When people work together, this is what happens.

Foley brought the best out of everyone. She pulled rescuers from all over Korea together, she planted a fostering seed in the hearts of a few uni teachers, and she traveled over the seas to bring two countries together! Foley is an example of how a little teamwork goes a long way!

March 2012, I received a frantic call from a dear friend in Daegu. She heard a puppy trapped in a large drain ditch. For some reason that day, though we live close together, my husband nor I was able to come over. So we helped our friend the best we could over the phone giving suggestions like, who to call to rescue the pup, how she could do it, pointers and tips to keep in mind etc.

RESCUED:
Eventually, after a few awkward attempts at getting local adjoshis to help her, she was able to rescue the dog. Then reality sat in...what to do with the dog? My friend has a kind heart but she is not a rescuer. She wanted to help the dog, and wanted to avoid the shelter but she knew she would be unable to care for it and train it.

Once again I got another frantic, but joyful call...now what? haha She started by putting up posters in both Korean and English...after a few prank phone calls, we knew the reality was she would likely not be reclaimed. http://www.animalrescuekorea.org/helping-a-stray

We set up a plan of action. She agreed to give me one week to try and find a foster home. We both had volunteered at KAPS and knew KAPS was an alternative, but KAPS is not a no-kill shelter and Foley's time there would be limited. We made an adoption profile here on ARK: http://www.animalrescuekorea.org/dog/725 then we plastered it everywhere on Facebook and other online sites.

FOSTERED:
In less than a week, the time frame we had to find her a foster home, she was picked up and taken to Andong to be fostered. The girl fostering had too many animals already in her apartment and she would be entertaining family in Korea soon. So, she recruited other expats she worked with...together their schedules worked out perfectly, so Foley was rarely ever alone!!!

I would also like to mention we had a few people step up to help Foley from all over Korea...we had people emailing from the West, the East and the North! The generosity of strangers pouring in was so overwhelmingly kind that we were amazed that a nondescript stray would generate such attention in a short amount of time!

Foley ended up in Andong because her foster advocate's mother had been looking to adopt from Korea for sometime and she wanted to consider Foley! A few weeks later I emailed her foster mom for an update and she had only good things to say!

Foley's doing well. She's being co-fostered by me and another two girls in the building. I already have two dogs, and she gets along with them great, especially when we are all simultaneously out at work for a few hours.

My mom is 100% going to adopt her. We Skyped this weekend, and we've been chatting. Especially now that I've spent some time together I know it's a good match. She is a pretty special pup- she's already beloved by my building of uni teachers.

ADOPTION:
6 weeks later Foley flew home to her mom. She arrived on Mother's day!

My mom finally got Foley ...renamed her Ani...She really loves her, and it's a perfect match! She arrived the day before Mother's Day with my cousins after their 3 week visit to Korea, and my mom was interviewed on the radio for a special Mother's day program about best Mother's Day gifts. :)

She's also getting along well with her new brother Kode, my mom's other dog, who also was in desperate need of a friend. (the picture I attached is her with my dog Tobi [here in Korea], the night before she took off- they were really cuddly, like they knew they were saying goodbye) :)

Foley did have to overcome anxiety issues, which she could not recieve the training she needed if she stayed in her rescuers care. So, moving into her foster home and then adoption home has done wonders for her:

Her anxiety issues have been getting much better, and she went the whole 12 hour plane ride (and then lost for 4 more hours put on a transfer flight she shouldn't have been on) without tearing up anything like she used to, and was perfectly calm when my cousins picked her back up. She's truly a wonder!

Foley brought the best out of everyone....She is an example of how a little teamwork goes a long way!

In the comments, I will document a few photos of Foley on her journey, unfortunately I cant insert them in the text within the post. ^^

Thanks to everyone that pulled together for Foley, cant you just see how happy her ending is because a few people pulled together. Without ARK and teamwork, Foley likely would have sat in a shelter for weeks, months or years waiting and possibly would have been euthanize. Instead, because Together Everyone Achieves More Foley is happy and richly loved by family and friends!

GET INVOLVED TODAY, YOU WILL CHANGE LIVES!

Tags: teamwork, fostering, adoption, Incheon, air travel, commitment

Comments

adoptbullies's picture

When Foley was rescued she was so overwhelmingly sad...her little face almost crying out "save me from my sad existence."

adoptbullies's picture

While in foster care...things are looking up!

adoptbullies's picture

On her way home!

adoptbullies's picture

What Happiness Looks Like:
Her new forever mom and dad!

Happiness is love, security, a forever home.
clare_bell's picture

Absolutely lovely, warms my heart!!

adoptbullies's picture

* LIKE * ;)