Sun 25th July: Quite a day

Sports puppies in their foster home

It was really quite a day today.  After weeks of frustration and worry about the lack of puppy adoptions at Whiskers’n’Paws, the dam finally burst and there were eight lucky ones heading off to start their new lives.  The “Sports Litter”, nine of them in total with names like Squash, Cricket, Tennis etc, have grown into wonderful characters, being both very cute and really sweet natured.  They won the hearts of enough potential adopters that I almost sold out.  I had to stay an hour over time to do it, with one adopter turning up just as I was about to leave, but it’s worth it.

Did this great front page story help?

Frisbee the French bulldog was also formally adopted during the afternoon, so I think I can chalk that up as part of the day’s tally too.

It was our first Sunday at Kila in Central, a venue that will be a regular adoption spot for small dogs in the future.  By all accounts it was very busy with drinkers and onlookers as well as potential adopters, but in the end it was only George, who had been sent over from Lamma, who actually left for a new home (another one to add to my Lamma score).  Still, I’m sure there will be quite a few follow-ups from the afternoon’s efforts.

Finn joins sheltie Selina, also from HKDR

At Tai Po two more lucky dogs said their farewells:  Trick the golden retriever (who leaves behind his mate, Tracy), and Finn the sheltie, who will be joining another ex-HKDR sheltie.  So all in all, it was quite a day.

I couldn’t miss mentioning something else that could prove to be a turning point in the animal welfare laws in Hong Kong.  I have always said that nothing will happen until the public make their feelings known, rather than leaving it to the groups or organisations to speak on their behalf.  Every person who cares about the dogs (and other animals) needs to stand up and make their voice heard as an individual, and so it was today when a very large crowd protested outside AFCD, the government department responsible for all animal-related matters.  This protest was triggered by the YouTube clip of two dogs being caught by the AFCD dog catchers, but really it was just the culmination of years of frustration and anger about the lack of action by the government, and their foot-dragging about improving the laws and lives of (particularly) dogs in Hong Kong.  I hope that finally those who have the power and authority to do something will realise that the people will no longer sit there quietly and tolerate the killing.

Protesters outside AFCD