Here is Suni’s story as written by her new mom Pam:
Hello friends, my name is Suni – many of you know me as the Museum Dog, and my picture was up on the L.L. website for a while. Recently I was adopted by Pam, an eccentric American lady who first saw my story and picture on this website. A few weeks ago, she made plans to visit me at the Science Museum in Daejeon, where I had been staying in a shed for months. I was found roaming the parking lot in the summertime, and my previous owner was a shady character who had some unscrupulous plan for my life. Thank goodness, the handymen at the museum, along with Mrs. Yun, took me in, and kept me fed and cared for as best they could - but it was no place for a little girl – especially as winter was approaching. My days were numbered at the museum, anyway, because just weeks before my new Mom came to rescue me, there was word that inspectors would come by - and if they saw me there, who knows what would have been my fate.
With the help of Annie, Mrs. Yun, and Lisa Marie, my Mom was able to get me home to Busan – it was my first time on the KTX train, and pretty scary for a girl who’s never been outside the gates of a museum! When I came home, Mom realized how dirty I was. I was lathered up in the shower, dried, fed, and shown my cozy new surroundings on the first night – it seemed too good to be true! I was a little unsure at first, but as the days passed, and I took regular walks around my neighborhood, I got a lot more confident. I know exactly where to do my business, where the food is kept, and what it means when Mom holds up my leash. I even learned some English commands! Now, I am really a bi-lingual dog. Mom has taught me “stay”, “no”, “come”, and “lay down” so far. Mom says I am very smart dog. One of my favorite things to do is chill out with Mom while she writes. I lean into her with my head on her arm, and it’s pretty comfy, indeed.
Over a week ago, I was spayed. Boy was I scared, and it was awful leaving my new home for a few days – but believe me, when it was all over, I was relieved. I had to wear a confounded halo until things were all healed up. But looking back, the vets were actually pretty cool! I am starting to like people more. For some reason, little old ladies think I’m cute, and they call to me. I think I look funny with my big black ears, but Mom says they’re cute, just like my personality.
I feel a little spoiled, actually, and I’m a bit embarrassed – Mom bought me a bunch of new clothes and toys. My favorites are my red pillow and my California parka. It’s all so overwhelming, and I’ll always remember my humble beginnings. I’ll remember, too, the good people who shielded me as best they could from harm, and kept me fed and sheltered until I found my forever home. Thanks everybody! I hope Mom brings me by to visit soon.
Your friend,
Suni
Let’s hope we hear more stories like hers!
Thank you Pam!
UPDATE Nov. 14th: Dengyi’s situation has been resolved, a foster home is no longer needed.
Pukka writes:
Yoonsun’s father decided to let the dog stay until she gets married in a few months. We really appreciate all the people who offered to help & we are not 100% sure but are hopeful that the situation has been resolved. Thanks to all!
PREVIOUS MESSAGE:
Dengyi is looking for a foster home/ babysitter. Can you help? This letter was sent to me today by Tim:
This is Dengyi, a little 2 year old chihuahua kindly adopted from the Daejeon dog shelter last week.
Dengyi has settled in well with the adopter and the resident chihuahua, however, she unfortunately cries loudly when she is left in the bedroom while the new owner goes to work (the adopter lives with her parents and they won’t allow Dengyi to run around the apartment when she is not home). We don’t think crying will be a problem if Dengyi is left in a larger area (eg. a whole apartment).
As a result, the parents have said they do not like the noise and have given her a week to find a new home for Dengyi or they will send her back to the shelter.
We desperately need a foster home for Dengyi while the woman and her fiancee arrange their own accommodation and she can move out of her parents’ apartment. She will rent a dog-friendly apartment and take Dengyi back as soon as possible.
Dengyi has lived her whole life at the shelter (she was born there) and we really want to prevent her being sent back now that she has finally had a glimpse of life outside a greenhouse filled with 200 dogs.
CONTACT INFO:
If you think you can help or would like to meet Dengyi please write or call one of the following people:
Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man’s own advantage.
~Sri Aurobindo
As human beings we often forget about the uniqueness of other animals. In fact, we sometimes take for granted our own unique personalities. Dogs, cats, cows, pigs, birds and rats all have similar qualities that human beings have. Not only can animals feel pain, happiness, hunger, thirst, depression when a loved one had died, anxiety when separated from a loving home, shyness when meeting a new animal and jealousy when more attention is paid to the competitors, but also, animals feel and express gratitude.
Saturday morning I joined fellow animal lovers in helping Mrs. Jung , a lady who singlehandedly runs the dog shelter, take care of her many dogs. In the last month 30 dogs have been either fostered or adopted, however, there are still too many left, all of whom have an uncertain future. We arrived on the property in the morning. The greenhouse which houses the dogs smells not unlike a factory farm I volunteered at in Belgium, though less severe, in comparison. (more…)
URGENT! MUCH HELP NEEDED! Please do what you can, if only spreading the word that an enormous amount of help is needed quickly.
The animal shelter in Daejeon which houses around 200 dogs is being forced to close by the end of October. The shelter has has had several warnings in the past that the land it’s operating on is not designated to be used for this number of animals, but finally a deadline has been set for the end of this month. Here is a past article about the shelter.
All the dogs must be removed from the property before then, or they will face an uncertain and precarious future. They will be sent to the kill shelters run by the municipal district offices, which are not capable of handling this number of animals at once.
Let’s work as hard as possible to avoid a mass euthanasia scenario. The dogs range in size from little chihuahua to Jindo type. There are various pure breeds and many mixes and the large majority have been sterilized already. They all deserve a chance to live. Please help!
What is needed:
Foster homes!
If you can spare some space in your apartment for a furry friend in need, now is the time.
Donations!
Help cover the cost of basic vetting, so foster parents don’t have to cover everything.
Networking!
If you know anyone who might be able to foster, or a vet clinic who could take even one dog, please contact them and find out if they can help ASAP.
Transportation!
Do you have a car? Spare a day and volunteer to transport a couple animals to new, safe places to live.
Tim is organizing visits to the shelter every Saturday in October.
