Expat couple are a dog’s best friends

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Expat couple are a dog’s best friends

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Have dogs become the new “it” accessory around the world? Mariah Carey’s Jack Russell has his own Web site and the search for Paris Hilton’s ex-pet Tinkerbell (which has been callously replaced with the smaller, younger Bambi) had every paper and magazine on the hunt. Looking at the hoards of coverage about these pets, as well as the staggering number of young girls on the streets with pint-sized puppies sporting dyed hair and crystal-studded sweatshirts, it seems as though a large fraction of the world agrees.
It seems safe to say, however, that David Peacock, an English teacher at Hanyang University’s Graduate School of International Studies and the co-founder of CINDY (Canines In Need Deserve You), will not be joining that “in” crowd any time soon. “It’s strange when people point at my Jindo and the first thing they say is, ‘Hey, that’s an expensive dog,’” he said.
Mr. Peacock and his wife Catherine founded the small-scale, non-profit organization in May 2003, with the intention of finding homes for abandoned dogs by opening a Web site to connect people who found dogs to people looking for pets. The couple moved to Korea in 2001 from England. They have three dogs of their own and have rescued 40 so far and found them new homes through the Web site and personal connections.
“This is the first time in my life I’m doing something that makes me feel really positive,” Mr. Peacock said, even as he noted that his statement might sound a bit cliched.
He added, “We do this because, simply, we are animal lovers. We would have done this anywhere, whether it was Korea or England or elsewhere.”
Mr. Peacock recalled the first dog he rescued from the streets of Itaewon, and which became his first pet in Korea. “I saw Cindy [the name he gave the dog] tied up in a spot in front of a shop in Itaewon.” The dog was in poor condition and, with its owner’s permission, he provided it with heartworm treatment. After a while, the owner let the Peacocks take the dog, and that inspired them to open CINDY.
CINDY had a fundraiser in April titled “Animal Aid” at a bar in Itaewon, with around 330 people in attendance. The event raised 3.4 million won ($3,535), which Mr. Peacock said he has put aside to create a shelter for abandoned animals as well as publishing a bilingual (Korean and English) children’s book about pet rescues and how to take care of animals. The couple hopes to have another fundraiser later this year.


by Cho Jae-eun

To learn more about CINDY or see what animals are available, visit Dave’s Dog House on www.expat-advisory.com.
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