Mon 14th May: Sorry Willy, no luck today

I have to retract the premature announcement about Willy from yesterday, as that adoption sadly didn't happen so he is still very much on the hopeful-and-waiting list.  His foster family love him to bits but can't keep him as they already have two dogs at home. However they have provided Willy with the very best start in life and that will stay with him for ever, so if you are looking for a fantastic family member who is great with children, Willy could be just right for you.

Who can take their old dog to abandon at AFCD?

I had to take the recently-surrendered shiba inu to AFCD to arrange a license change, and left with one new puppy and an old pom who had been surrendered.  It's incredibly sad to see old dogs, especially the tiny ones, being taken to Government Kennels and abandoned like that.  Dr Andy at Acorn found there was pain in the back and legs but no other obvious signs of illness, so "Old Pom" (no name so far) was dispensed some pain relief medication and we'll see how that goes.

I also had to take the most recent litter of AFCD puppies back to Acorn today to have their blood re-tested, and the results were interesting.   All of the pups had come with a low red cell count, a sign of tick fever, which was expected given where they had come from, and two were treated with a Berenil injection while three had another less risky option.  The two who had Berenil had improved considerably while the red cell count for remaining three had plummeted.  Berenil often works very well but it does also very occasionally have fatal side effects, which is obviously very upsetting, so I have been avoiding using the drug lately. However today's results speak for themselves and I ended up having the other three pups injected with Berenil and assume that it will also work for them.

Sun 13th May: Happy news day

This photo of Olive and her "sister" Dusty is our adoption shot

We had some great news today when Olive's adoption was confirmed after almost three years of waiting.  Olive is still adjusting to her new home but the family have been very understanding and patient, and we're all thrilled to bits for this lovely girl.

Zelda (left) and Cello playing

There was more good news with the confirmation by email that Zeldas' ex-foster family would be adopting her, and again I'm extremely grateful for the patience they have shown in waiting for this day.  I thought Zelda was going to be too much of a handful for the home as she was always a full-on character, funny but cheeky and very confident, but the family visited Tai Po regularly, as well as taking Zelda to Lamma on the Saturday Adventure Day (full album here) https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IRrsGz0QFvMdyRDoYkPueMQ4cfRvWHk0

and I have been impressed with their commitment to not rushing into a decision.  So today was Zelda's last afternoon at Whiskers N Paws as a puppy-in-waiting, and she had a fatastic time playing as can be seen in Eric Tang's brilliant set of photos  Puppy Adoption Day 13 May 2018

Avery was also waiting for her foster family to make a decision about her formal adoption and it came today, prompted perhaps by the fact that I was showing Avery to another family and telling them what a great pup she is.   Now Avery too won't be back as an available puppy, although she is welcome to come and play.

Avery is formally adoptd!

With Avery off the cards when her adoption was formalised, I'm hoping that it will mean a home for Willy and that he too will be taken from his foster home on Monday.  That will leave just Cello as an older puppy in need of a home, and I really hope the good luck of the others will rub off on her.  She is a lovely girl, very sweet, and having lived in a foster home for a long time she's fully toilet trained as well as being desexed and licensed, and really just ready to pick up and go.

Will it be Cello's turn now?

Thank you Hazel, Laurel and Two Presents

Hand-made dog beds

There were some lovely donations to round up the day, including some hand-made dogs beds as well as a Two Presents birthday sharing and a top-up of extra cash from Hazel.
When it was time to pack up and leave, two puppies stayed behind as the first guests of Whiskers N Paws Puppy Centre.

Ivory and Anna were somewhat bemused to find themselves having a beauty treatment in the Whiskers N Paws spa, but they are special girtls now so they'll have to get used to it!

Anna's manicure

Ivory will be staying at Whiskers N Paws

Hazel topped up her donation with some extra cash

Sat 12th May: Lamma Adventure Day

After arriving we took a group photo

We had an incredible day out on Lamma, and I couldn't stop watching all of the dogs enjoying the water and the freedom to run and play.  I've seen so many personal Facebook posts that gave an indication of the great time everyone had, and the sun shone thoughout.  If you came and would like a repeat, or if you missed the event and wished you could have been there, let us know and we'll arrange another outing.  The feedback was so positive, and even though this was more about fun than actual fundraising given the high cost of the ferry, we think it was very worthwhile.