Contact: Tim Vasudeva (Seoul)
Email: tim.vasudeva AT gmail.com
Mobile: 010 8940 5233
View picturesof the dogs who need your help:
All are welcome to join Annie and friends on the next volunteering trip to the Daejeon animal shelter. For more information and to sign up, please visit the forum.
Thank you to Tim Vasudeva, an animal rescuer in Seoul, for sharing yet another in a long list of success stories. Most recently, Tim found a home for Peanut, an abused Shih-tzu in Itaewon. Peanut is now excited to be living with a very nice American man who is able to take her to work with him! If that weren’t joy enough, Peanut’s new home comes complete with KIDS! Fun! All the best to Peanut and her new family!
When people want to help the animal cause, they are faced with many options. We can decide to foster, but we don’t always have the time, money, or room to do so. There is the volunteering option, but the time involvement can also be burdensome at times. Nevertheless, there is still the always useful and easy option: donations!
When our foster families take in some animals, they never know what situation or special condition may arise. These animals need vaccinations and often, sterilization. There are of course the food and litter/pads expenses, but when you accept to foster, you expect those natural needs. However, the families are sometimes faced with tough decisions when a special case involving a large amount of money comes up. The same situation is true for rescuers who are responsible for some animals waiting at clinics. Here is an example of why we are fundraising.
My friend HyeonJu was driving pass a farm 2 weeks ago when she saw a tiny kitty tethered by a very short rope. The poor little girl couldn’t even walk around! My friend decided to buy the kitten from the farmer in order to save her life as she couldn’t stand this awful sight. The kitty was then brought to one of our vets who specializes in cats.
This cutie, I now call Sushi, broke everybody’s heart with her big eyes that fill up the room whenever she looks up. And the scratch over one of her eyes seems to give her this eternally tired look that is so irresistible. Even though she made us believe that she was an ever quiet and shy girl, Sushi now requires her load of attention by meowing again and again from a cage that looks so huge for this poor tiny cat. She is full of energy (explaining the rather blurry picture) and can’t stop playing with the cat at the clinic. Seems like she needs to wear off that time spent on a rope…
I accepted to foster Sushi last week, but the very same day the scratch over her eye turned out to be a tumor. She doesn’t have cancer, it seems to be a simple lump, but still needs surgery before is affects her eye and vision. The delicate intervention implies the removal of the bump under the eyelid. Sushi will then have to stay at the vet for a month to make sure her eye remains clean, and that infection doesn’t find its way. The 1% probability that she loses her eye and the rather big bill that comes with the operation (600,000W- discounted!) didn’t discourage her rescuers, and they decided to help her no matter what. Sushi already found a home for when she recovers, but we now need your help as well.
If you would like to help Sushi or simply support the animal cause, please contact Annie at ansauvage@yahoo.ca
UPDATE September 12th: Pavlov has found a loving home!
Original message:
Pavlov is a young female Jindo mix who was rescued from a dog shelter in Daejeon not so long ago. Unfortunately, the man who adopted her experienced some visa problems and he has had to leave Korea suddenly. He was unable to afford to take Pavlov home with him. Pavlov now needs to find a new home, soon. **FOSTER home options are also welcome as her current foster parent has a full house already.
Tim writes:
When she was rescued from the dog shelter, she was very timid. Now Pavlov is a very happy young dog who gets along well with people and other dogs (she is currently staying with a golden retriever and a shih tzu at Tim’s place). She is fully house-trained and is an energetic girl who loves to go for walks. She is up to date with her immunization shots and my vet says she is in excellent health. She is approximately 5-6 months old.
Tim lives in Itaewon / Hannam-dong. Anyone interested in meeting Pavlov can contact him at tim.vasudeva AT gmail.com or on his mobile 010 8940 5233
Pavlov, scared at the shelter, and then quite happy after being in a home for while:
A privately-run facility in Itaewon rented by Joon Ryu, a Korean woman who has been rescuing animals in Korea for many years, currently has at least 30 cats and kittens waiting to be adopted.
Tim writes:
Because Joon is known for her work with cats, people will regularly ring her when they find lost cats or kittens - she found that she was ending up with so many that she needed a separate place to house them while we try to find adoptive homes for them. The facility is completely funded by Joon out of her own pocket. She has 3 or 4 very generous friends who help her out on a regular basis with feeding the cats and kittens, cleaning litter trays, ensuring their general health is OK, etc. We have had some good success re-homing cats and kittens this year to people who have heard about Joon’s work through word of mouth, but we still have at least 30 cats and kittens at the apartment at the moment who are looking for homes.
Anyone who is interested in adopting a cat or kitten, or who might be interested in helping out periodically as a volunteer can contact Joon on 010 2412 3141, Tim on 010 8940 5233, or Allie on 010 7711 0760. Donations of cash or cat supplies would also be very welcome. *** Contact numbers updated October 20th.
For more photos, please view the Itaewon Kitties album in the photo gallery.
For the most current pics, please go to the rescue organization’s Korean website, Happy Kitten.
Human: “Oh look at him. So cute!”
Dog: *GRRR* *SNAP*
Human: “Eowww! Bad dog. That’s a bad dog, put him to sleep”.
An exaggeration? Perhaps. What most people see there is that the dog bit a human and not the reason behind the bite. Here I present you with some ways to avoid a scene like that. Why do dogs snap at strangers? Most people do not cater to the dog’s instincts. The thing with approaching an unfamiliar dog is that it is important to respect their boundaries.
Why do dogs bite/nip:(more…)
Two weeks ago we rescued this little miniature pinscher from a quiet street a few blocks away from my apartment. It was a very very hot day and this little guy was crying. As I had 2 dogs with me, I couldn’t rescue him right away. I brought my dogs home and went back to get him. He was all bones, I could see his ribs and I don’t know how long he had been there, leashed to a tree, poor thing.
At home I gave him a bath and food and he was ready to meet my cats and dogs. We still had Pooja in the house as well, so we had to take the mini pin to the Emart Vet for a check up (bloodtests for heartworm , liver and kidney exam , the usual). It was my birthday when the Vet told me that everything was OK. I couldn’t have a better present than a positive result so I decided the same day to have him neutered.
