Adopting a Dog - The Reality!          你打算領養嗎？

Looking for a puppy?  Come to Whiskers'n'Paws, Horizon Plaza,  every Sunday afternoon between 2pm and 5pm to meet a selection of young pups (click here for details & directions), but please read this first.........

The following adoption criteria may help you decide whether you are able to adopt a dog and the type of dog you should choose.

Please consider the following before thinking about adopting a dog:

• dogs are intelligent animals that have feelings and emotions as well as the obvious basic needs;

• they need your time and your commitment everyday;

• not everyone's living arrangements and/or lifestyle are suitable for adopting a dog.

Please think very carefully before deciding to adopt a dog and please read through the following to help you assess whether or not you are ready:

Do you have enough space? 

Dogs can live quite happily in apartments but you need to be realistic about the size of the home and the size of the dog.  Please check that your building allows pets, particularly dogs, as many don’t. You should also check that your landlord allows dogs - we have seen many cases where the building allows dogs, but the landlord doesn't. Please ensure you have this in writing!

How much exercise can you give a dog?

Do not get an active dog if you cannot give it enough exercise. Many small breeds are very energetic and require much more exercise than large or giant breeds. All dogs, regardless of size or age, need to be taken out for walks three times a day with at least one of those being a good exercise walk, that is, long enough that the dog is tired when it gets home. As a rough guide, most dogs need 45-60 minutes exercise every day. 

Will the dog have company during the day? How much time do you spend away from home?

Dogs are social animals that need companionship as well as the basics like food, water and shelter. Many dogs are abandoned because of behaviour problems such as barking and being destructive, both of which are signs of boredom and loneliness. Please consider how long your dog would be left alone on a "normal day" and look for ways to reduce this time. Many people have domestic helpers who can spend time with their dog's, but you can also consider hiring a dog-walker to exercise your dog when you are away from the home.

Do you have the time and patience to train a dog?

HKDR wants our dogs to become a part of your life and your family and we want to ensure that you are prepared for this lifestyle change. All dogs love attention - dogs that are ignored and left to their own devices (such as being left alone all day or shut away in a room on their own) will become bored, depressed and suffer mental (and also often physical) problems. We provide training opportunities for you, your family and your dog to ensure that everyone understands what is required to make the transition as smooth as possible. Please remember that all issues can resolved with patience and understanding.

Are you prepared for the mess?
Dogs are dogs. They usually have fur that sheds every year. They may pick up fleas and ticks. They go to the toilet, get bad breath, wind, and all the other things that might be socially unacceptable in human company! Unlike most humans, they have no inhibitions, so you may need to be ready for this. Training for you, your family and your new dog will help everyone understand what is happening, and why!

If after reading this you still want to help save a dog's life and give it another chance, please either:

1. Complete our adoption questionnaire by clicking here OR;

2. Contact: adoption.admin@hongkongdogrescue.com (English)  chinese.adoptions@hongkongdogrescue.com (Chinese) or Phone 64623248 (Clio) OR;

3.  If you wish, you may download our Adoption Questionnaire (Microsoft Word document) and return it as an attachment to your email. (You can save it first to your hard drive, and then attach to your email).

Adoption Questionnaire in English (Return to adoption.admin@hongkongdogrescue.com)

Adoption Questionnaire in Chinese (Return to chinese.adoptions@hongkongdogrescue.com)

After reviewing the responses on your questionnaire we can then recommend the dog(s) which would be most suitable for you and your home and/or family. You may already have seen a dog on our website which you are interested in, or you may be just looking for advice and suggestions. We try our best to match the dog with the right home so that both sides are happy.