how many of you wrote to the Ombudsman after his office invited the general public to submit their views, but I hope there will be enough to create some changes.  I won't hold my breath, but seriously the system seriously needs overhauling as so much has changed over the past couple of decades that the current laws are totally inadequate.   The supply of puppies (and other animals) flooding the market, for want of a better word, means that there are always huge numbers being abandoned.  I have spoken to other organisations and everyone is saying the same, the situation is out of control and nobody can cope with the requests for help in taking in unwanted puppies and adult dogs.  Whereas previously we would have a waiting list for small dogs, now we have so many young and lovely hopefuls.  Potential adopters come to take a look, but leave again if we don't have exactly what they have in mind.  I could understand if the dogs are old or sick, or if they have behaviour issues, but these are very cute, sweet and happy youngsters.  

Most of the dogs coming in are smaller sized and go to our Kennedy Town Centre, and every week there are more and more.  Today there were two new arrivals, one being a one year-old corgi girl, very sweet and playful, and the other a spaniel-cross type, only slightly older.  

We also accepted a Malamute boy at our Tai Po Homing Centre, with a husky girl also coming soon.

Every one of these dogs has a sad story, with the corgi having been left at a dog hotel and never picked up (same as the Malamute), while the husky's owner has serious dementia and can no longer care for his dogs.   In the latter case of course it's nobody's fault that the Malamute needs a new home, but in most cases of dogs becoming homeless it's due to the fickle nature of the people who bought puppies and then after even a short time decided they no longer wanted them. 

There's no guarantee that any adopter will stand by their promise of a home for life, but at least we can do our best to make sure that everyone understands that they need to consider the next fifteen years (or more), and a dog isn't just a toy for the children or for entertainment while it's convenient. 

I keep writing the same thing over and over, and that's because it's so upsetting to be asked to take in so many dogs while knowing the chances of them all finding forever homes is so low. Catherine's Puppies has asked if we can help with finding an adopter for a massive dog, and I mean really huge at around 90kg, but who on earth brought a puppy this size into Hong Kong, or allowed its mother to have puppies?  It's madness, complete selfish insanity. 

I need to take a deep breath and calm down, but something has to be done to stop the endless breeding and smuggling when there are already so many homeless dogs.

That said, if you want to offer a dog a forever home please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/. 

Sun 2nd Feb: Pet Show and new Homing Centre

 Finally the seemingly endless holidays in January are over and we can look forward to some uninterrupted working days.  I know most people love all of the annual public holidays, but for us it means fewer adoptions and fewer staff, and we've already been without anyone to cover the admin work since Eva left.  The good news is that her replacement, Amy, starts work on Monday 3rd (meaning today), so once she learns how everything works the office will be back to normal.

There were two puppy adoptions at Whiskers N Paws today, and although we were without any of our usual volunteer photographers, regular adoption volunteers Catherine and Lexi were there to double up on their usual duties Puppy Adoption Day 2nd Feb 2025 . We really need some new photography recruits if you have the skills and can spare the time, so if you'd like to help for  couple of hours on Sunday from time to time please email our Photography Coordinator Elena at elenamathew@gmail.com. 

There was also another lucky puppy adopted from Tai Po earlier in the week, and her name was Macaroni. 

Quite a few people have been asking about the husky boy that's looking for a new home, but I should mention that although he's lovely with people he needs a home where he  can be the only dog.  It seems strange since he was apparently living with another dog in his previous home, but this is what has been recommended by the current foster. 

A volunteer is currently manning an HKDR booth at the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree Festival until 9th February, and we'll also be at the Pet Show 2025 from 6th-9th Feb (Thursday to Sunday)! Come find us at 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉 3F-E29 to see new products as well as our favourite HKDR merchandise.

Another important project that will get underway now the Chinese New Year holidays are over is the creation of our new Homing Centre at Ap Lei Chau.  Due to the lack of funding we will have to keep to the absolute basics, so please don't expect anything fancy unless we're lucky enough to receive major donations towards the project.  You can see from the photos that the site is just a shell so we need to do everything starting with laying down floor tiles and installing glass doors at the front, and of course air conditioning.  If you can donate towards this so we can afford to do more than the absolute minimum please go to https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/one-off-donations/.  Of course tax receipts will be issued for all donations over $100. 

Fri 31st Jan: Holidays over and the weekend begins

 I just wanted to do another quick update for the end of the month, and of the Chinese New Year holiday, even though it's now the weekend. 

Firstly, we're still getting a lot of enquiries about Guy the French bulldog, although he's off the available list for now while we give him time to settle and de-stress.  Not knowing his past other than being told he was about to be abandoned, we don't know why he has behaviour issues at such a young age, even though I can make a good guess.  The good news is that he seems to be enjoying his new quarters and is responding to his personal space being respected, so I'm hopeful that he'll soon drop his fear-based behaviour.