Today, I am happy to announce that this little fellow of about 2 years and 2 kg went to his new home last Saturday. Alicia and Gino are my friends from Andong, and the only other people who my own miniature pinscher, Pukka, gets along well with. Pukka is the mini pin on the left in Alicia’s arms and Apu (his new name is Peppy) is in Gino’s arms in the picture. I can tell you that every time I have visitors I have to crate my pinscher girl but not for this couple. Like my husband, they have something going on with mini pins!
About Alicia and Gino - they have a pomeranian girl. Her name is Mint. One day they went shopping (3 years ago) and they saw a pomeranian puppy in a fashion shop. They had a chat with the woman from the shop and she said that this puppy had to overnight alone in the shop because her parents didn’t want dogs in the house. Alicia and Gino decided to rescue the pup
from the fashion shop and Mint has lived with this couple since.
Apu (Peppy) has adjusted very well in his new home and Alicia and Gino call me every day to thank me and to tell me how happy they are with the new family member!
Today I have two success stories to share. First of all Sang-gu, the one-eyed shih-tzu who visited my house in July for the “interview that never was” found a loving home with a Canadian man in Asan. Thank you Thomas for adopting this sweet boy, I’m so happy he found a guardian to call his own! Thank you also to Annie and Louise for bringing Thomas to the shelter this weekend. I wish I were there, too.
The shelter trip earlier this August also turned out to be a successful adoption day. Mari, who volunteered to clean the shelter and groom the dogs, fell in love with this sweet Jindo puppy (pictured at the shelter) who had been attacked by another dog and has a scar on his forehead. She found a great home for him with her neighbour. Thanks for posting the photo, Tim.
Here’s an American public service announcement from the organization Dogs Deserve Better denouncing the 24/7 tethering of dogs. What would it take to make a culturally-appropriate, anti-cruelty video in Korea? If you have any ideas where to start, please share.
Three puppies from the Daejeon animal shelter moved to the vet clinic at Emart in Daejeon, thanks to Tim and friends. They are now waiting for adoptive parents to call their own. They are all about 4 months old and have not yet been neutered or spayed but they have received their first puppy shots.
Deva and Devi are siblings, the cream coloured one is male, the white one is female. They do not have to be adopted together. Deva is very timid and lets the other two eat all his food, poor boy. Their mother is a very furry small sized mixed breed who looks identical to formerly-chained King. The brown one is also a female, she was the only one of her litter to survive. Her devoted parents are still living at the shelter.
For more information, email Annie at ansauvage AT yahoo.ca or stop in at the vet clinic at the Daejeon Dunsan Emart.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 10th: Sadly, one of the three puppies has passed away. Deva, the cream coloured male, started showing signs of distemper. To end his suffering, the decision was made to euthanize and he passed away quietly with loving people nearby to make him comfortable. **The other two puppies were promptly checked and tested negative for distemper. They are healthy and sprightly as ever, still available for adoption or foster.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 24th: Devi has moved to a foster home! More pics and details coming soon!
Photos of these sweethearts in The Puppy Album. Thanks for the pics, Annie!
UPDATE: September 20th. Peanut has found a home!
Original message, August 15th:
On Monday, Tim’s good friend Sine found a little dog wandering around a carpark being kicked by the carpark manager. He told Sine that the dog had been hanging around there for a while, he didn’t know who owned her but could Sine please take her and get rid of her.
The vet has checked her out, she is negative for heartworm and seems in very good health. She walks very happily on a leash, is very friendly toward people and other dogs and only goes to the toilet when we take her outside for a walk.
She is currently at a vet in Hannam-dong, but a foster home or adoptive home is urgently needed for her as Tim has 7 cats and a dog at his place at the moment.
Tim lives in Itaewon / Hannam-dong but has a car so could take her to anyone interested in meeting her if they’re not too far. Contact Tim on his mobile at 010 8940 5233 or send an e-mail to tim.vasudeva AT gmail.com.
It’s vacation time and many folks may be off exploring Thailand, Cambodia, Japan and other spots within easy reach of the Korean peninsula. Just thought I’d collect a few useful links on the topic of extending your kindness to animals in foreign lands.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals has compiled some tips on how to be a compassionate traveller, including what to do if you witness cruelty to animals while on vacation.
Phuket Animal Support Group has a sterilization campaign to help control the stray dog and cat crisis on the popular vacation destination in Thailand. If you want to help an animal while you’re in Phuket, contact them.
World Animal Net’s directory lists animal protection societies all across Asia and much of the rest of the world.
Happy Cow will help you find vegetarian food wherever you go.
Don’t forget the Animal Lovers in Korea yahoo group has a list of pet sitters who are willing to take care of your furry companion for a while when you are away.
Finally, IFAW has some important advice for travelling shoppers:
*UPDATE* Pooja has been adopted. Thanks to all who were interested in adopting and who were touched by her story. She will go to her new home today, where she will get all the attention and love she wants and deserves.
Pooja is a wonderful mature dog who we rescued from the street a week ago. She was wandering desperately in the heavy rain, while people kicked and shooed her away. We took her in right away, cleaned her up and brought her to the vet. Here is the info:
She is approx. 8 years old, 3 Kg, not spayed, heartworm positive (we are taking care of the treatment), very healthy kidney and liver function, she had earmites which the vet took care of, she needs teeth scaling (which we will take care of).
We’ve had her with us for a week, and we find her to be an exceptionally sweet and cheerful dog. She is so delighted to be in a comfortable home and to get some attention and love. She is very playful for her age, and she likes to play with the toys (maybe she never had a toy before) and with all our other dogs as well as cats. She right away bonded with our Russian Blue kitten.
Since we have a full house pet-wise, we would like her to find a new home where she will be the star and get the attention and love she really deserves. She seems to have had a difficult life, but she remains cheerful as can be and has such energy and a great attitide towards life. We hope she will find a home where she can live happily the rest of her life.
Whoever will give her the love she needs will find a loyal and devoted friend. She is very funny and will greet you when you come home with a big smile and a happy dance. She also likes to dance when she wants a treat, and she can walk backwards and forwards on her hind legs!
Today at 10:00 AM, the volunteers (Tim, Mari, Louise, Annie, Janelle) met at Daejeon Station. We were prepared to move the bags of dog feces, but gentleman Tim gallantly did the dirty work to spare us ladies the task. How very sweet of him! Then we took dogs one by one and groomed some, cleaned ears and clipped some nails.
