Fri 7th April: A quiet day before a busy weekend

It wasn't an eventful day for the dogs or puppies as not only was I tied up with a non-HKDR matter, but our van driver was also sick so there was no transport.  Luckily I had no dog emergencies and I'd made sure all vaccinations were up to date for the puppy afternoon at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday so at least I didn't have to worry.

It's Rugby Sevens weekend of course, but we have our big sale on at WOW pet shop (which doesn't sell live animals of course) and there must be many who aren't interested in rugby even if it seems the whole of Hong Kong will be watching the games.  Come along and see what we have as I'm sure you'll find something to buy for your dogs.

Alternative you could splash out on a new pair of Hush Puppies and have $100 donated to HKDR by doing so.  Eva, our double-titled Communications Manager and Assistant Manager of the Tai Po Homing Centre, has already received the generous donation of $38,8888.88 on our behalf.  More details of this Hush Puppies campaign will be posted later.

Milo is such a brilliant guardian

The baby pups are growing fast, as they always do, and I received this very sweet update from the foster family of one pair.  Their own dog Milo has taken the supervisory role very seriously and has moved into the baby pen to make sure the pups are safe.

Thurs 6th April: Keeping it brief

Gorgeous fluffy baby

This will be a very short post as I have to leave home very early (today, Friday), and as it happens there is nothing of special interest to report.  I had to take puppies to Acorn for vaccinations in preparation for Sunday's Whiskers N Paws afternoon, and also to pick up the two fluffy babies that were returned.  Unluckily for them they had to share a crate with Tom for the trip back to Lamma, and as Tom suffers badly from travel sickness they were both drenched in drool by the time we arrived home but otherwise fine and totally gorgeous.

Both of these fluffies are available

Merlin's ears are tied up to help prevent ear infections

There was some very happy news for senior cocker spaniel-cross Merlin, as not only has he been adopted but he is about to leave Hong Kong for England very soon.  Like so many oldies he was in poor condition when he first came to us but after many months in a loving foster home the change was quite dramatic.  It's very sad that so many dogs are considered to be "too old" at ten when the smaller dogs especially still have many good years ahead of them.

Weds 5th April: Opal and Emerald will always be sisters

Young pups are cute, but also vulnerable

I was reminded of something today that keeps coming up but which I regularly forget about until it happens again.  It's very simply that young puppies, just like human babies, have immature immune systems that leave them vulnerable to infections that older puppies and dogs can handle, and as a result diarrhoea is very common in baby pups, especially those moving to new homes.   In this particular case it was the beautiful fluffy pair taken last Sunday for trial adoption who developed upset tummies and as a consequence they were taken to the vet and ultimately returned.

I can't blame the foster parents for not being able to handle apparently sick puppies, in fact it's me who needs to be very clear to everyone who wants to foster or adopt very young babies that these types of things are not only common, but almost to be expected.  The puppies in this case will be fine, but every vet visit costs HKDR money and with this pair there were two vet clinics involved as well as unnecessary tests.  Our monthly vet bills are extremely high, and while of course all dogs and puppies receive the treatment they need regardless of the cost, it's frustrating to have to pay for something that could easily be dealt with in-house.

Dylan was another tick fever puppy

The past year has also been a bad one for tick fever, both in terms of the puppies themselves and the very high cost of lengthy treatment as well as the fact that we can't home these pups until they are better.  Ticks have developed immunity to both the traditional flea/tick prevention and the standard treatments, so while in the past all tick fever puppies would be given an injection of Berenil and that would be sufficient, it's just not working any more.  We currently have three (or more) puppies staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre that have been with us for quite a long time, and although they are finally ready to be adopted it's been a long haul, with regular blood tests and ongoing treatment.  Luckily these pups are small-sized so even at a few months old they are still very adoptable, but it's frustrating to say the least.

Emerald's human family is closely related to Opal's

Older puppy Opal was picked up from her foster home by her new adoptive family and she is now called Peanuts.  Apart from being very happy about any adoption of course, I was doubly pleased to learn that Opal-Peanuts and her sister Emerald will be be in regular contact as their respective adopters are related.  I'd wondered why Opal had been chosen without having met her new family at Whiskers N Paws, but all is now clear.

We won't be seeing Opal at Whiskers N Paws again

Tues 4th April: All in all a good day

Bye Maru!

There was a sudden rush of interest in shiba inu Maru yesterday, maybe because I wrote about him on my blog as well as posting his photo and details on Facebook, but either way he has now been adopted.

Jolly is the smaller of the two poodles

Also leaving our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre was Jolly, the "dashboard poodle" who had spread himself out for the drive to and from Acorn the day I took him out of AFCD.

Jolly was so funny during the van drive

Dallas is such a handsome boy now

Puppy Dallas was adopted from the Tai Po Homing Centre, while Opal was picked up from her foster home by her forever family. I've known both of these puppies since they were newborns with their respective mothers at AFCD. In fact I took Dallas's mother out of the Government Kennels too, and Noelle was adopted quite quickly.

Sisters Opal and Emerald with their then-foster

Noelle left AFCD on 20th December 

  So all in all it was a good day and I'm hoping the trend will continue throughout the week and into the weekend.

The sale takes place on both Saturday and Sunday

We also have our Big Sale happening this weekend if you want to check out great products for very low prices.

Mon 3rd April: Every day is Adoption Day at HKDR

It could be a difficult month with Chung Ming, Easter and Rugby Sevens interrupting the general flow, but who knows as it's impossible to predict how things affect adoptions.  Not everyone likes rugby or leaves Hong Kong when there's a few days of holiday, and I hope at least that our dog walking volunteers will be out in force on their days off.

