The Connection

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington took in three of the 23 puppies rescued by Humane Society International from a South Korean dog farm earlier this year. In just a few months, all three of the dogs had made it new, safe homes.

Kevin Simpson, the director of Behavior and Adoptions at AWLA, said local families ended up adopting two the three dogs. The third dog, Hope, needed a little more training and time before finding a forever home, and went into foster care at K-9 Divine, a pet boarding daycare facility on a large ranch in Newburg, Md. Just recently, Hope was officially adopted.

Before any of the dogs — Billy, Abi, or Hope — could transition out of AWLA, they had to undergo specific processes to get them properly acclimated to both the United States and human interaction. Even though the dogs had been processed initially in and out of Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Arlington’s process when the three arrived involved medical testing as well as being quarantined for a time.

“When they came from Alexandria, we placed them in what we call quarantine for an additional 10 days so we could do additional health screening,” Simpson said. “The other reason why they were quarantined was to give them a chance to just settle in. They had been through so much. We wanted to limit their interactions and keep things as consistent and simple as possible.”

Simpson said Hope in particular stands out in his memory, as she appeared to have no experience with or even recognition of a leash. He said it was wonderful to see even small changes with Hope, who they determined is probably a Jindo mix and came to AWLA named Mama Dog.

“Hope didn’t appear to have any experience with a leash, so we just starting to walk her to the same spot to take a break and to relieve herself again and again,” Simpson said. “We tried to keep that as consistent and familiar as possible to help her adapt.”

Through the adaptation process post-quarantine, as each of the dogs settled into Arlington, their personalities all became distinct. This, Simpson said, is how AWLA determined which dog was ready for adoption, and to which families.

“As far as their readiness for adoption, I would say that at this point we were starting to recognize that they were all at a different place emotionally,” Simpson said. “We were to see just how they were adapting to liking the States or how they would handle a new home.”

The first dog to leave Arlington for a new home was Billy, who Simpson said was listed by Humane Society International as a Lhasa Apso mix.

“Billy, by all appearances, seemed the readiest,” Simpson said. “His demeanor with people and environments led us to think he had been someone’s pet. While we don’t know that for certain, he was the first one we felt would be ready for adoption. Then, he was adopted rather quickly by a local family.”

Local families adopted both Billy and Abi, who appeared to be a corkie mix, within seven weeks of their arrival to AWLA Arlington.

Hope needed a little more training and a little more experience in the United States before she could be ready for a permanent, loving home. AWLA sent her to live with Rachel Jones, the owner of K-9 Divine, a 16-acre ranch.

Simpson said AWLA Arlington frequently works with foster families to help prepare animals for adoption.

Jones, Hope’s foster parent, said she had Hope since February and saw significant changes in the dog’s behavior and comfort level with people and physical contact.

“When Hope got here, she just really didn’t trust people at all,” Jones said. “She wouldn’t walk in a doorway if someone was also standing in it. The only way I could get her into a room would be to just open the door and walk away for a while. Now, if I open a door and call to her from another room, she comes. That is a big stride for her now. It took time to gain her trust.”

She said Hope also made great strides with human physical interaction.

“At first she was afraid to be pet because she didn’t want anyone reaching for her,” Jones said. “When I did manage to pet her, she would grimace, like it hurt her to be touched. Now she solicits petting, and will actually come up to me and my staff. It’s nice to see her enjoying physical contact from humans.”

“I usually have AWLA send me one dog at a time that needs a little bit of extra work before they can be adopted because I am also a professional dog trainer,” she said. “So I have had two other dogs from AWLA Arlington before Hope. Believe me, I would keep Hope too if I could.”

Both Jones and Simpson said a special, understanding type of owner will give Hope what she needs.

“We sent her to K-9 Divine in the first place to be in a comfortable environment with other dogs but also receive some training,” Simpson said. “She has integrated her into her home. We have all learned a lot of really great things about her. While she interacts really well with other dogs, she is just not a typical kind of dog that likes playing ball and cuddling. The type of family for her would need to understand and respect her background because she has a lot of strengths.”

Jones said the family that adopted Hope seems to fit the profile of an adoptive owner that Hope would need in order to thrive for the rest of her life.

“I think she needs the right family,” Jones said. “She wouldn’t be OK in your average situation where a person accepted her to be a happy-go-lucky dog. I think the people currently in the process of adopting her are a really good fit. They know she is going to take some extra work. I think it’s going to work really well.”

Still, Jones said her home is always open to Hope if something for some reason falls through in the adoption.

“I am going to miss her a lot,” Jones said. “I told them that if for some reason it doesn’t work out, she’s always welcome to stay here forever. It’s just that, in my role as foster parent, I prepare her for her forever home. Otherwise, I would keep her.”