After Tim and we were done, we each took a dog for a walk. During the walking, Lt. Com. Lee came with some fruit, which really hit the spot. Lt. Com. Lee and Mari cleaned the rabbit house, which was really filthy.
The dogs were so happy to have the attention, the cuddling, the walking ang the treats we brought. The shelter manager had a smile on her face the whole time. She was so happy to see the dogs having such a good time. Tim decided to take the three puppies to the Emart vet for boarding and care while looking for new homes.
We found a Jindo puppy (around 5 months old) alone in a cage outside and Mari fell in love with him and called her friend who was willing to adopt this Jindo, which had been bitten by a larger dog and who clearly shows signs of being abused. Mari told us that her friend will spoil this dog and promised to give him a very happy life. We went to the vet together, and there we all said goodbye.
We didn’t have to clean today since Korean volunteers were coming later for that, so we had a very pleasant and productive day cheering up the dogs and the shelter manager.
More pictures of the pooches helped on Saturday’s trip can be viewed in the forum!
UPDATE AUGUST 13TH: ALL 4 OF THESE ANIMALS HAVE FOUND HOMES! THAT’S A MIGHTY LOT OF SUCCESS! CONGRATS TO TIM AND TO THE LUCKY ADOPTERS!
Tim in Seoul has a few dogs looking for permanent or foster homes. If you would like to meet any of them or find out more details, please give Tim a call on his mobile 010 8940 5233 or send an e-mail to tim.vasudeva AT gmail.com. Tim lives in Hannam-dong / Itaewon.
GUS GUS HAS FOUND A FAMILY TO LOVE HIM! YAY!
What Gus’ new family wrote to Tim about him:
Gus is fine, he has settled in as a part of our family very quick. He did sleep in Dannny’s bed last night and not in his house but we will try tonight. Danny is so happy to have a dog. Gus is a lovely dog with a very good nature so we are very happy that we found him through you. He sat on Mark’s lap last night and watch a futbol game ( I suppose he used to do the same with you)
Tim’s original post about Gus, the little lost/abandoned dog that he was looking after for the past few months: He is a wonderful, happy little guy who is still looking for a permanent adopted home. He would love to be part of a family that is at home enough to spend quality time with him. He walks happily on a leash and loves meeting people and other dogs. He has had all of his immunisation shots. He listens to commands, although he doesn’t answer to “Gus” but he will to “Gus Gus” (so I guess that is really his name…). Anyone who may be interested in Gus would be welcome to take him for a week to see how he fits at your house - if for any reason it does not work out I will happily take him back.
PEKE UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 5th The Peke has been adopted!
Original message: Meet the little Pekingese Tim’s colleague Sheena found wandering around about a month ago. We found an adoptive home for him, but unfortunately the new owner’s existing dog did not like little Peke so we have to try again to find this lovely dog a home. He is a young neutered male and is in excellent health. He is very quiet and has a lovely temperament.
BENJI UPDATE August 13th: THIS BOY NOW HAS A HOME!
A quote from Benji’s new family:
He’s looking better and better each day… Mentally, I think he’s doing better too. He still has a great deal of fear of abandonment (whenever we get up from a chair or the bed, he gets up too and watches us all of the time) but he’s getting better every day. We try and pet him and scratch him as much as possible… We are both a lot happier with Benji too. He’s made our lives much fuller. He’s our baby. He used to be afraid of going into the elevator, but he’s fine now. And he loves looking at himself in the mirror. He’s perfect ! He’s so calm, he doesn’t cause a mess and just a very good dog. We brought him to my school yesterday and all of the teachers were amazed at how calm he is.
Tim’s original message:
This is Benji. Tim found him sitting outside his apartment building in last week. He was not microchipped and did not have a collar. Tim’s vet has contacted other animal hospitals in the area and sent them photos but they haven’t found his owner.
He is a beautiful little dog with a lovely smile, very happy, loves people and gets along well with other dogs. The vet estimates he is between 1 and 2 years old. He does have a limp though, x-rays show that he has hip dysplasia, which basically causes premature arthritis in the hip. He’s on medication which should relieve his discomfort, but he may need an operation at some point we don’t know yet.
MINKY UPDATE AUGUST 13TH: SUPER-KITTEN HAS BEEN ADOPTED!
Original message: This is Minky, he was found in a drain at approx 4 weeks of age by a very nice lady who has looked after him for the past 2 months. Unfortunately she has to go to the UK for a long trip so he is being fostered at Tim’s place while he tries to find him a new home. Tim says:
He is about 3 months, has had all of his shots so far and is super friendly - just a really lovely little guy. He was a bit shy the first day he got here (last weekend) but I broke through using all of my many years experience as a cat whisperer and using an ancient Tibetan mind-control technique known as “pulling a piece of string along the floor”…
He has a little kink at the end of his tail where it was broken at some point, I’m not sure what happened there but it hasn’t affected his personality.
Other ways to help!
Can’t adopt or foster at this time? A DONATION to help cover medical expenses would be greatly appreciated!
Please spread the word about the furry friends who need help. Send your friends a link to this article or post it on your blog!
Don’t blame animal shelters in Korea if they disallow or make it “difficult” for foreigners to adopt a dog or cat! Foreign nationals who make no effort to bring their pets with them when they decide to go back home should NOT BE ADOPTING ANIMALS IN THE FIRST PLACE! These are the people Korean shelters are trying to screen out. Screening, however, is not foolproof.
Take Adoption Contracts Seriously
In July, a foreign woman who had adopted a cat from KAPS broke her adoption contract. She returned to her home country without bringing her cat home with her. Despite having promised that if she were ever unable to keep the cat she would return him to the no-kill shelter which had rescued him, she placed “free to a good home” ads all over the Internet and gave the cat away. We can only hope that the new guardian will be truly committed to this boy for his lifetime. (more…)
Annie is heading back to the Daejeon shelter for a volunteering trip on August 11th. All are welcome to join her to help clean up the grounds, bring donated supplies, and play with some dogs who are desperate for your affection!
Get more info about the trip and sign up to join in the thread “Daejeon Shelter Visit” in the Events forum.
