Chengdu
‘Animal Ambassadors’ star at event
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Dr Dogs Dodo and Zorro (pictured) were the stars of the show at the Dr Dog event at the Xinhua Wenxuan Book Store in Chengdu in January. Acting as “Animal Ambassadors” the doctors helped promote the event’s key message – “companion animals are our friends not food”. To attract young people to the event, a flash mob was organised and all guests were invited to sign their names on banners and add messages of support to a giant wish card.
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Chengdu
Bringing joy to elderly residents
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Dr Dog paid a special Lunar New Year visit to elderly residents in the Shuijingfang community in Chengdu. To mark the festive season, volunteers prepared a traditional New Year dinner and put up spring couplets with good wishes for the coming year. Our furry Dr Dog volunteers lifted the resident's spirits by proving that they could be excellent helpers too – carrying vegetables back from the market and even helping to wash the dishes.
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Guangzhou
New Year fun for old and young
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In Guangzhou, Dr Dog joined up with Baoyuzhi Experimental Primary School to organise a Lunar New Year visit to elderly neighbourhood residents. Enthusiastic young students from the Haizhu district performed songs and dances, while our special Dr Dogs, Dr Didi, Dr Miki and Dr Zhuzhu (pictured here), befriended the elderly and brought smiles to everyone’s faces. Volunteers from both the YMCA and the “Information Times” newspaper were also on hand, and their help ensured that everyone involved had a great day.
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Guangzhou
Student reporters interview volunteers |
Professor Paws was invited by “Counselor” magazine in Guangzhou to take part in a fun educational programme to teach school children the importance of caring for animals. Four Professor Paws volunteers happily obliged and were interviewed by 70 student reporters in a fun role-playing game. The game proved to be a great way for the children to learn how to make friends with dogs and to find out about the Professor Paws and Dr Dog programmes at the same time.
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Hong Kong
Care Cadets compete in fun challenge
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In February, the Care Cadet Challenge 2012 saw over 100 primary school students navigate their way around the grounds of Hong Kong International School (HKIS) to complete a series of tasks and test their skills as Care Cadets. With the help of Dr Dogs Coco, Lily, Rocky and Baby, students worked in teams of five, collecting points for tackling and learning skills such as how to feed, brush and approach a dog correctly. After the challenge, students were rewarded with a special training demonstration by the clever canines of the Hong Kong Poodle Club.
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Hong Kong
Quiz time at school open day
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Volunteers from Dr Dog and Professor Paws were invited to attend the Kei Wai Primary School Open Day in Tsuen Wan in March. To help them learn the importance of respect and compassion for animals, students were given worksheets and quizzed on their knowledge of moon bears. Our volunteer team proved a big hit, with students and parents forming a huge line that wrapped all the way around the room just for the chance to meet our devoted dog volunteers.
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Hong Kong
Bilingual sessions help win hearts
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The Professor Paws programme in Hong Kong held its first Cantonese language Care Cadet session for students at the Sau Po Family Service Centre in March. With the help of our bilingual teaching volunteers, the students were guided through some important rules on how to behave around dogs, including the safest way to approach an animal for the first time. Although some of the younger students were initially quite reserved with our doggy professor, by the end of the session participants and parents alike were showering him with friendly pats and hugs.
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Shenzhen
Special visit for extra-special children
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Special-needs children had a fun time meeting our Dr Dogs at the Shenzhen City Volunteers U Station in February – thanks to the social workers from Xin’an Street Social Worker Union who helped to organise the event. The tail-wagging doctors brightened up the day for these very special children who were keen to make friends and learn all about the Dr Dog programme. The U Station’s prime location – in front of a shopping mall in the busy Bao’an district – ensured that our furry volunteers attracted a lot of attention from passers-by, who were keen to find out what all the cheerful commotion was about.
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Chengdu
Our dog hero: Dr Dudupi
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Dudupi joined the Dr Dog programme in 2008 and made an impression straight away with his adorable pug face and his gentle nature. Accompanied by his guardian, Ms He Dan, and wearing his bright red “Dr Dog” scarf, Dr Dudupi visited many nursing homes, autistic children’s institutions and orphanages, making friends everywhere he went.
One of Dudupi’s biggest fans was Grandma Wu, who loved the furry doctor like a grandson. The affection was mutual – even after Grandma Wu passed away, loyal Dudupi would still go to “her room” to look for her. A true star of the Chengdu Dr Dog team, Dudupi was invited to attend the Asia for Animals Conference as an honoured guest in 2011, along with nine other special dog volunteers.
In March 2012, Dr Dudupi was diagnosed with cancer but was able to make one last visit to the SOS Children’s Village in March before he passed away peacefully at the age of 13. We are very grateful to Ms He Dan for bringing this beautiful dog into the programme. Dr Dudupi will be remembered as our little dog hero – an affectionate character who brought joy and laughter to many people’s lives.
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Paw prints
January–March 2012 |
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Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu
Dr Dog: 22 visits reaching 1,046 people
Professor Paws: 7 courses reaching 530 students
Hong Kong
Dr Dog: 49 visits to 28 organisations reaching 928 people
Professor Paws Care Cadet visits: 11 visits to 3 schools reaching 130 students
Professor Paws educational presentations: 18 presentations at 16 schools reaching 1,522 students
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To read more about our work to help cats and dogs, and to sponsor a Dr Dog or Professor Paws visit in China, please click here.
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