Another Lamma dog who came to us with similar, or even worse trauma, is corgi boy Boomer, or Bubu as he was previously called.  He was also very young when we accepted his from his previous owner, but he was untouchable.  It's taken two years of just allowing him to watch and follow the other dogs, but for the first time today he actually asked me to pet him.  I did of course, and Bubu really enjoyed having his ears scratched and chest rubbed, although I kept it short for this initial session. I realise that it's unreasonable to expect adopters to be able to wait that long for a dog to drop unwanted behaviour, and I'm not sure that Bubu will ever be suitable for adoption, but I just wanted to mention that even extreme anxiety will fade over time. 

As is now traditional, a large group of Tai Po dogs enjoyed a Chinese New Year's day out with volunteers, so thank you to everyone who participated.  All hiking volunteers are those who have been coming to help out at the Homing Centre for some time, just in case you're wondering if you can sign up just to take the dogs out for a hike.  

Some of the dogs that get adopted directly from foster homes may not have their photos taken at the time of adoption, so I want to share a photo of two such dogs who ended up living quite close to each other.  They're Porter and Umbria, and you can see how similar they are, as well as both being gorgeous. 

French bulldog Pierre also moved from his foster to a forever home, so I hope we'll also have an adoption photo to share soon, as well as the list of other dogs adopted during January.

Finally, the lease has been signed for the new Homing Centre premises on Ap Lei Chau, so we will take over the site in a few days.  It will still take some time to renovate and get everything ready to receive the dogs and staff from both of the Kennedy Town Centres, but now it's official that we will soon be back.  As mentioned previously, it's was a difficult decision to make because although we have always wanted to move back to Ap Lei Chau, and to bring the two Centres  together again, the cost of renovating is inevitably very high and we desperately need donations to help us cover at least some of the costs.  If you can help, here is the link: Account name with HSBC - Hong Kong Dog Rescue Limited

Account no. - HSBC - 741-263776-838
You can also do a transfer with other options in this link .
https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/one-off-donations/

Tues 28th Jan: Welcoming the Year of the Snake!

 Just a quick update as we enter the Year of the Snake, because there were two small dogs whose details were shared on our social media pages and who received a lot of attention.  One of these was a poodle puppy we'd been asked to take, and after immediately agreeing and arranging a drop-off time, the now ex-owner said she had passed the puppy to a friend.  While it might seem like a good result, we know from experience that this is how and when behaviour issues begin, because it's almost inevitable that this pup will be passed from home to home before ending up as a "Red" poodle, meaning basically unadoptable.

As I have written so many times before, the early months of a dog's life will shape it for ever, and it's very sad that so many puppies end up with behaviour problems due to the lack of socialisation and training when young.  The French bulldog Guy, who's the second case I wanted to write about, is almost certainly one of these, because the breed is one that's normally very friendly with people, even if they can sometimes be a bit of a problem with other dogs.  

Guy had probably been caged, which some people like to call 'crated' as it sounds better, but what happens when you lock a dog in what's essentially a small box is that their brains and personality don't develop properly.  Puppies are no different from human children in that they need to be able to have the freedom to make decisions, to move around, to play and to learn, and taking this away from them has life-long repercussions.  Of course there may be times when a puppy needs to be contained for a while, but a fence or baby gate can do the job while still providing some space. 

Anyway, in the end we had to move Guy out of the Homing Centre for his own sanity, and he was sent over to Lamma where a large-ish area had been fenced off for him.  It was already early evening when he arrived, but he seemed very happy with his new space, and after having something to eat he spent a long time sniffing out every interesting smell, of which there were plenty.  We'll see how things go over the Chinese New Year break, but for now all adoption enquiries will be put on hold.  

To finish, two lucky (and lovely) Tai Po dogs found a home together.  They are Sunshine and Isa (who has been with us since she was a newborn puppy), and it's a wonderful end to the Chinese year. 

Sun 26th Jan: Cold but happy days for some dogs

It's been a week since I last had time to write a blog, mainly because having a house full of aging dogs means there's extra care needed, as well as vet visits which pretty much take up a whole day.  As soon as I think one problem has been fixed another suddenly crops us, and this time it's Ruthie who suddenly became very ill.  

A few of you might remember her as being a doglet who ran away after she was adopted, and I had to go to Fanling on an almost daily basis looking for her.  In the end it turned out she'd been hiding in some woodland, and was eventually lured out with food and the sound of my voice.  That was a long time ago as Ruthie's now an old lady, but like many of my Lamma dogs she has a story to tell and a reason for still being with me.

In case any of you are still wondering whether or not we'll be open over the Chinese New Year holiday, the answer is yes, we open every single day of the year regardless of any holidays, or even typhoons.  You can't just switch the dogs off and tell them not to eat, drink or anything else that's a daily necessity, something that sadly quite a lot of potential adopters seem to think happens when they're out at work for long hours.  Having a dog is a commitment which can be inconvenient at times, but that's what you sign up for when you decide to bring any animal into your home.  The dogs at our Homing Centres receive the same care on any day of the year, so welcoming visitors makes no difference. 