Thank you so much from 200 of Daejeon’s abandoned doggies!
That cute dog you see in the window of the pet store has a pretty gruesome story to tell you. Most pet stores take the puppies away from their mothers when the puppy is around 3 weeks old. This is because the puppies look irresistible when the puppy is all fluffy with fur. Unfortunately these puppies not only have a lot of medical complications but also behavioural issues.
Canines are pack animals. They learn a lot from their mothers. The mother is their first pack leader. The mother teaches the puppies how to fit into a pack. She licks the puppies clean, grooms them and feeds them thus taking care of the emotional and physical needs. On the other hand she also disciplines them. If a puppy comes too close to her while she is eating, the mother growls. She eats first and only then does the puppy get to feed. The puppies have to wait for their mother to return from hunting.
All of this learning takes place between the fourth and the eighth week for the puppy. Coming back to that puppy you are staring at in the window of the pet shop, do you realise that the puppy has had no such training? The medical complications are quite obvious and most vets can treat them. Medical care could cost you a lot of money. It is the behavioural problems that will haunt you. There is a very good reason that reputable breeders sell their puppies only after the puppies reach eight weeks of age.
So please, before getting a pet (buying or adopting) think about the consequences of your decision. Be a responsible owner not just someone who loves dogs. It is quite tempting to buy one of those cute little ones in the glass enclosure, but give it a lot of thought before dipping into your pockets.
Here are a few more pictures of the 3 shelter dogs who got all groomed up for the TV interview that never happened. They have since returned to life in the greenhouse and cages at the shelter in Daejeon. They are all listed in the Adoptable Animals Listings, click on their names to read more about them. If anyone would like to sponspor their health tests or provide foster care for while they wait for a permanent home, please email me at karen.busch AT gmail.com THANK YOU!
UPDATE September: Toy has been adopted! Thank you, Janelle!
UPDATE August 25th:Sang-gu, the mild-mannered, special-needs Shih-tzu has been ADOPTED!!! Thank you, Thom!
Lotto, a really relaxed Cocker Spaniel, is going to be adopted on September 29th!!! UPDATE: A different dog was adopted, Lotto is still looking for a home.
Some (late!) news that I’m delighted to share: Last week before we departed for Canada, Jasper got adopted! He’s been settling in well to his new home, his new ma tells me, has met new friends and enjoys sleeping on the sofa after walks. He still gets spooked by cars and things outside, but I’m sure all the one-on-one attention he’s now getting will bring him out of his shell quickly. He’s a very lucky boy!!
Oh, I miss him so much, what a little angel. Be a good boy, DJ Jazzy Jasper Jones!
Aika was found by my friend Louise about a week ago. He was abandoned, looking for food in the street. She and her husband took him in and found him to be a very gentle, laid back soul who gets along well with the other dogs and cats in the house. They love him very much, but have 7 other pets and can’t keep him.
Unfortunately, Aika tested positive for heartworm, so he needs someone who can give him a quiet place to take it easy during the 2 or 3 month recovery period.
Aika is currently staying at the Royal Animal Hospital, on the 3rd floor of Emart, in Dunsan Dong, Daejeon. Please drop by to meet him, you will easily fall in love.
If you can provide a foster or permanent home for Aika, please contact Mark or Louise at schmark AT gmail.com. For more details about Aika, see his profile in the adoption listings.
UPDATE JULY 8th: ADOPTED!! ALL of the dogs pictured here have found homes in the past week!! It’s amazing! There is a new dog at the clinic that I do not have a photo of. Stay tuned for more details, or drop by the clinic to see who is there!
I am happy to’ve learned recently that the veterinarian in Emart near Timeworld works in conjuction with a dog rescue group and takes in abandoned dogs. The dogs in these photos are some of the ones currently living under Dr. Lee’s compassionate supervision. All the dogs are spayed or neutered when healthy enough, and all are waiting for a home to call their own.
How To Adopt
Visit the Royal Animal Hospital on the 3rd floor of the Daejeon, Dunsan Emart (near Timeworld) and talk to Dr. Lee. There is an adoption application form (Korean or English) a 50,000 won adoption fee.
Is Fostering Possible?
Yes! The animals at the clinic are well taken care of in terms of food and medical care, but they would love some TLC and personal attention living in a home. If you can’t adopt at this time, please consider fostering. Aside from making one furry friend very happy, it will also make space for new abandoned dogs at the clinic. If interested, talk to Dr. Lee.
Take a look at some of the sweet faces waiting for you!
There are also two Shihtzu-mix puppies and their mama, as well as a Miniature Pinscher there right now. Drop by and take a look!
Sarang-i (Love) is a 10 week old kitten with a will to live. His back legs could not function at all when he was brought in with his brother (also adoptable) to a vet who specializes in cats. Both kittens were rescued from the street, but Sarang’s brother is perfectly healthy. The cause of Sarang’s paralysis is a damaged spinal nerve, but it is not known whether he was injured or born like that. Recently he has begun to use the injured legs and put weight on them; he’s a real fighter and wants to get better and live!
Sarang-i is currently living at a vet clinic in Daejeon. His care costs total 400,000won and have so far been covered by a of couple rescuers who have many other bills besides. Donations to help him would be greatly appreciated. When he is able to go pee on his own he will be able to leave the clinic (in approximately 2 weeks from now).
He is looking for a foster home where he can heal completely or a permanent adoptive home where he will be spoiled with affection!!
UPDATE Thursday 1pm: PROBLEM SOLVED! EVERYTHING SHOULD BE GOOD NOW. Sorry again!
Have you noticed that this website has been hard to access for a couple weeks? Thought so! We’ve been having server issues, and then more issues: the adoptable animal listings aren’t working at all. I’ll spare you the technical details (which I barely understand, so wouldn’t be good at explaining), but we’re switching to a new server again.
So, when using this site over the next day or so, if you see a message at the top of the page then any new forum posts or comments you make will be lost. You should still be able to access the information that is here, but don’t try to add new info.
Sorry for the inconvenience. Everything should be working fine in less than 2 days.
