HE DIED SO OTHERS COULD LIVE...

The inspiration behind BORN TO RUN Global Sighthound Rescue

The city pound in Daejeon, South Korea is an unremarkable place, filled with stray cats and dogs in various stages of life and health, tended by overworked personnel.

When Natalya went there to scout for abandoned animals on October 11, 2010, little did she know that her visit would have worldwide repercussions. As she walked amongst the cages, she suddenly froze. Huddled in the far corner of a dirty cage was a bloody mass of gold fur with green gauze on his front legs.  It was a male borzoi puppy who had been hit by a car two days earlier. He had been given no veterinary attention except for taping up his broken limbs.  She inquired about adopting him but was told that there were 8 days remaining before the mandatory 10 day waiting period expired. Besides, the pound manager told her, she had already extracted her limit so was not eligible for any more adoptions.

Animal Rescue Korea (ARK), a grass-roots network of highly dedicated volunteers who visit shelters and pounds in South Korea, fosters needy animals, and facilitates adoptions. Louise, Sofia, Colleen, and Hyunjoo jumped into action immediately.

The ARK volunteers contacted several US borzoi people, including Carol Backers, who operates the National Borzoi Rescue Foundation in the U.S.A. They mobilized an effort to save the puppy, now named "Born to Run" even though he couldn’t.  They started raising money, and were looking forward to helping “Born to Run”  heal and find his forever home.  Hyunjoo and Sofia contacted the pound and arranged for Born to Run's release.

Natalya took him out of the shelter on October 18. He was weak, having  lost half his body weight. The next day she brought him to a clinic, where he was diagnosed with parvovirus.  Korean clinics do not routinely carry parvo serum, so they ordered it, and the serum arrived the next day The Korean clinic did their best for Born to Run, but he died the next day.

The tragedy of his brief life touched the hearts of numerous Borzoi lovers, who wept and asked, "How could this have happened?  Why couldn't we save this little puppy?"   

We know that Born to Run was found broken, on the streets of Daejeon.  He had lost weight.  We know he wasn’t vaccinated.  He knew hunger, loneliness, fear, and pain.  But we can take comfort knowing that he died surrounded by kindness, with the love of the borzoi world supporting him. 

Because of Born to Run and his tragic death, an International Sighthound rescue group has been organized in his memory.

BORN TO RUN Global Sighthound Rescue

Our goal with BTRGSR is to ensure that Sighthounds in need do not suffer and are given a chance at life. While there will be many logistical and financial challenges, we ask for YOUR support to help us overcome these obstacles.