All aboard the Lamma-bound ferry

Everyone headed for the lake to cool off

Office dog Brandy cooling off

Of course it was business as usual at the two Homing Centres, and the shiba inu arrived at our Ap Lei Chau (Wai Fung Street) Homing Centre.  We know there will be a huge amount of interest in him, as there already hads been, so we will obviously choose the home that will best suit this handsome little fellow.

New arrival shiba inu boy

Sunday is Puppy Afternoon at Whiskers N Paws, and although we actually have a lot of puppies needing homes they can't all be there.  Tick fever seems to be rampant this year so many of the pups are still undergoing treatment, while the four youngest - and healthy - babies are still a bit too young to be at the adoption afternoon.

Fri 11th May: Bringing back memories

Eva Sit and Eva Loo plus volunteers at the Deloitte offices today

I had a meeting today that lasted longer than anticipated so I was out of circulation for the afternoon. Meanwhile our two Eva's plus

volunteers, two and four-legged, made a visit to the offices of Deloitte in Pacific Place to talk about HKDR and adoption.  We're always happy to arrange such visits and appreciate the invitations to schools or offices, or any place where our time and efforts will result in helping the dogs.

We're all set for Saturday's big day trip to Lamma, and I'll be up and out early with my dogs so I can join the party.  It's been a long time since I enjoyed the spectacular open area that's now a YMCA Centre, and I'm sure it will bring back a lot of memories of the days when this was almost my own private paradise.  It's going to be quite a sight in Central at the Ferry Piers when the guests and their dogs line up to board the ferry that will transport everyone to the location, and I hope there will be lots of photos and videos to share later.  If you're one of the lucky participants, please make sure you clean up after your dog(s), both in Central and during the day, as these events are valuable in showing that our supporters are responsible owners.  It's going to be a lot of fun.

A still from the 2008 film "This Darling Life" taken at the Lamma site

We have a young shiba inu being surrendered on Saturday to our new Homing Centre location in Ap Lei Chau.   This is currently one of the most popular breeds, even though certainly not the easiest of dogs, and we don't recommend them for inexperienced families.  We were told this boy is being tormented by the human toddler and his constant banging on a drum, and I can't say I can blame the poor dog.
If you are interested in adopting this or any dog, please complete the Adoption Questionnaire on our website www.hongkongdogrescue.com (under Adopt).

Thurs 10th May: The great TNR debate fails again

The Legco report on the TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return) was so predictable it's hardly worth glancing at. Apparently TNR doesn't work, even though volunteers who have been busy catching, desexing and releasing stray dogs in their own time and at their own expense know very well that it does.  If you showed these AFCD civil servants a black dog they would be happy to swear it was white if that's what they were required to do. AFCD Press release -- https://www.legco.gov.hk/…/pap…/fseh20180508cb2-1318-3-e.pdf

It's not the dogs' fault that people can be so blinded by the obvious, but it's always the animals that pay the price.  The puppies and adult dogs that I take are the lucky ones, but they should never have been born.  Nobody wants these dogs and there are already far too many, but once again the government have rejected the sensible option based on two unreliable trials instead of the obvious fact that if you desex dogs they can't have any more puppies.  It's incredibly frustrating to have seen TNR being used successfully, to know that the volunteers that are doing it are being prosecuted rather than praised, and then to read this utter rubbish report.

There's one place where TNR needs to be carried out and it's the Chai Wan Cemetery, an area where dogs are breeding like proverbial rabbits and churning out litter after identical litter.  I took five more Chai Wan Cemetery puppies out of AFCD today, all predictably with tick fever, and all looking exactly the same as the others now at our Tai Po Homing Centre from previous litters.  Taking away the puppies that have already been born achieves nothing, it's the adults who need to be trapped and desexed.

