Archive for September 29th, 2011

Weds 28th Sept: Another pet shop story

September 29th, 2011 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

As I’m writing this, the wind and rain are battering my house and garden, and there’s not much I can do except try to make sure that everything stays together and the dogs are safe.  Once again the HK Observatory got it wrong, telling us that the likelihood of anything higher than a Signal 3 was remote.  Hah!  I live right on the seafront and the house is in the direct line of the wind, so I’m holding on tight and hoping for the best…….

Sooty: big and black and so hard to get a decent photo of

I spent the morning (back to Wednesday now) trying to get some decent photos of my Lamma dogs.  I don’t think I’m a terrible photographer, but when the subjects won’t cooperate it’s not easy.  In the end I took everyone to the rocks on the seafront and got some shots in while the dogs were distracted.  Finally I have a photo of Big Sooty! (and the rest).

I had wanted to get (my) Tufty to the vet as she has a “fat ear”, and while I usually leave these alone this time it’s causing Tufty some discomfort and has been there too long.  I’ve also got a puppy (Lemon) who has been in hospital and can now be released, but with the wind getting up and my eye very closely on the typhoon signals, I thought it best to get home while I could.  I had only gone over to sign some documents relation to the raffle license application, this being my supposed day off (or at least at home), and thought I could make a quick diversion to Acorn.  Although the weathermen had said there wouldn’t be more than a few showers and a bit of a breeze, we all know better than to believe them – don’t we?

The following stort appeared in the HK Standard, yet another warning about pet shops and of “breedism”.  Do I believe the pit about allergies?  Not a word of it.  In any case, no puppy of three months should still be drinking milk, and as for the cage, please don’t do it!  This particular puppy doesn’t know how lucky it is to have been given up, much like all of the other dogs and puppies that are surrendered for whatever reason.  I got an email from AFCD (in Kowloon) about an almost-eleven year old springer spaniel that was up for re-homing with her (mongrel) puppy.  How sad, and there’s yet another lesson: yes, older dogs can still have puppies and there is really never an age that’s too old for desexing if the dog is healthy enough.

Happy ending to dog tale

Phila Siu

Thursday, September 29, 2011

A fake poodle has found a new home – and a new name, Kiwi.Its new owner, New Zealander Michael Webb, said the puppy is in good health and playing with toys in his Kowloon City home. “Kiwi looks fragile but is in very good health,” Webb said.

The original owner was Karen Wong, who bought the puppy from a Kowloon pet shop last month. She spent HK$9,800 on what she was told was a poodle.

But after a few days Wong became skeptical as the three- month-old canine did not look like a poodle.

She went to a veterinarian only to be told it is a cross between a shih tzu and a Maltese.

Last week, s took the dog – and journalists from the Chinese-language media – to Shop 26A1, Victory Avenue, Ho Man Tin, which refused a refund as the animal was described as a poodle on its birth certificate.

They went to the clinic which provided the certificate and were told it just followed what the puppy dealers said about the breed.

Wong does not want the crossbreed as its fur may trigger an allergy in her child. Her sister who lives with her is also allergic.

The girlfriend of Webb is a close friend of Wong, who gave them the puppy.

Webb said Wong received a lot of criticism from netizens who followed the story on internet forums and YouTube – as the journalists posted videos – with one saying she was cold-blooded to give up the dog because it was of a different breed.

“The dog is so unlucky. Look at the woman’s [Wong] face. She does not even want the dog. No matter what dogs she keeps, the dogs will not be happy,” another said.

“Please do not keep a dog. Every dog has a smell, even poodles. Although the shop is a black store, and has sold you the wrong dog, you will not be a good dog owner,” yet another netizen posted.

Webb said Wong has been crying ever since because of the criticism.

“She is a good person. She gave us the dog free of charge together with a cage, water bottle, milk, treats and dog food,” he said.

Webb, an animal lover, came to Hong Kong from New Zealand five months ago.