Also, since the Chinese New Year holiday falls mid-week, we won't have to miss any of the Sunday Puppy Parties at Whiskers N Paws, and we were there today with a gorgeous selection of hopefuls which you can see here Puppy Adoption Day 26th Jan 2025 . Kevin Chan was today's photographer, and we also had some young volunteers whose photos will be shared later. 

We've seen quite a few of our smaller dogs leaving to start their new lives, some from Kennedy Town and others from foster homes. Pippa the schnauzer, Porter the scruffy terrier, Candy the French bulldog, Cleo the poodle and Nando the little mix to name some.   Even Austin, who has been waiting a long time for a suitable home, left today for a short trial adoption (which I feel confident he will pass). 

We also had an in-and-out Frenchie passing through, one I'd mentioned before as being not good with other dogs so we couldn't keep him at the Homing Centre.  I waited until a suitable home was offered before agreeing to take him, and it was all so quick that he wasn't even given a name before leaving.  I really hope everything works out for this little guy. 

There will be happy news too from our Tai Po Homing Centre this coming week, but I'll save the details until the dogs have been picked up. 

Sun 19th Jan: Some special cases of special dogs

 We have some particular dogs that are in special need of a new home or foster for a variety of reasons.  As we remind everyone who brings a new dog into the home, it has to be remembered that it's a very stressful time for the dog, and it's quite normal that they don't eat or even drink at first, and may just want to hide and observe. Forcing any kind of interaction isn't recommended because it will just increase the stress and delay the settling in, and usually it only takes a matter of days before things naturally improve.

This can be longer if there's another dog in the house, or if the dog is particularly shy, but too often the adopter will give up and return the dog.  The reason that we know it's only the situation and a matter of time and patience, is because when the dog finds a new home there are no such issues and everything is fine.

However there are some situations when it's not possible for the dog to stay in the home, and that's the case with Odette, a beautiful and young terrier type.  She went to a foster who had already adopted two HKDR dogs, and offered to open her home to a third on an ongoing basis, meaning when each foster dog was adopted then another would move in.  In Odette's case, she immediately bonded with the mother in the home, and wanted to be close to her all the time.  In that sense she was a perfect dog, very sweet and loving, well behaved in the home and outside,  and no problem with the resident dogs.  However Odette's adoration was for the mother only, and in a family home with husband, children and helper, that wasn't ideal.  Odette could stay if the mother was able to work from home, but as she needs to go back to the office on Monday, we all felt it was best to find Odette another foster, or hopefully a permanent home. 

Another terrier type, also young at only a year old and smaller than Odette, is Kingsley.  He's staying at our Kennedy Town Homing Centre, and while just like Odette he's a great little dog, he has too much energy to be at the Centre, and he's still very puppy-like in his behaviour which can be difficult in a small place that's full of other dogs.  Kingsley may be small, but like all terriers he has a strong personality and lots of energy, so he would love long walks and the opportunity to race around on a beach (for example).  Kingsley has been fantastic at the events he's attended as our little HKDR Ambassador so we know all he needs is the time, training and exercise to be a fantastic family member. 

We also have another small and strong-minded dog, although he isn't with us yet.  This is the French bulldog that I'd mentioned previously, but at that time he didn't come with the other eight dogs we took in.  One of those that did arrive last week was another Frenchie, a girl we called Candy, but although there was a lot of initial interest, all adopters disappeared once they learned she was four years old and not a puppy.  Now I'm hoping that there will be renewed interest in the grey boy, because he's only a year old, but he does have the typical Frenchie attitude of so many, meaning he's not great with other dogs.  This is now an urgent case as I'm told the current owners of this boy plan to get rid of him one way or another. 

I realise it's not the best time of the year for adoptions, with Chinese New Year coming up very soon, but surely not everyone is leaving for the holiday and it could be the perfect time to bring a new dog into the home.

Also not every dog is difficult, and many are totally sweet and easy from the moment they walk in through the door.  I include puppies as a good example, and I'm sure the new family of puppy Pancake adopted today at Whiskers N Paws won't have any settling in problems to deal with.  There's also a puppy at the Tai Po Homing Centre I want to mention, as she's a few months old now and the sweetest girl, not to mention extremely cute.  Her name is Jasmine, and she's the last of her litter and in need of a family of her own.

Thanks to volunteer photographer Sophie Burkhardt for her time and efforts today at Whiskers N Paws  Puppy Adoption Day 19th Jan 2025, and as Sophie will soon be retiring as a volunteer as she's due to give birth soon, and others have also left Hong Kong altogether, we're in need of new volunteers to help out on Sundays and at other events.  Please email Photography Coordinator Elena Mathew at elenamathew@gmail.com if you would like to sign up as a volunteer photographer.