Volunteer Harryn has been providing the photos of the move

Moving on to the subject of moving, the final stage of the relocation of the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre took place today, and we are now fully and officially at 5 Wai Fung Street.  Don't worry if you turn up at our Main Street address by mistake, as we're just a few minutes walk away now.

The lake is for the dogs to swim in

The weather is clearing in readiness for our big outdoor event on Lamma on Saturday, and we have a good number of sign-ups for the day's adventure.  I will be there of course, though sadly without Diamond who I know would have loved to join.  Instead I'm going to enjoy seeing lots of ex-and current HKDR dogs having the time of their lives, and I can't wait.

Remember to pack a picnic and a blanket to sit on, and to take away everything when you leave.  The site is a place of great natural beauty and that's how we need it to stay.

Weds 9th May: Looking good for Saturday

I have been watching the weather forecasts for the past few days with Saturday's Lamma Adventure Day in mind, and I'm relieved to see that the sun will be back for the weekend, with maybe just a couple of morning showers.   I don't know about anywhere else but here on Lamma the wind has been really strong and I was worried about the ferry ride for those who aren't used to being on a boat, but it will be fine.

It's going to feel strange going to the new Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, for a while at least.  In fact it's more convenient in many ways, being closer to the dog park and having the office and adoption section in the same building, and visitors will be far more comfortable with the extra space allocated too.  I wonder which dog will be the first to be adopted from there?

The move to our new Centre will be completed on Thursay

We have so many amazing dogs at our Tai Po Homing Centre, and I'm reminded of them when I see them appear on our HKDR Facebook page.  Ora is today's post, and you will not find a sweeter, kinder or better dog anywhere.  Her story is that she was found by someone on the street in a weak condition and taken home for a while, but the landlord didn't allow dogs. 

Ora is an exceptional dog in every way

Ora came to HKDR via AFCD, and even at the Government Kennels she was very popular with the staff.  Who knows her background or where she originally came from, but she has had pups, that much we can see, and it appears she has been well treated as she loves humans.  Who will give this girl a chance to show that love?  Ora is one of those exceptional dogs whose intelligence and wonderful character shines through and it's a waste that she isn't with a family.

Tues 8th May: Almost there

The move to the new Ap Lei Homing Centre is almost complete and by this weekend you will have to go to 5 Wai Fung Street instead of 21 Main Street to meet or walk the dogs.  This address will also become our new official mailing address, taking over from the Aberdeen Marina Tower office, which has been my own personal mailing address for about thirty years.

Green Dogs moved to the new Red Dog area for the night

For today the "Green Dogs" (the easy ones) that have been living downstairs at Main Street moved to the "red dog" pens at Wai Fung Street, just because the air conditioners were relocated so it would have been too hot and stuffy during the night.  On Wednesday those "Green Dogs" will shift to the front half of the new Centre while the "Reds" will be at the back, and the staff and volunteers will be sorting out and packing the shelves with all of the toys, leash and harness sets, shampoos and accessories, and the Homing Centre move will be complete.

One Ap Lei Chau puppy that didn't have to make the move to the new Centre was Lyra, as she went to a foster home and will hopefully never return.

How the puppies love to snuggle (Lyra front left)

At Tai Po we took in a new three year-old Doberman, a poor emaciated boy who will become our third resident Doberman.  There are obviously breeders busy churning out these large-sized dogs who are totally unsuitable for the majority of Hong Kong's small homes.  At least they are all good natured and easy dogs to handle, while the Malinois breeders should, in my opinion, be stopped completely.  As a breed the Malinois is used by the police because of their intelligence, stamina and fearlessness, and they don't in general make good family pets.   In fact there are very few homes that would suit this breed, and I know there are many Malinois in shelters that will never be adopted.

Poor skinny Doberman boy

2 year-old Harry is friendly with people

Luckily the young Malinois, Harry, that came to us on Monday is a friendly boy, although we wouldn't suggest homing him with cats or small dogs.