Introduction

[James Trotta]

Hi everyone - didn't see a forum for introductions but I wanted to say hello because I might need help soon. My wife and I rescued a stray in Seoul last night and if we can't find the original owners we'll be searching for a new home for her.

We're going to get her checked out and everything in a an hour or so when the vet opens. Wish us luck!

[Karen]

Hi James,

Welcome to the forum! There is a welcome thread on page one, but hardly anyone used it! So, welcome!

What kind of dog did you find? Good for you for taking him in!

Here is one article about finding owners, there are some Korean websites where you can send a photo listed:
http://www.lonelylifetime.com/news/korea/find-the-owner-of-a-lost-pet-in-korea/

And here is one article by a person who found a dog and several days later, his owner, and her tips on making sure the owner is the real owner: http://www.lonelylifetime.com/news/korea/locating-the-owner-of-a-lost-pet/

Are you able to foster the dog until you can find a home for him? If so, you can post an adoption ad for him here: [new link: http://www.animalrescuekorea.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3]


Good luck with everything! Keep us updated!

Karen

[annie]

Hi James,

welcome to the forum! Good job for the little one!

[James Trotta]

Hi James,

Welcome to the forum! There is a welcome thread on page one, but hardly anyone used it! So, welcome!

What kind of dog did you find? Good for you for taking him in!
We found a little maltese, female, like under a year old according to the vet.
Here is one article about finding owners, there are some Korean websites where you can send a photo listed:
http://www.lonelylifetime.com/news/korea/find-the-owner-of-a-lost-pet-in-korea/

And here is one article by a person who found a dog and several days later, his owner, and her tips on making sure the owner is the real owner: http://www.lonelylifetime.com/news/korea/locating-the-owner-of-a-lost-pet/
I especailly like the part about asking for pictures, and we should be OK. My wife is pretty tough. We've saved strays before and she does a good job screening potential adopters...

Are you able to foster the dog until you can find a home for him? If so, you can post an adoption ad for him here: http://www.lonelylifetime.com/listings/

If not, I can add him to the list of animals who need foster homes, here: http://www.lonelylifetime.com/need-home/more-foster-homes-needed/

Good luck with everything! Keep us updated!

Karen
I'll have to get back to you on this - we're going to try to watch her while we find a permanent home but last time we did this our little Yorkshire Terrier got an ulcer.

We're also looking for a vet that gives discounts for work done on rescues - our local vets (including our regular one) are charging us full price. In the past (and we lived in other parts of Seoul) we always paid 50%... This little lady will probably need some shots and to be spayed... We are already paying full price for her check up before we bring her into our home.

[Karen]

we're going to try to watch her while we find a permanent home but last time we did this our little Yorkshire Terrier got an ulcer.
Oh no! Poor little one! My dog also gets some stress when we have another dog around, well, with certain ones anyway. She definitely gets way less attention and she doesn't like that. Hopefully the Maltese and the Yorkie will like each other and play!

We're also looking for a vet that gives discounts for work done on rescues - our local vets (including our regular one) are charging us full price. In the past (and we lived in other parts of Seoul) we always paid 50%... This little lady will probably need some shots and to be spayed... We are already paying full price for her check up before we bring her into our home.
I wish I could help you there, but I don't know. Where exactly do you live? There is a vet that Tim (username timvas) uses who does free spay/neuter for strays/rescues that are found within that area (Yongsan?), but I don't know Seoul so I don't know which area that covers. More info here: http://www.lonelylifetime.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=10

If you live in another area maybe you could call one of the clinics in the program (like Chung Wha: http://www.cwhospital.com/) and see if anyone in your area has something similar going on.

I didn't know until recently that my vet had given me a whopping discount on the 2 heartworm cases I brought in last year. I thought it was regular price, but actually he saved me there. As for other treatments (tests and things) I pretty much pay full price :( (Sometimes I feel like I'm putting his kids through college.) I really like my vet and he's really thorough and awesome, but I wish there were more discount options for rescue animals. I guess Daejeon is far behind Seoul.

[Karen]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention! It's so cool that you've rescued and placed pets before. Yay for your wife being an expert screener, that's awesome! Does she have a specific list of questions, I could use some help with screening, actually.

[James Trotta]

The Yongsan program might help actually - we'll look into it.

I'm not sure if she has a specific list of questions but she does spend a lot of time with potential adopters. If she does have anything specific I'll post again later. I do remember one time she called a woman's parents (the woman wanted to adopt a stray we named Jalang and had said she was married but my wife was suspicious) and found out that they weren't really married.

