Q: Is BAPS a government or private sanctuary?
A: BAPS is 100% private. we own it, run it, and maintain it. The Korean government does not run Sanctuaries or Shelters.
Q: Why don't you ask for government money or help?
A: The city government does support private, for-profit dog pounds. However, they also impose conditions. Any pound that receives government money CANNOT refuse any dog that is sent there by the city or by citizens. While receiving dogs seems like a great thing (after all, who doesn't want to save more dogs?), there is one trap to it: OVERPOPULATION.
According to worldwide research, the number one reason why private shelters fail, or allow themselves to fall into inhumane conditions, is over-population of dogs. Their space is reduced, there will not be enough to eat, disease spreads uncontrollably, and their quality of life becomes unbearable.
Responsible sheltering requires setting a maximum occupancy number, and staying with it. So.... and the next part is natural: What pounds or shelters have to do is euthanize dogs that have been at the shelter for a longer time, or that get sick, or have behavioral problems. Because we don't want to be forced to euthanize, we refuse government money. it's for the best.
Q: So, do you euthanize dogs?
A: No. every single dog that enters BAPS is our "child". We love every single one, and would never think of euthanizing. We are a 100% no-kill shelter. The only time that dogs are euthanized is when they are suffering from a terminal illness, and are at the point of no return in suffering.
Q: I found a stray dog / have an unwanted dog.... will you pick it up and take it to your shelter?
A: We maintain our shelter at maximum capacity. Therefore, we do not take any new dogs. If a space becomes available, we usually take a new dog of similar weight. Please understand that this is to provide a better quality of life to the dogs we have.
We carefully select new intakes, based on health, adoptability, and age. The objective of BAPS is to save and re-home as many dogs as possible. For this reason we choose dogs that we hope are adoptable. For a dog to be accepted, a careful evaluation of temperament is also required.
We select new dogs from a pound we trust, where we can have some assurances of the animal's health condition. In rare cases we have take animals that people have found off the street, but we require a full medical checkup and vaccinations at the expense of the finder before we intake the animals.
Q: Where does BAPS get its money?
A: Jin and Leo covered the majority of costs of running BAPS from the start, in 2008 until the end of 2011. From that point it was decided that BAPS would have to be self-sufficient via donations. Every month BAPS requires around 2,100,000 for operating.
Q: How can I help?
A: volunteering at the shelter is always appreciated. There is much more work to do than what we can manage, so many things go untended. we particularly appreciate people who can take dogs for walks, give haircuts, cut toenails, build or construct facilities, and give dogs care. If you wish to donate either one time or monthly, you can talk to Jin about how to arrange that.
You can also bring dog treats and snacks, collars and leashes, and drinks/ snacks for volunteer days. Most dogs are available for fostering, so please ask about how you can have a canine companion during your time in Korea!
But the number one way to help is, of course, by donating money. It costs a lot to keep the shelter running.