Of course, as always our Homing Centres are open as usual as the dogs need to be fed and the areas cleaned, so if you are looking for a dog or a puppy to join your life and family, you can head over to Ap Lei Chau or Tai Po to meet a large selection.

New pug boy Tucker

Tinky the new chihuahua

The number of dogs at our smaller Homing Centre at 21 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, was increased by three as we took in more surrenders (due to a human baby arriving).  They aren't youngsters and older by a few years than we were first told, but they are all sweet natured and lovely.

New Shih tzu Dusty

My guess is that Maru has never been trained or socilaised

Guessing which dogs will be adopted is as difficult as predicting the weather, and shiba inu Maru is a good example of that.  Previously when we have had this breed available they have found new homes almost immediately, with many more offers than dogs available.  So far it hasn't worked that way for Maru, and it's not even that he's difficult or has behaviour problems other than normal puppy stuff. Admittedly he's not too good with other dogs and we can assume that's due to a lack of proper socialisation as a youngster, but overall he's a typical shiba, and being only a year old he's full of energy and needs proper exercise.  That's a lot more than what seems to be the standard of thirty minutes a day, which is actually less then even our little Ap Lei Chau oldies get.

Sun 2nd April: A very welcome return of the sun

Thanks to Jimmy Tsang for his lovely photos of the puppies at Whiskers N Paws today, and for Semirah, who although no longer a regular photographer on Sundays is the volunteer responsible for sorting, editing and posting the albums every week.   Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) added 125 new photos to the album Puppy Adoption Day 2 April 2017 — at Whiskers N Paws

As promised by the Hong Kong Observatory, it was a glorious day and perfect for a puppy party on the terrace, and thankfully there were a few adoptions to show for it by the time we left.  Some of the bigger puppies were sent off to Tai Po rather than coming back to Lamma, simply because there is no space for so many with me and they can also benefit from meeting lots of volunteers and learning important life lessons such as walking on a leash.  It's tough for them to start with, but it's for the best in the end.

No, it's not Saucer again, it's brother Bruin

Bruin was the first puppy to have his adoption paperwork signed, and you may recognise that he is the brother of lookalike Saucer.

Emerald's green eyes make her a winner

With sister Tiana already chosen last Sunday it was green-eyed Emerald's turn today, leaving siblings Opal and Chestnut still hoping for their chance of a forever home.  This litter were at AFCD with their mother until I took them out when they were a month old, and the mother was taken back to Cheung Chau where she came from.

Finally a "B" adoption with Bizzy

It was also a big day for the first of the "B" litter to be chosen, as the only girl, Bizzy, was adopted.  I don't know why Bruno, Bonzo and Boomer are still waiting, as although large in size these puppies are very good-natured and easygoing.  Many smaller sized dogs are far more hyperactive and demanding than the bigger ones, and even need more exercise.

Rafi's silly face

We were all very relieved when sweet Rafi was given his chance, because everyone who has fostered or looked after him has fallen in love with this cuddly and loving boy.  His current foster, volunteer Anne, was very upset at the thought that he would have nowhere to go after today when she had to bring him back due to travel commitments, so when he was taken for a trial adoption it was the best news of the day. 

The new litter of five babies was there today, and two were taken for a trial adoption while another pair went to foster.  The remaining pup was sent to Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre if you are interested. 

The baby on the left is still in need of a foster or forever home

Sat 1st April: No jokes today

"B" litter Bruno looking forward to Whiskers N Paws

As tempting as it was to write some bogus April Fool's story, the fact is that too many people would believe it so I let it go, and the day passed unremarkably except for the glorious weather.  I'm so happy that Sunday is forecast to be more of the same, and if nothing else the puppies can enjoy their games on the terrace, something they really love.

Every month Kathy makes a list of all the dogs and puppies that have been adopted, and these are March's lucky ones:

Tai Po:

Noelle (Multibreed, and mother of Cabo and Dallas)

Summer (Multibreed)

Cabo (Multibreed puppy)

Baloo (Husky)

Flopsy & Flapper (Vizsla)

Daniel (Multibreed)

Murphy (Vizsla) 

Nori (Malinois)

Batman (Multibreed)

Flanders (Multibreed) 

Lambie (Multibreed puppy)

Dougal (Multibreed puppy)

ALC:

Frizzy (Bichon frise)

Bubbles (Bichon frise)

Edmund (Chihuahua Cross)

Yoshi (Shiba Inu)

Mufti (Poodle)

Scooby (Schnauzer)

Simon (Yorkie)

Buffer (Pom Cross)

WNP:

Mika (Shiba Inu)

Chips (Shiba Inu Cross)

Saucer

Belle

Dana

Fish (Shiba Inu Cross)

Jack

Rupert

Jill

Fergus

Foster Home:

Lemon (Schnauzer)

Three (Multibreed puppy)

Emmy (Multibreed puppy)

Bramley (Scottish Terrier)

Handsome (Multibreed)

Pogo (Multibreed puppy)

Lula (Multibreed puppy)

Honey (Multibreed puppy)

Otto (Schnauzer)

Merlin (Cocker Spaniel)

Grace (Multibreed puppy)

Tiana (Multibreed puppy)

Nelson (Shih Tzu)

Louis the big poodle

At least two little dogs left the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre for trial adoptions, namely Louis the poodle and Patrick the schnauzer.

Patrick

Buggy and Eddie, two senior pekes, had also previously left for foster with a view to adoption, so that made space for the three new small dogs expected on Monday. It seems a long time ago now that we had hardly any little ones waiting for homes, but there's no shortage now, that's for sure.

Eddie was one of 3 senior pekes surrendered to AFCD