A couple weeks ago, before final exams and before my trip to China, I visited an animal shelter in Daejeon for the second time with my friend Annie. We took pictures of some of the dogs in order to post them in the adoption listings. All the dogs were absolutely ecstatic to have visitors to play with, and to get snacks.
The Situation
Although it was nice to make a few dogs happy, the situation at this shelter is not good. Basically, one woman takes care of nearly 200 dogs. The majority of the dogs are small ones and they are housed in cages (sometimes 2 or 3 to a cage) inside a greenhouse in the countryside which must get unbearably hot, despite a couple big fans and some insulation. Chungnam University vet students come about twice per year to do some volunteer vetting, but there is no system to keep track of who has received what treatment and NONE are getting heartworm preventative! In addition to the small dogs, there are about 10 Jindos who live in pens. We couldn’t walk them because the shelter manager has no leashes for them.
Help Wanted!
The shelter manager gave us a list of what she needs. I am going to return to the shelter on Saturday, July 7th to do some cleaning and hopefully bring some of the items on her wish list. Please join me and/or donate! Check the Events, Meetings and Trips forum for details in a day or two.
Daejeon Shelter Wish List:
leashes and collars (all sizes)
big water/food dishes
more wire cages (any size)
2 large fans (for cooling the greenhouse)
cleaning products
large trash bags
Volunteers Needed To:
clean the greenhouse floor (5 or 6 men)
clean cages
groom the dogs
walk the big dogs
clean up the general area
To give you an idea of how many dogs there are, and how much work needs to be done, please take a look at these shelter photos and watch this video.
I should also mention that all of the dogs at the shelter are adoptable. To see photos of a few individuals, please CLICK HERE. (There are 2 or 3 pics each of about 17 of the dogs).
While I was in Shanghai, my foster dog Jasper stayed at Annie’s house with 2 kittens and several sweet (and adoptable) guinea pigs. Although he mostly didn’t want to play with the friendly felines, I guess he did have a few moments where he changed his mind (see photo)! Jasper is still looking for a permanent adoptive home- with or without resident cats! For more info, read “Jasper is Adoptable”.
Last September, my husband and I rescued a little kitten from an alley. He stayed with us for 3 weeks, and then moved to another foster home (at our friend Sonia’s house), until he was adopted by two self-proclaimed animal lovers. They didn’t mind the scar on his shoulder from a bite wound / fungal infection. They took him to be vetted at an American army base. Georgie grew into a fat and comfy-looking cat.
On Saturday, however, I was crushed by the news that Georgie had died. From what I hear, the owner took him in to be neutered and declawed at an American army base vet clinic. When he took the cat home after the surgeries, he put him in a room alone and shut the door. The next time he went in, there was blood in the room and on Georgie’s paws, and he was dead. The owner has already gotten another pet, a big dog.
Why You Must Screen Potential Adopters
I keep on thinking that I should have formally screened these people, but back in September I didn’t know much about screening. I thought declaring yourself an animal lover and being willing to pay the vet costs for a scarred little street kitten were enough. It isn’t enough.
WHO DOESN’T SUPERVISE AN ANIMAL WHO JUST CAME BACK FROM SURGERY???
I am convinced there would have been clues that would have led me to prevent this if I had only screened the adopters. I know this is partly my fault. If you are trying to rehome an animal, PLEASE use a PET ADOPTION APPLICATION, and don’t be shy about it. You must find out as much as possible about a person’s history with pets and current living situation. Finding the best possible home and the best possible match is crucial.
Declawing Surgery is Cruel and Unnecessary
The other point I learned from this is how cruel the declawing operation is. I want to thank Annie for educating me about it and sending me a link to the website www.declawing.com, written by Veterinarian, Dr. Christianne Schelling.
Here are some things I learned from this website:
First, you should know that declawing is pretty much an American thing, it’s something people do for their own convenience without realizing what actually happens to their beloved cat. In England declawing is termed “inhumane” and “unnecessary mutilation.”
Declawing is either illegal or considered inhumane in 23 countries.
Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat’s claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat’s claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat’s “toes”. When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period.
Declawing surgery is actually 10 individual amputations.
Declawing is not without complication. The rate of complication is relatively high compared with other so-called routine procedures. Complications of this amputation can be excruciating pain, damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent healing, painful regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw which is not visible to the eye, and chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken.
Other complications include postoperative hemorrhage, either immediate or following bandage removal [which] is a fairly frequent occurrence, paw ischemia, lameness due to wound infection or footpad laceration, exposure necrosis of the second phalanx, and abscess associated with retention of portions of the third phalanx.
From the brief details I heard about Georgie’s story, he suffered either from postoperative hemorraghing or excruciating pain which caused him to bite at his paws and bleed to death.
If you are considering declawing surgery, please read more about the technical facts of the operation, and the humane alternatives which make it completely unnecessary. Thank you.
Now I will get back to crying for Georgie, who didn’t even live to see his first birthday.
A permanent home is needed soon for these two friendly dogs. The pair were found by a riverbed and taken in by a caring passerby. They have since been groomed and vetted, and taken to a shelter. Unfortunately, they only have a couple weeks left to find a home. They are devoted to each other, and ideally would be placed together. Here are their specs:
Punky (male dog, possible Welsh corgi mix)
- 5.0 kg
- est 3-4 years old
- desexed
- calm & gentle
- does not bark
- loves to go for walks
- house trained (goes outside twice a day)
- seems to prefer females (possible he was abused by a male, not sure)
Minky (female, maltese mix)
- 3.8 kg
- est 2-3 years old
- not yet desexed
- likes to be patted and cuddled (she loves belly rubs)
- very happy dog
- also house trained
Contact Tim: tim.vasudeva at gmail.com, 010 8940 5233 if you can help.
More photos and their story in Korean can be found at http://blog.naver.com/chofc2
These photos show them at the riverbed, on the way to the vet’s, and then after getting scrubbed up.
Permission granted to crosspost freely. Please spread the word!
Hurray! A couple weeks ago one of Tim’s rescued cats was adopted. Since the kitten was too young to be separated from mom, the two cats moved together with the intention of finding a home for the kitten once he was ready, but that’s not exactly what happened…
Thank you Tim and Sine for sharing your story and beautiful pics!
