Puppies and Kitties and Marines, oh my!

The local animal shelter, Korea Animal Protection Society (KAPS), is a local agency that allows volunteers to come and play, groom, feed, and generally love the animals that live there.

My friend Cadena and I decided to volunteer this past Saturday, and it was a wonderful experience. We started with walking dogs through a local park. The Marines from the title came up from Camp Mujuk, and I mention them because these big guys walking such little dogs were a satisfyingly funny sight:)

My pup, I called her Cody 

Dog kennels in Korea are not very regulated, and they are not required to vaccinate, spay/neuter, or generally de-bug the animals. KAPS works on donated funds, and they don't have a lot of money to provide for the animals as they would like to. They do the best they can with what money they have. But it is hard to see how different the conditions are here as opposed to in the states.

Like all dogs, these just needed a little love and exercise.

The cats, however, live under different conditions. They are given lots of room to roam around, outdoor and indoor spaces, and volunteers can go in, sit down and allow them to come get lovins.

Cats are not well treated in Korea because the people are traditionally  superstitious about them. They are thought to be dangerous to children, and as this society values children above all else, cats are frequently disposed of whenever a woman becomes pregnant. Mothers-in-law are said to be especially serious about this belief. 

This one came jumped into my lap the minute I sat down:)

Cats are also kicked, thrown stones at, or cut if people can get close enough to them. We witnessed this tiny kitten being fed, and then tended to by a veterinarian, because it was losing it's entire left paw up to the shoulder joint. It was a new wound. Not pretty. I will not picture it here. 

It felt good to help this organization out, and I am sure I will go back again. They do need people to help bottle feed all the kittens!!! And a generally good cause to work. for. 

If you'd like to donate money, visit the KAPS website. Any donation is a blessing.