Pug Rescue of Korea has not been able to rescue a new dog since February.

We have sadly been forced to suspend taking in new dogs until we can clear $15,637 in outstanding veterinary debt. (Our original goal was $25,500, but thanks to our community, we have since reduced this through other fundraising!) 100% of these funds went directly to the essential medical care and specialized surgeries needed to get 11 pugs healthy and rehabilitated.

Our rescuer, Kim, works a full-time job and devotes every free hour to feeding, medicating, & saving pugs. She gives up her personal life for them. Because she puts them first, her own needs—including reimbursement paperwork—come last.

When we finally sat down to tally our bills, the reality was staggering.

We want to get back to saying "yes" to pugs in need, but we can’t do it without your help.

Kim’s modest life

Kim chooses to live a simple life, dedicating her space, time, and resources to rescuing pugs. At any given time, her apartment serves as a foster home for up to 10 dogs.

To maximize space, Kim’s living room contains no traditional furniture or decor. Instead, it is filled with dog beds, pens, toys, and pee pads. Her décor is newspapers that line all 3 walls to prevent damage from dog urine. Her three-bedroom apartment is fully utilized for the pugs: bedrooms are set up to quarantine healing dogs or separate rowdy pups, and even her kitchen is used for isolation when a dog's medical needs require it.

Rather than sleeping in a bed, Kim sleeps on mats and blankets on the living room floor directly alongside her fosters. Many of these rescues have never lived indoors and require constant nighttime supervision, cleanup, and care. She can’t get a full night of uninterrupted sleep.

Waste not, want not. To stretch our budget, Kim cuts away the unused sections of soiled pee pads so there is no waste. Kim pours everything she has into these pugs, prioritizing their safety, rehabilitation, and comfort above all else.

Why is pug rescue so expensive?

As many of you know, pugs can be a medically complex breed, and our adoption fees ($350–$1,150) don’t cover the full cost of their care and rehabilitation. Here’s what it takes to save just one dog:

$1,200–$2,500: Air transport and travel costs from Korea to the US.

$800–$2,000: Basic intake (vetting, vaccines, dentals, spay/neuter).

$2,000+: Specialist care (BOAS airway surgery, eye surgeries, orthopedic care, heartworm treatment).

Note: If a foster pug requires veterinary care after arriving in the US, these medical costs instantly double.

Mica, May 2019 - Nov 2025

Mica's Story

We tragically lost Mica to GME, a progressive inflammatory brain disease. Because she had been severely neglected before coming to us, the disease went untreated in its early stages. We fought for her for a year and a half, ensuring she finally knew love and comfort. While we deeply mourn her loss, we don’t regret a single penny spent on her care. Her total medical bills reached $8,936.42, and we still owe $4,235.05 of that balance.

We aren't complaining about these numbers—this has been our reality since day one. But, to survive, we rely entirely on your generosity.

How are we ensuring this won't happen again?

We never want to stop saving pugs from puppy mills, euthanasia, and the dog meat market. Our main hurdle was the inability to accurately forecast expenses due to the grueling manual process of compiling international receipts, performing currency conversions, and translating receipts.

Moving forward, we are using AI tools to handle this paperwork quickly and efficiently. This will allow us to track expenditures in real-time and fundraise proactively.

How Can You Help Us Resume Rescuing?

If you can make a direct financial donation today, please contribute to this GoFundMe (or donate directly on our website: www.pugrescueofkorea.org).

If you can’t donate directly (totally understand), here are other ways you can help us clear this debt:

Thank you for standing by Kim, our vets, and the pugs!