Sai Kung Stray Friends has won permission from the Town Planning Board to build new kennels at Tin Liu, subject to safety and environmental conditions.
“We’re definitely on our way now, which is wonderful,” Founder Narelle Pamuk said. Three professional groups have come forward to help. An architect, landscaping architect and a drainage consultant will draw up plans and specifications for the new kennels to meet official requirements.
Meanwhile, the existing kennels high in the hills above Ho Chung have shrunk. The 85 dogs now housed there used to have big grassed exercise areas. Visitors saw dogs racing around in the sun playing games together. That’s gone now.
Narelle said the landlord insisted SKSF buy the land or rent it. She said they couldn’t pay, so the dogs’ main exercise areas have been fenced off. About 7000 sq ft of concrete shelters are left.
Keeping the dogs comfortable in the summer is a battle. “It so hot. We’ve got two air conditioners and 20 fans are coming. This will make it fine.”
“Because we are called a foundation, people think we are a big outfit,” Narelle said. “We’re not. It’s just me and two girls and a donor who does as much as she can.”
She asks for volunteers. “Anyone is welcome between 11 and 4. We need people two days a week to give the girls a day off.” Dog walkers are wanted too to get the animals out in the fresh air away from the hot shelter.
As usual SKSF needs donors. The current site costs $52,000 a month in rent alone and the rent for the new site is paid only to December. It’s a much more reasonable $15,000. Then there’s all the other osts, food, vet bills, salaries… Narelle said, “It’s killing me.”
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