Thurs 16th Feb: A reminder about puppies on ‘Stanley Saturday’

For some reason (although my technical ignorance is well known), the short video clip of puppy Seal getting up unaided and walking can only be seen on the Acorn Veterinary Hospital’s Facebook page.  This is the latest of a photo and video chronicle of Seal’s sudden paralysis and his subsequent, almost miraculous, recovery.  All that’s needed now to end this lovely story is a photo of Seal with his adopter(s),and although there has been a massive show of support from many, as well as wonderful donations, nobody has actually offered this brave and lovely puppy a home.

Camille is the happiest little dog despite being abandoned by her ex-owners. How could anyone give up someone like her?

I suppose I could understand why a very small peke cross was surrendered to AFCD, even though the now ex-owners said it was because they lived in a No Pets apartment, an obvious lie.  The truth is the poor dog has a smelly, sticky and yeasty skin, something that is treatable, at least controllable.  The dog is the sweetest little thing, so playful and friendly, so I’m sure someone will want to give her a new home.

That big smile sums up Rio's happy and playful nature

The young Japanese spitz I also got out may have been dumped because she is so playful and full of energy.  I can’t think of any other reason for such a lovely dog being abandoned, and at only a year old too.  People pay money for these puppies, so why not donate to us instead and get themselves down to Toys’R'Us.  I’m sure they have some lovely realistic dogs and cats that require aboslutely no effort at all except for the occasional dusting.

Gala is one of my Lamma-based whiskery-faced dogs and I love this look

To make space at our Ap Lei Chau Centre for these two new guests, someone had to go and it was Monty, a medium sized boy with one of those whiskery faces that I love.  Although I really don’t like moving dogs round, especially when they have settled in their temporary ‘home’, I think Monty will enjoy Tai Po once he’s found his feet.

The dogs at Ap Lei Chau seem to really enjoy having the company of so many friends

It’s reassuring to know that our dogs are happy with their rather unusual living conditions at both of our Centres.  As scary as it is for them at first, once they have had some time to adjust they seem to like being with other dogs and having the attention of the volunteers that walk them.  Of course there are some that really find it hard and those are the candidates for fostering, but in general it’s fair to say that having so many dog friends to play with and unlimited access to toys (at Ap Lei Chau anyway, where the displays are regularly raided) makes for a happy life.  Not as happy as the right home though, but good enough until then.

In case you don’t know about it yet, I’m now going to Stanley every Saturday afternoon with a few younger puppies needing homes.  You’ll find me and my small charges at Pacific Pets from 2pm to 5pm, and if you don’t know where that is it’s on the main road, just along a bit from the turning for Stanley Market.

I don’t know if this story made the local news but a total of seven hundred and eighty nine snakes were found washed up in plastic containers on a Lantau beach, obviously being smuggled from somewhere to somewhere else.  They had a market value of  up to eight hundred thousand dollars (!) but are now soup, or something.  Even if you don’t like snakes (and I do) , I felt so sorry for these poor creatures, victims just like the dogs whose lives are treated so casually.  The only good thing to say is that the smugglers didn’t make any money out of their booty, but I’m sure some other snake merchants did.

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