Buster is a small(-ish) English Mastiff http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/mastiff.htm and a foundling. Regarding his origin, there is little to go on. In 2004 a ghostly apparition of a big dog appeared in and around the village of Ko Tong Ha Yeung. Folks would see him as he bolted back into the undergrowth away from any staring eyes. Clearly a pitiable sight and in need of immediate care, some villagers would leave food out for him. Others would hear him padding around the houses in the dead of night and hear him lapping up water. His injuries were beginning to get the better of him and his emaciated form was slowing. He seemed desperately in need of food and veterinary care, but would not let anyone near him.
Bill and Jean Campbell, who lived in our house in Ko Tong Ha Yeung before us, eventually managed to win his trust. They left food out for him, each day closer to the house. It took weeks, but eventually he got close enough for them to reach out and one day he simply 'let himself be taken'. It was only then that the true extent of his condition was assessed.
He had two large wounds, exacerbated through screw worm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_worm, one under his tail and the other on his leg. He also had a severe case of heartworm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartworm which had also weakened him. The Campbells looked after him outside on the ground floor balcony and he seemed to settle. He slowly began to gain weight and the trips to the vets courtesy of other villagers Karen and Craig Ramsay meant he could be treated. Buster did not enjoy this trip and urinated in the back of their jeep, the pungeant fragrance of which never quite departed.
The village organised a fund raiser for Buster's veterinary bills and they began looking for an owner (the Campbells were shortly to depart for Australia). Karen Ramsay worked with Brenda at the Sarah Roe School and knew that in England we had an Irish Wolfhound. Brenda asked me and I hesitated, knowing that a viewing could only mean a 'yes'.
Eventually I went to the fundraising barbeque. This was Ko Tong Ha Yeung village at its' best: kids and dogs running everywhere, lots of beer and friendly faces. I gingerly approached this large, mournful beast behind the bars of the balcony. I don't know who was more afraid -he or I! I delicately patted him on his head and retreated my un-savaged arm. I let myself believe he was not in the least bit scary or threatening. He needed someone with experience of a big dog. How many people in Hong Kong fit the bill? How long would it take before anyone else came along? It had to be us. It had to be.
Brenda and I later chatted to the Campbells: If we took him we would have to take their other dog, the ginger villagey Batty. She was not to go until they finally left in May, so we could take on Buster for a few weeks to see how it got on. What was happening to the house in Ko Tong Ha Yeung? Would we like to rent it -of course! Thus, from having nought but a cat, we suddenly added two dogs and a dwelling.
Buster moved back to Sha Tin Heights with us. He was terrified of everything, but particularly scared of newspapers, sticks, umbrellas, flashlights, cameras, Chinese voices (but not Philippinas!?) and it has taken years for him to relax in the presence of these. Even now, he cannot abide flashing lights or lightning. He was also desperate for water -any water at all- and would drink as much as he could as quickly as he could as many times as he could on walks.
You may surmise his background from those points. Why did he fear those things? Why was he so desperate for water? Why would anyone abandon him in the country park? Someone knows those answers. I hope I never meet them.
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