Tues 6th Feb: Seal and Lamma

It’s nice to know that my blog is being missed, and I hope that the technical hitch that has been preventing publication as usual can be sorted out soon. If you’re reading this you have already discovered that you can still access the blog via the HKDR Facebook page, but not everyone is a Facebook user.

Dear Seal, a lot of people care about you in case you don't know

I thought today’s Acorn visit would be a fairly quick and routine one of puppies being vaccinated and a senior lady, Madge, having a health check before moving to a foster home, but it turned out to be anything but. There were a couple of small-sized tag-alongs from Ap Lei Chau that took longer than anticipated to attend to, so while I was waiting I took paralysed puppy Seal out of his cage so he could at least do more than just lie there. Of course I had to carry him but he was so happy to have some company, and when you suddenly find yourself immobile as a previously boisterous pup it must be awful. I couldn’t explain to him that it was pointless putting him on the ground (which is what he wanted) because he can’t even stand, and by the time I left the clinic I was feeling quite depressed and stressed with the worry and sadness about Seal. Putting him back in his cage was hard for me, but for him it was a lot worse. He was so desperate for me not to leave him but I had no choice. I hope that Wednesday’s MRI will show that there’s something operable, but I have been warned that it could be otherwise. I honestly don’t know which is worse, having a previously bouncing and healthy puppy suddenly immobile, or having a puppy die suddenly. What a choice. There have been so many messages posted about Seal, and such generous donations to cover the cost of his surgery, and I want you to know how much this means to me. Thank you, everyone.

This is a very bad photo of a very beautiful young dog

One of my Lamma doglets went for a trial adoption today, and that also added to the stress of the afternoon. Lamma was one of the “Dog Island” orphans, and when I got him he was so young and tiny and without any hint of the very large and beautiful dog he would grow into. He’s also one of the upstairs crowd, the dogs and doglets that much prefer being inside with me than outside playing in the garden. So taking him to Ap Lei Chau to meet his potential adopter, and then sending him off to see how he would cope with life in the “big” world was very hard for me (and again, even harder for him I’m sure). My biggest fear is that he’ll run away when out on a walk and not be able to find his way back. He may be a big boy but he’s still a baby at heart.