Pet Parents 🐶🐰😄
Sai Wan is home to pets of all kinds - Get to know some of them in this column.
If you want your dog, cat, rabbit, bird or other animal to be featured, write to us at info@localhood.org and our team will get in touch.
---------------------------------
Cindy, the Tiger mom and her feline kids 🐯🐯
Pic 1: Chloe on the left and Enzo with his pointed ears, on the left
Being a Mother takes something special. Patience, love and selflessness which makes the time and commitment poured into your loved ones super rewarding. We all know someone who possesses those qualities, even if they may not have children themselves: Nurturing this special bond with human children or with their fur babies.
The way Cindy talks about her dogs is testament to how she feels about them; a guardian and a provider.
Chole is her first. An adorable rottweiler who has been with Cindy ever since she was a puppy. Chloe stumbled into Cindy’s life quite unexpectedly. Initially intended to be a gift for her partner’s friend, Chloe became a long term resident.
Once it was decided that the puppy would stay, Cindy took to the internet to research all she could, as a mother would do when expecting a baby. Everything about how to raise a puppy - training and socialisation was arranged, beds, food and collars bought. All the while she was also very conscious of the difficulties and preconceptions of raising a rottweiler. Through her research and experiences with Chloe, she learned that rottweilers are actually ‘so loyal, so loving’ so long as you give them the proper discipline.
Pic 2: Cindy with Chloe (front) and Enzo (back)
Cindy also discovered that this breed is very prone to cancer, particularly due to a poor diet. Because of this, Chloe’s health is of utmost importance.
To avoid the nasties in processed kibble, Chloe gets the fed a raw diet of meat and bone of a quality fit for human consumption. Cindy carefully weighs out a varied diet of offal and raw bones from different animals each evening. Although it sounds expensive, in the long run Cindy believes it to be an investment ‘because you don’t have to pay for vet bills’ and it keeps her loved one healthy.
Now 5 years old, Chloe has had some bumps, ‘just like kids’. When she was 1 year old, she injured her elbow. Cindy arranged all the necessary treatments to get Chloe back to full health, including laser therapy and hydrotherapy. She is dedicated to keeping her Chloe healthy and safe. ‘Once I fell in love with her, I didn’t want to lose her.’
Although Chloe was not a choice, having her has filled a space. ‘I wasn’t aware what was missing, until I had her’. Having no kids of her own, her fur baby has filled Cindy with the ‘nourishment and belonging’ that was unknowingly missing. ‘She made me realise that she was missing in my life’
Pic 3: Cindy with her kids and a friend
Cindy feels a strong sense of sole responsibility for her fur baby. From the very beginning, she felt compelled to be the main caregiver for Chloe; a feeling many mothers go through. She shares a sense of giving everything for another being. ‘I would do anything for this dog’, Cindy says solemnly, ‘I would stand in front of the traffic’ to stop her getting hit. And if ‘tiger mum mode’ is necessary to defend her Chloe, she is up for the fight.
Enzo is the newest arrival. He is an eight year old doberman who she adopted from Hong Kong dog rescue only 8 months ago. Enzo is super active and used to interacting with humans. Initially drawn to him because of similarities to Chloe, Enzo is fast becoming part of the family. Their family is quickly growing and Cindy hopes to fit as many fur babies as she can in a HK-sized apartment!
Pic 4: Hong Kong is our Home: Chloe n Enzo
Chloe is bigger than the younger Enzo, who is younger. They have a special bond akin to that among siblings and have found a balance at home. Enzo and Chloe can look forward to many more years of good health with their wonderful pet mum, Cindy!