#136: Adopt a Pet

    

     After seeing all the dogs in the tiny glass boxes in the windows of Korean shops I have decided that adopting animals is the only way to go. No one should support those puppy mills that breed sick and designer dogs when there are so many homeless dogs out there. I have technically adopted two different dogs but my first one is a family dog back home in America my second was in Korea and was one of the best decisions I made while staying here. I picked him up from the local humane society that was closing down that I had done several dog walking days for. I chose him because when I saw him in the yard he had jumped up on a chair and had lifted his leg on all the dogs below him…and it was that sassiness that made me choose him. He was a fluffy mess covered in dirt and tangled hair. With his long messy hair and old grumpy personality I obviously had to name him 'Gimli'. But after some intense baths and eventually a complete shave he became the lovable monster I lived with.

      Many can find living alone in a foreign country to be lonely, so having a dog to come home to can be really comforting, especially because that means you are no longer technically talking to yourself in an empty apartment. While I am still convinced that he secretly hates me he was a lot of fun to take on walks, cuddle with and take to the local dog café. My friend also picked up a dog from the same shelter so we enjoyed having them have little doggie dates while watching movies. Due to me leaving Korea for the summer I had to pawn him off on another friend to take care of, so we will be getting him a therapist for his abandonment issues. I have always been a big dog person so having one really helped to make Korea a home for me. While I will miss his early morning cuddles and his ugly smashed face, I won’t miss his loud snoring while sleeping on the same pillow as me and good morning sneezes on my face. Dogs are always the best part of waking up every morning as there is no one in the world who is more happy to see you everyday than they are.