We're always being asked to accept more dogs, whether from AFCD (government), independent rescuers, members of the public or dogs owners who want or need to re-home their pets. I accept there are situations when there's no choice but these are actually quite rare, and for the most part the reasons these dogs end up needing help from HKDR or other organisations is that they are innocent victims, one way or another.
Puppies are born because their mothers (and fathers) hadn't been spayed or neutered, and while some people say desexing is cruel or undesirable, the results are far worse than any very short-term discomfort. Yes, we now know that desexing a puppy too early has negative health implications, but that doesn't mean that it shouldn't be done once a dog is an adult. If you had to deal with the thousands of homeless puppies that are born every year, you would agree, I'm sure.
Pet shops and breeders don't care who they sell their puppies to as long as they get the money, and the result is many cases of "buyer's regret". I'm sure most people have bought something that they later realised was a mistake, but there's a difference between a pair of shoes and a living animal. Just this month we took in a border collie puppy and a golden retriever puppy, both quickly adopted and now in homes that understand what having a dog means. Both puppies had come from people that had bought them from pet shops.
Smaller dogs and purebreeds usually find homes quite quickly, especially when young, but we're still waiting for a good home for the smaller-sized Samoyed, Sam, who at two years is already "too old" for most adopters.
We still have a border collie (Owen) at Tai Po, as well as a malinois (Jinx), two breeds that are highly intelligent and require homes that can provide not only adequate physical exercise, but also mental stimulation. Without both, these dogs can quickly become problematic. When they're in the right home these dogs are fantastic, but not many people have the time, knowledge and energy to keep them happy.
It doesn't matter what size a dog is, they still need the same care and attention, time and companionship. There's still a misconception that small dogs don't need to be taken out much because they can play at home, but that's not true and doesn't take into account the importance of socialisation, or the need for all dogs to experience life outside the home. If I put it into a human context, that's like saying short people don't need to leave their homes much, whereas tall people do. It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
If you want to see our already-resident dogs, you can check the full list at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/dogs/, while new arrivals will be posted first on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
If you're interested in adopting, please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step.
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