Winner for 5 DECEMBER 2011 - Eirwen due to Lesley being a lovely sweetheart. Next draw will now be in January.
Win my new Socktopus book, and enter a draw to win a pair of socks, custom fit and hand knit by yours truly. Help out Hong Kong Dog Rescue by donating to help them rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abandoned dogs. More details here.
After the vet saw Strawberry yesterday, he decided to keep her overnight to make sure she was eating – he was worried about her diarrhea and that she hadn’t put on any weight in a week, plus all her other maladies (paws, tail, nail bed, etc). Needless to say I spent all Sunday and through the night worrying about her and hoping she was going to come out on top.
She showed them how teeny warriors fight their battles and ate half a tin of Recovery at the vets – a special high calorie food for convalescing dogs – enough to reassure the vet that despite some watery poops she’s eating enough to counterbalance the loss. After a mere 24 hours with her, and another 24 hours not with her, I was inordinately happy to see her again. Funny how puppies can wriggle their way into our hearts. When I picked her up she was very vocal with me, talking (perhaps berating me for leaving her?) and rolling onto her back for a belly rub. She’s managed to wolf down another quarter tin of Recovery when I got her home which is fab. She only weights .83 kg, and put on the .03kg last night which is great. She’s now got a great potbelly – which is exactly what she should have. 
When I was picking her up the Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) van pulled up outside the vets and out came 5 dogs that had been rescued from the government pound. You can tell these aren’t wild dogs living in the bush – alot are from pet shops or breeders. There was a shih tzu and an 8 year old pug among the group.
It’s so sad – according to Sally the reason given by owners for surrendering their dog to the government kennels (where I understand if a dog isn’t claimed by their owner in 4 days, they are destroyed) fall mainly into four categories:
1) owners are leaving the country or moving to/already live somewhere dogs aren’t allowed;
2) owners are having/just had a baby;
3) owners have allergies; or
4) the dog is old and/or sick.
I can understand perhaps leaving a pet behind with family or with a good home if where you were moving to was not a good environment for a pet (ie living in the bush with gorillas). But outright abandonment to almost certain death? I just can’t wrap my head around it. Thank goodness for HKDR and other rescue organisations for doing what they do.
I asked the vet what Strawberry’s treatment has cost thus far – with two stays at the vet hospital, special food, antibiotics, worming medicine, etc – and was told that the last week’s vet bills have totted up to $HK1265 (approx £100). Since HKDR started in 2002, it has rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed over 5,000 abandoned dogs. Every one is neutered or spayed, vaccinated & microchipped. It’s a huge undertaking and a big cost. And of course, HKDR being a charity is run entirely on donations.
To help HKDR continue to do the great things it does, it would make my heart swell with joy if my dear readers – knitters, family & friends – could join forces and raise some money for HKDR. The donations page for HKDR is here. There are a lot of affordable levels of donations – ranging from HK$80 (about £6) under “Dog Care” for Rabies Vaccination and Licence, and up to regular monthly donations (all through Paypal). If you do donate, email me AliceATsocktopus.co.uk (replacing AT with @) with the amount, and I’ll keep a running tally on the sidebar. My goal is to raise £500 for HKDR.
As a little enticement, I have 10 copies of my book Socktopus to give away. Every 2 weeks (or more often if there are lots of people donating!) I will do a draw from all the people who have donated (and emailed me) and send out a signed copy of my book to the winner. When we hit the goal of £500, I will do a draw from ALL the names. The prize is a pair of hand knit socks – knit by me, just for the fabulous footsies of the winning name.
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Go white rabbit!
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What a great thing you are doing. Just catching up with your blog, as we are on holiday in Greece. There are so many stray cats here too, we are feeding them daily! The vets are hopefully arriving soon to start neutering. It’s all vountary. Heartbreaking to see all the little kittens, knowing what sort of life is ahead of most of them. I wish I could bring them home!! Mr JK is seriously worried that I might, and will be checking my bags prior to departure!
josiekitten recently posted..A week of knitting WIPs
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I think I see a little addition to your family. Popping over & making a donation right now. Miss you!
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alice Reply:
October 30th, 2011 at 12:42 am
@CaroleNJ/SloKnitR, Miss you too! and thank you!!
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Greetings from Puerto Rico – A big hug to you for helping the dogs of Hong Kong. In Puerto Rico we have a similar problem and it is heartbreaking. An example: I was walking my dog (a rescue and the love of my life – don’t tell hubby!) when a little boy said, “He looks just like the dog my mom left in the mountains!” He said his mom took it farther away the 2nd time after it found its way home the 1st. So many dogs starving, with broken limbs, sick and losing their hair on beaches, streets, and mountains. I foster those I find through our amazing Rincón Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). My holiday gift to self: A donation to the work of HKDR. Hugs to you for your efforts helping our incredible animal friends. Oh yes – other gift to self: 2012 Sock Club!!!
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alice Reply:
December 27th, 2011 at 2:19 am
@Amanda, It’s so sad. I didn’t know this when we moved here but we live right across the street from the government kennels. It makes me sad everytime I look their way, and thankful too as without rescue orgs we would never have had Meimei, and so many would be bereft of the joy a rescue can bring, and the joy we can bring to them! Thank you for the donation, and welcome too to KLC 2012!
Axx
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