Mongrel is a primitive dog breed in China, especially in the Guangdong Province. Mongrel is very common in Hong Kong, and is usually stereotyped as ‘stray dogs’, ‘low-end breed’ and ‘guard dogs of construction sites’. With the advancement of civilization and the equality movement, Mongrel enjoys a higher social status. Some organisations even introduce Mongrels as assistant dogs.

Seven-year-old Mongrel ‘Taxi Wong’ was a stray dog when he was a puppy. He lost his right front leg in a car accident. Fortunately, he was later adopted by Rebecca, the founder of Mongrel Club and had a new life. ‘Taxi Wong’ recently joined the Animal-assisted Humane-education Programme and became an assistant dog. There are currently 9 assistant dogs and the Programme has shown significant progress. Dr Paul Wong, a clinical psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, the University of Hong Kong, initiated the Programme and said, ‘This programme gives opportunities to children to love animals. Some of them even change their perception of dogs and are no longer afraid of interacting with them.’ Rebecca believes that the Programme helps dispel bias on Mongrels. She is also happy to see that society is less discriminative against Mongrels.

Source: Hong Kong Animal Post

Editor’s Note: The World Dog Alliance (WDA) believes all dogs are born equal, and no dog breed is more valuable than another. Mongrels have been discriminated against in society. It is time to abandon pedantic mindsets! Whilst the Animal-assisted Humane-education Programme allows children to get to know Mongrels, it has raised the social status of the breed. This is very meaningful as a kind of animal welfare education. The WDA is currently calling for animal welfare education to be adapted into the standard curriculum, thereby installing the concept of animal protection into children’s mindset in class.