Thousands of dogs are destroyed by the government’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department every year, many of them abandoned family pets, or puppies born to pets or strays that haven’t been desexed.

To save these dogs, Sally Andersen founded Hong Kong Dog Rescue in 2003. After being rescued, dogs live at one of two homing centres or at foster homes.

The organisation also makes efforts through adoption events to help find dogs permanent homes. To better educate the public on dog welfare, HKDR opened an Education and Training Centre in 2013 that hosts various workshops and classes.

There’s also the Positive Partners Dog-Human Training Course, which focuses on promoting better understanding and communication in dog owners, rather than on just training dogs.

How To Help?

Make one-off or monthly donations from HK$50 to HK$1,000; join the Life Saver Club to sponsor a particular dog (HK$200, HK$500 or HK$1,000 per month for a minimum of 12 months); volunteer as a dog walker or foster carer; or volunteer with your company, school or other group. The organisation also runs fundraising events and raffles.