Our Love Has No Borders

Written By: David Stroud - Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society | Issue: 2016/11 - November

When CHHS was asked to be one of only five animal welfare agencies in North Carolina selected to host brave canine survivors from across the Pacific Ocean, we immediately said yes.  

But of the 31 dogs who came to the United States last month after surviving unspeakable conditions in an illegal dog meat farm in South Korea, one dog touched our hearts more than any other.  You see, 30 of the dogs were one year old, two years old, or they were puppies.  Only one dog of the 31 was older than two.  And she was 10.  So naturally… we chose her first.

Caramel is a testament to a canine’s will to live, and the capacity to forgive.  She is the most gentle, calming soul we have ever been blessed to have in our care.  As we stroked her soft hair and spoke soothing words into her ears, our hearts melted when we watched her bask in the love and compassion that she never knew for far too long. 

When Caramel was first rescued in Jeonju, South Korea, she and the other 30 dogs spent a month of rest at a sanctuary where they experienced a loving, human touch for the first time.  I have become friends with one of the volunteers who worked at that sanctuary, a U.S. citizen named Heidi who currently resides in South Korea.  Heidi shared with me an unforgettable experience she had with Caramel one day on a beach in South Korea:

“We were walking one day near the coast of the Yellow Sea up north and Caramel just stopped and listened to the waves crashing and watched out through the fence line that borders the country.  She was soaking up every moment, smelling the air and staring out at the waves.  I wanted to stay there all day hugging her and I kept thinking about how this girl, almost 70 years old in human years, who had given birth to countless litters of puppies for man’s greed while living in disgusting, filthy cages her whole life was finally enjoying a small taste and scent of freedom.  It’s a moment I will never, ever forget.”

Caramel is a 10-year-old female Korean Jindo mix.  Sure, you might find a fluffier puppy.  Or a younger dog for a hiking buddy or exercise companion.  But you will never meet another dog who has more soul, more loyalty, more unconditional love, than Caramel.  Her love has no borders.  And neither does ours. 

Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit no-kill animal shelter that receives no state or county tax dollars, and no funding from any national animal organization.  Established in 1987, CHHS has rescued, provided compassionate care, and found forever homes for thousands of abandoned and neglected animals.  The shelter is located on Highway 64 in Sapphire, two miles east of the Cashiers Crossroads and is open 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Monday through Saturday.  For more information, please contact CHHS at (828) 743-5752 or visit us online at CHhumanesociety.org.