What Sine, the new mom, wrote just after she brought the cats home:
They were pretty good! A little noisy but that was mostly kitten, and I did keep waking up to find mama cat trying to sleep on various parts of my face, but I took it as a compliment. She seems to love this mezzanine level, because although kitten can make it up it takes him a while, so she runs up there when he’s jumping all over her.
They’ve mostly been lying on the windowsill together, and from time to time kitten chases his own shadow which tires him out so much he has to fall alseep immediately, like on the spot no matter where it is. They’re generally being great, so you can rest easy! Anyways I’ve attached a couple of photos so you can imagine where they are.
And then, more recently:
I haven’t been able to stop taking their pictures whenever they fall asleep together, which is most of the time. They’re EXTREMELY playful together, and are at this very moment playing some form of feline tig which is pretty funny to watch, and involves careering around the apartment and sliding into cupboards. They tire each other out which is another great reason to keep them together!
I couldn’t give kitty away now that he’s changed from the scared little critter I met at yours to meeting me at the door and napping on my tummy. He is a devious little creature, and I’m sure he knew I was a soft touch all along…
Yay! Looks like mama and her son will be staying together for the long haul!
There are many beautiful dogs and cats in Korea waiting to find their forever homes. You can read about these furry angels in the adoptable animals listings.
Chaitanya in Seoul is currently the proud foster parent of one such beauty, namely Gimli, the lost dog found in late May who has not been claimed by anyone (his photo was posted on some Korean lost dog sites, but his owner has not been located). Gimli needs to find a permanent home. Will you be the lucky one? If you’re interested in adopting him, please contact Chaitanya by email: cyrax.iiit AT gmail.com
Here is what Chaitanya in Seoul has to say about Gimil: (more…)
Jasper has been living with us for about a month now, he has adjusted really well to life indoors and has become more confident day by day. He has SO MUCH love to give, any new adoptive family will be so lucky to have his company.
About Jasper: Jasper is Miniature Schnauzer-esque, but he weighs only 4.2 kilos. I was told he is full Mini, but was malnourished. I suspect he’s a mix. In any case, he’s a super softie- I mean both his fur and his personality. This boy is a real sweetheart!
Rescue Story: Jasper was living at a shelter in the Daejeon countryside with nearly 200 other dogs. I don’t know how they acquired him. The shelter being completely full, the manager agreed to let me foster Jasper in my house and look for a good home for him.
Quick bio:
Age: About 4 years old.
Sex: Neutered Male
Size: Short and small, 4.2 kilos (will fit into a soft carry case)
Breed: Mini Schnauzer mix
Coat: Very soft. Beautiful mixed gray, black, brown colours. He’s getting cuter and cuter as his hair grows in. (more…)
I recently got news from Sunny’s pa that Sunny, the Daejeon doggy who gave up her farm job for a life of luxury indoors, is doing great. She was spayed back in February, and although she still doesn’t like meeting other dogs, you can tell by the photo that she loves her pa. I do believe she’s gained some weight, too! Lookin’ good!!!
Foster homes are desperately needed. Here are a few animals that need some help very soon:
Cocker Spaniel in Icheon
UPDATE June 5th: Oreo’s foster mom is leaving to California next Thursday. Urgent: pet sitter needed for one week!!! In July, she is leaving for good. Foster/Adoptive home still needed!
Oreo, originally rescued in April, has still not been able to find a home. His rescuer will be leaving Korea very soon and a new foster home (or ideally, an adoptive home), is needed pronto as Oreo does not want to move to a shelter. Can you help? Read more about Oreo here. See more photos here.
Contact Janet: janet.choiii at gmail.com
Two Russian Blue Cats in Seoul
UPDATE June 4th: FOSTER HOME FOUND!
Tim in Seoul, who is currently taking care of one foster dog, one foster rabbit, and one mother cat and kitten in addition to his own dog, needs foster homes for the seemingly constant influx of animals that he and his friends are rescuing in his area. Two Russian Blue cats are arriving this Sunday. Can you offer them a temporary home?
Contact Tim: tim.vasudeva at gmail.com, 010 8940 5233
UPDATE June 4th: The Peke is now in foster care in Seoul, though it is not perfect in that the person intends to travel in the near future. If a more long-term fostering solution (or an adopting home) is offered, that would be much appreciated. You will see an adoption listing and more photos of Little Peke very soon! Stay tuned!
A male Pekingese dog was found on the streets of Seoul on Monday. He has a skin condition which seems to have been caused by a shampoo allergy, (ie. not so serious). He is currently staying at a vet clinic in Kangnam Gu. The clinic will allow him to stay until the weekend, but after that he is in desperate need of a foster home until he is ready for adoption.
Contact Tim: tim.vasudeva AT gmail.com, 010-8940-5233
For more information about what fostering entails, see the fostering section.
Meet Jasper, the newest temporary member of our household! Jasper was living at a privately-run shelter in Daejeon until I saw him on Sunday and fell in love. He was cared for along with the other 200 dogs by the woman who runs the shelter, and volunteer veterinary students from Chungnam National University. He is well-fed and neutered, but has a mild skin condition.
Although he’d been taken care of at the shelter, the shelter manager has too many dogs and no computer, so when my vet called her to get the medical history, she couldn’t say exaclty. Jasper got tests done yesterday (heartworm, parasites, antibody levels) and cleared everything, though his level 2 distemper antibody results indicate that he may have acquired distemper in the past. He will need 3 or 4 DHPPL shots and a rabies vaccine, to begin in two weeks.
In the meantime he is getting used to being a house dog. He’s nervous about going for walks and spends most of the day just napping or following me around the house. He has not had a single housetraining accident, and is quickly learning to love the crate when we go out. He’s simply lovely. After his shots begin and he adjusts a bit more to indoor life he will be ready for adoption.
Stayed tuned for a new gallery full of Jasper pics in the very near future.
Last week my student, Seung Jae, did some research for me and found a shelter in Daejeon that accepts volunteers. He made an appointment for me and two friends. Sunday morning Mark, Chaitanya and I met two Korean volunteers, Lt. Com. Lee and his wife Mrs. Hong, and they drove us to this privately-run shelter on the outskirts of Daejeon, very close to my own neighbourhood!