We're calling this one Libby. She will be our 6th rescue.

[Karen]

I wonder why someone would lie about being married when she's adopting a dog? Yeah, then what else would she be lying about! Lucky your wife has a well-developed spidey-sense! :D

How is Libby doing now? Your 6th rescue! That's so awesome, big congrats to you!

[James Trotta]

Well Libby is making herself at home. She seems to be the most healthy rescue we've made so far so that's good. The local vets haven't had any inquiries about lost dogs matching her description so we're getting her spayed tomorrow - we found a place that will do it free after we made a 50,000 won donation (the Yongsan program said they were only doing cats when my wife called).

Then we'll look for a nice home for her.

So far we've been able to keep her in our home and we have a few people who said they would take her temporarily if our dog can't handle it. At the moment she's in heat and trying to mark her territory all over the place so we wouldn't really wish that on anyone else. Hopefully it will be better after she's spayed.

[Karen]

So actually, you rescued more that just Libby, but also the potential babies she would have had if left in heat out on the street!!! I think add 6 more rescue credits to your belt :)

I'm so happy to hear that she can be spayed for so cheap! I had no idea that animals could be spayed while they were in heat, though. Good to know! I dealt with one dog's heat cycle over Chuseok, ie I had to make some homemade puppy panties (http://www.lonelylifetime.com/helping/sunny/sunnys-troubles/) for her. Um, not fun!

[James Trotta]

I never really thought about it until today when we went to pick Libby up at the vet. The vet (and we) noticed some bruises on Libby below the surgical incision. He didn't know what they were.

My wife imagined the worst and started crying but the vet said if were serious internal belleding Libby would be long dead (he was probably better spoken, but I couldn't understand much because everything was going on Korean).

Anyway, the vet said he'd take libby home with him and watch ehr overnight and we went home. Then I learned that the vet had told my wife that there's more than normal blood flow when a dog is in heat and that it's better to wait. However owners can't handle dogs in heat so many times they don't wait.

My wife was blaming herself for not waiting but really if the surgery were unsafe the vet should have said so. I don't know exactly what he said because I wasn't there and I wouldn't have understood his Korean anyway, but I know my wife and if the vet had said that now was more dangerous than later I know she would have waited.

Anyway, the vet called tonight and thinks Libby will be fine. We're picking her up tomorrow morning now.

But it was quite a scare and it makes me think twice about asking a vet to spay a dog in heat.

I had no idea that animals could be spayed while they were in heat, though. Good to know! I dealt with one dog's heat cycle over Chuseok, ie I had to make some homemade puppy panties (http://www.lonelylifetime.com/helping/sunny/sunnys-troubles/) for her. Um, not fun!
We've been buying diapers, but Libby likes to take them off while we sleep and then cuddle with us in bed. Not fun either...

[Karen]

That was a scary story! I'm sure the vet knows best, and I would trust mine to make the right decision, too, but there are always risks involved. Has Libby recovered fully now? Is she up and playing yet?

Hope all is well, take care!

[James Trotta]

The bruising never really slowed her down and is certainly getting less and less noticable. She's healthy as I wrote on her adoption thing on this site. There's actually some dog rescue club meetup tonight maybe I'll see some people from this forum there?

[Karen]

Glad to hear Libby doing so well. Yay! :D

Where's the dog rescue club meetup? I didn't hear about it, but would've liked to go! I'd love to find out what other people are doing and join forces if possible... Could you fill us in on how the meeting goes? Thanks so much.

[James Trotta]

I guess it was a fund raiser for 2 different shelters for rescue animals. So we went to Yong In and brought Libby. They had a big fenced in area with 30 or 40 dogs running around, maybe 20-30 people (who paid 20,000 each), and unfortunately a few kids (I hate kids).

So the dogs had fun playing. The people had a barbecue (pork) although most everyone shared with their dogs. There was a small "flea market" which was kind of fun.

[Karen]

That's very cool. How did you find out about it? Do the rescue clubs who organized it have websites I could link to?

[James Trotta]

They definitely have daum cafes. I haven't seen websites but will check. Probably while we were there Libby got Bronchitis... She's on medication and should be fine. Just goes to show you that even rescuing a relatively healthy dog is a commitment.

She is now house trained, but she still goes nuts if we try to leave her home alone. And it's hard to train her now that the vet says she shouldn't get any stress...

But she's going to make a great pet for someone who wants to give her attention. She's on my lap as I type this and has a lot of love for the right master.