but kate! what about the dogs? (also, i learned how to post pictures)

I try to always be an advocate for any and all deserving and voiceless animals, and am able to tangibly help at least dogs on a daily basis.  They're certainly a relevant population in need, and one that I can personally help make a difference for.  It should come as no surprise that I've already started networking with Animal Rescue Korea.  You'd better believe my only requirement for housing when I accept a job will be "pet friendly."  Washing machines, be damned.  Cable and internet?  Who needs it.  Bed, sh-med.  Just give me a dog.  I will volunteer and I will foster and I will surround myself with puppy love and puppy kisses and perhaps even a cat or two (but let's not get carried away just yet - I'm still not sure about litter boxes).

This compassion (obsession?) and love for animals was passed down from my parents.  Growing up, we took in our share of strays.  It never crossed our minds to acquire pets any other way.  I don't think I even knew about breeding and buying and bloodlines and sporting dogs and blah, blah, blah until I went to college in Louisiana, aka The Sportsmans Paradise (crowd roar and applause).  Who knew it was such a big deal to have a "champion" dog?  They are all champions to me, but Good Lord Almighty, the amount of "purebred" dogs in my college boyfriends fraternity was absurd and how much they cost was a huge bragging right.  Apparently it made them all bigger "men."

Sidenote:  really, these are all great guys who I still love dearly, but come on:  a great dog is a great dog and their bloodline means nothing.  Still waiting on someone to actually legitimately prove to me otherwise and am finding great humor in most attempts to do so.

Regardless, my first dog, MY dog, not the family dog, MY Daisy Belle, came to me from through my college boyfriend.  She was, of course, an AKC (whatever?) registered purebred yellow lab, but I tried to make her as rescue-y as possible for my own personal bragging rights.  I mean, her litter was "accidentally" bred (whatever again?) and she was the runt and about to be dropped off at the shelter when college boyfriend called me about her.  She immediately became my little soul sister and we had three awesome years together before she passed away from cancer.  And that's where it all started: with my Daisy Belle.

Daisy Belle

When Daisy left us, my post college boyfriend and I began the new dog search.  I dragged him to shelters and rescue groups, and he ended up adopting two dogs, and I adopted one (suckers).  From Daisy's death, we immediately saved the lives of Lucie, Perriloux, and my Wentworth.  That was when I discovered the world of rescue groups and morphed into a rescuing beast.  Along with a handful of friends, I helped form an actual non-profit group saving hundreds of dogs ----> I'm not alone in my crazy dog-dom.  There are others like me...dun dun dun.

Lucie

Perriloux

Wentworth

 The group has since closed and we now donate our time and energy and resources to other reputable organizations, and sadly my Wentworth passed away this past September after battling very severe epilepsy during his two short (and incredibly happy) years of life.  But, like Daisy, Wentworth was a fruitful boy and brought my dad the rescued the lives of Dover and Shasta, and brought me my Mikey.  All three were attempts at fostering...failed attempts due to Wentworth's camaraderie.  They had to stay.

Mikey

Dover and Shasta

AND, as of today, my current foster, Leo, will be going home to his happily ever after:

Leo

And so goes my personal little rescue tree that I plan to keep growing, regardless of where I am in the world.

It seems appropriate to end this post with another video (embedding is fun), so please enjoy Korean puppies singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer:

Rescuing around the world -
Cupkate