Lt. Com. Lee and his wife have adopted 5 rescued dogs. Mrs. Hong is treasurer of a cafedaum animal rescue website. I was overjoyed and so grateful to meet two wonderful people who care so much about animals and, as an extra bonus for me, spoke perfect English! Through them I was able to get permission from the shelter manager to take adoption photos of several of the dogs. The photos will be posted in the adoptable animal listings very soon.
From the outside, I would never have known that the place we arrived at was a shelter. After driving along some winding country roads, we came to a small farm with a few dogs tied outside to doghouses. There were a couple greenhouses, just like any farm. Inside one of the greenhouses, however, were rows of cages and over 150 dogs small-medium dogs. The noise was deafening.
We spent some time cleaning up outside the greenhouse (I picked up trash with the women while the men moved some bags of excrement offsite, and then dug a drainage trench… Thank God I’m a woman!). Afterward, we were able to greet some of the dogs: a half-dozen Spaniels, twice as many Shih-tzus, some Mini Schnauzers, Mini Poodles, and mixes thereof… I even saw a Pug! In the back there were some Jindos held separately from the small dogs inside.
The dogs have all been vetted by Chungnam University vet students. Food is delivered every 15 days. All the dogs I met were altered, and all are adoptable. The adoption fee is 30,000won.
This upcoming weekend (first weekend in June), volunteer groomers are going in to give some haircuts. After that, I’m going to return and take some prettier adoption photos. So much work needs to be done at this place, which is run by a grandmother with such a big heart she does not euthanize any animal. Lots of cleaning up to do, and of course all the animals would love to have more human contact and affection.
If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know and join us on our next visit. All are welcome!
King moved in to his new home in Seoul last Saturday. His new mom reports that he’s fantastic, that he’s been enjoying walks in the park, rawhide bones, games of fetch, and sleeping on the bed!! He hasn’t made any housetraining mistakes and he’s being a perfect angel! I’m so happy, he’s so happy, and his new mom is really happy, too. King’s new name is Stewie.
As I’m sitting here in a fairly quiet house with my dog and King engaged in an exciting bout of friendly play, I should be happy, but I can’t be. This afternoon I heard some whimpering… a few hours later I saw King’s original owner, the farmer next door, tying up a new dog. It took him about 15 minutes because the puppy was jumping around so much. I think it’s a Jindo-type puppy. The dog cried and whimpered for about an hour after the man left. I guess I didn’t go back to get King’s doghouse fast enough! Here I thought taking King in meant one less dog to worry about, but instead I have a new case of misery to stare at from my back window.
Guess who’s at my house? Yes, King! I tried to pick him up on Monday and got as far as the clinic only to find out that the vet would not be in until Wednesday (this after a foolish attempt to bathe the poor little guy in my tub), so I had to put him back outside not wanting to risk infecting my dog with anything. We went back yesterday and got him tested. His bloodwork checked out so he is, well, he has been neutered already and I have to go back to pick him up… now! He is so nervous of everything, but has already gained some confidence with the front steps. He smiles all the time and he is just so happy, but everything is new to him. He weighs in at a lofty 6.1kg and stands to gain about 1.5 kilos according to the vet… More details and photos soon, I’d better go pick him up!
On Saturday, April 21st Annie the foster mom, Mark (half of the rescue team), and I got a ride with Eric (my rock-climbing husband with wheels) to Daegu. There we met Arax, Petit’s new mom, as well as the vet who will be treating Petit’s heartworm. It was a beautiful day, but emotional, as Annie and Mark said goodbye to the little one, and the happy new Ma took Petit home to meet her other puppy. Arax has since reported that the two pups already snuggle together on the same pillow, and all is going well. Yay!
Well, yesterday was my last day with the Scruffster. Knowing this, I made sure I spent a lot of time snuggling with him in the afternoon. Last night we delivered him back to Icheon where his rescuer, Piotr, was anxiously anticipating his re-arrival. Scruffy loves car rides and was calm the whole way until we got closer to his old neighbourhood, then he started getting excited. He was really happy to see Piotr again, who had visited Scruffy a few times in Daejeon. It was a nice reunion, so I fought to keep my tears inside. My dog Sage, however, cried all the way to Icheon (she knew something was up and may have thought she was the one who was not coming back), but she was relaxed all the way home. We woke up to a very quiet house (6am: why isn’t anyone pawing at my face?) and a new Sage who is thrilled not to be relegated to the corner while someone else is getting (demanding?) all Ma’s attention.
I’m happy for Scruffy and Piotr who went running together last night after we left, already having fun, but I’m still feeling really sad to lose “my boy” (first boy I’ve fostered, actually). I’ve already started printing photos and putting them all over the house…
Scruffy is feeling much better these days. His soft “cast” came off last week and he is bouncing around with no trouble at all. His still has not started bending his healed leg, though. I’ve tried some warm water massage, but it being his first experience in a bath tub actually both legs were equally stiff. Still, we managed to give him his first bath ever so now he’s clean! I think with a little more time, exercise, and massages, he’ll be using both legs to fly even higher.
Scruffy is moving back to his rescuer’s home in Icheon this Tuesday. I’m going to cry a lot when he goes. But he’s ready and luckily his rescuer is Canadian and his hometown is only an hour or so away from mine. It won’t be too hard to have some play dates in Canada!
I’m very happy to announce that last, last Wednesday (April 4th) was the street Maltese, Petit’s very last day living chained up outside! Thanks to an awesome woman who fell in love with her photos, my Daejeon friends (equally wonderful people) were able to get permission from the owner to take her in. Then they paid for her grooming and her extraordinary vet costs (she got every test she needed and also a week of boarding since she has a skin infection). The worst news is that the poor girl tested positive for heartworm disease, which is also quite costly to treat.
Next week Petit is headed down to Daegu to be treated in the same city where her adoptive mom lives (who has been doing some fundraising to cover the treatment costs). Until then Petit is staying at a foster home in Daejeon. I was lucky enough to have her at my house for one night, and she is amazing! She is so small and quiet, but playful and cuddly, too. She is the sweetest little thing! It is absolutely amazing to see the transformation from her dirty, sad self into this adorable little friend.
Here is Suni’s story as written by her new mom Pam:
