Getting Back in Gear

I have been neglecting this blog for quite sometime - without any good reason accept that I really have not been motivated to write.

A few months ago I promised myself that I would get back to maintaining this site. This promise was made after I received an adoption inquiry from a woman in Hong Kong who was interested in a little Doxie that we had in rescue at the time.

Of course I would never consider sending a little dog across the world when a great adoptive home was waiting somewhere close by - but the inquiry made me curious. Why was this seemingly qualified adopter searching for a dog all the way in Maine? Are there no dogs or dog rescue organizations in Hong Kong?

These thoughts led to a quick Internet investigation.

As it turns out Hong Kong has a terrible overpopulation problem due to a large number of pet stores and puppy mills. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is in charge of strays - which are numerous - as residents tend not to voluntarily spay and neuter - and many, many dogs are just discarded on the streets when people tire of them. The AFCD does not allow private adoptions from its kennel - and most of the dogs are simply held for a reclaim period and then euthanized.

Only a licensed/approved rescue organization is allowed to pull dogs from AFCD of which there are few.

My search then led to Hong Kong Dog Rescue - an incredible rescue organization run by a woman named Sally Andersen. She created this rescue specifically to help save dogs from AFDC.

While browsing through the HKDR website I was overwhelmed by the number of purebred dogs available as well as the number of adorable mutts. It is clear that this rescue is in over its head with numbers of dogs that need help - but have created a strong support system for themselves in the community.

I referred the Hong Kong resident who inquired about our Doxie to HKDR. I was amazed that when she replied that she did not know this rescue existed, as it is obvious that Sally, the founder, spends every a great deal of time trying to make the public aware of her kennel and the plight of the Hong Kong strays. Hopefully my referral helped one dog find a home - as the adopter seemed genuine and thoughtful.

As part of my investigation into the life of dogs in Hong Kong, I started to read Sally's Blog (http://hkdr.wordpress.com/) - all about her daily stuggles and victories working to save these dogs. I am now addicted to her Blog, which somehow she manages to maintain daily. All I can figure after reading all of her blog entries is that Sally must never sleep!

Anyway - this long story ends with my realization that I need to make more of an effort to maintain my own blog and to share the victories and heartbreaks that occur in my own daily efforts to save dogs.

Thank you Sally for waking me up!