Dog Walker Sandy But
If you’re a dog lover and would like to spend some quality time with the animals in the countryside, Sandy But has a good suggestion. She’s a dog walker of the Society for the Abandoned Animals and comes to their headquarters in Yuen Long to walk the dogs every Saturday.
HK Magazine: The animal shelter in Yuen Long is in the middle of nowhere! Why do you come all the way out here to walk the dogs?
Sandy But: I first learned about the organization from an advertisement in a magazine a few years ago. I always wanted to come here and have a look but I didn’t until two years ago. At first, I was a bit overwhelmed by how many dogs they have here, and at that time the society was quite new so everything was a bit disorganized. But once I understood more about their policy of not putting down animals unless absolutely necessary, I decided to become a volunteer here because they have more than a hundred dogs and they need a lot of manpower to attend to them.
HK: Why do dogs here need more care than other pets?
SB: Many have been abandoned by their masters, and some have even suffered abuse, so they’ve lost faith in man. I feel like we should care for them so they can be comfortable around humans again. Most of the abandoned dogs are mongrels and although people might think they’re more independent and not as cute as some purebreds, deep down their natures are the same. They need a lot of love, too. Taking them for a walk on regular basis is crucial because it’s how we help integrate them into society. If they stay away from the outside world for too long, they start to feel more and more inferior, which makes it harder to find them a new home.
HK: Do you walk a few dogs at the same time?
SB: No, each walker attends to one dog only, but we go out as a team. We walk for 5-10 minutes, and then we have to come back to walk another dog. We also have to make sure that we don’t take out dogs that dislike each other, otherwise they will fight. But even if they’re friends or have an OK relationship, we have to make sure that there’s enough space for each of them, otherwise they might fight each other.
HK: Can anyone volunteer to be a dog walker?
SB: Anyone who’s above 16 can apply. They have to become a member of the Society, and then attend a training class, which will include the basic knowledge you need for dog walking, like how keep control of your dog. Then once they pass an exam, they’re ready to walk. Some of the animals are so nervous that they won’t even step out of the compound, probably because they’re haunted by memories of being abandoned. But after a while, when you’ve been with them long enough, they’ll gradually relax and accept you. That makes me really happy.