Doggy & Ching, The Beginning of Unchain Dog HK

Years ago, Ching, founder of Unchain Dog HK, became Doggy's neighbour. At 13 years old, Doggy lived tethered next to a small concrete hut. Through heat, cold, and storms, he remained chained — sometimes panting from the heat, sometimes soaked from rain. Despite it all, he always greeted people with a gentle smile.

His owner, an 87-year-old woman, initially gave him around 10 hours of freedom daily. But one day, she began chaining him again after dinner, reducing his free time to just 45 minutes. Ching noticed Doggy resisting, and it pained her to watch. When unchained, he would leap with joy — it was clear he longed for freedom.

She spoke to the owner's son, who explained that complaints from neighbors and fear of strangers led them to keep Doggy chained constantly. Though he understood it wasn't ideal, the elderly woman didn't — and often scolded Ching for "interfering".

So Ching shifted her focus to building trust with the elderly woman. Using gentle, reassuring language, she offered to walk Doggy and clean up after him. Slowly, the woman began to understand and Doggy's free time extended to 12–16 hours a day. Their bond grew, and she even shared homegrown fruits and vegetables with Ching.

Sadly, Doggy later became partially paralysed due to age. He was eventually taken to a shelter for care. The elderly woman missed him dearly, so Ching took her to visit — their reunion was deeply moving. Doggy passed away in April 2025. May he rest peacefully.

Everyone Can Be a Volunteer

Older generations didn't mean to harm their dogs — they simply lacked awareness. But dogs need more than food and shelter. They need connection, care, and freedom.

Doggy was not the only chained dog in Hong Kong — and certainly not the worst off. That's why  Ching started Unchain Dog HK — to raise awareness and encourage people to take the first step: speak with dog owners and become the first person to help. See the Doggy unchain video here on Instagram.