{ the jaunty magpie }

I have big news -- or maybe little white fluffy news? It was a heartbreaking loss to say goodbye to our sweet, sweet Indy last year, but we always knew we would make room in our hearts for another dog someday. And we always knew we'd adopt, that it would be a dog with a story to share, versus a puppy whose story is waiting to be told. And maybe in my heart I always knew it would be like with Indy, that the dog would find us, and not the other way around. In a way, that's just what happened -- meet BK (Bua Kao), and here is her story... 

As written by BK, you know, if she could write (she's quite clever): 
My journey has been a long and sometimes troubled one, but I am blessed to have been surrounded by incredible love. I am called White Lotus, Bua Kao (Khao) in my homeland, but you can call me BK. I am a kintamani, a dog native to the Indonesian island of Bali, and common in Southeast Asia. As a puppy, I survived a catastrophic flood in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2011, and was rescued by the good people of the Save Elephant Foundation, who work towards ensuring the survival of the Asian elephant, as well as providing a refuge for dogs that are displaced or abandoned.

I was fortunate to have found a place in the hearts of Tracy and Nathan, a kind couple from Washington State, who were volunteering at the park. They found me hiding in a storm drain, so terribly afraid, because the world seemed too large for such a little dog. And so they took me to a smaller place, beautiful Orcas Island, in the San Juans, where I lived with them and their other rescued animals for a time. I saw mountains, tall evergreen trees, walked on trails every day, got really excited by deer, and never had to worry about being hungry or forgotten again. I was rescued again, with love, patience, and a brand-new home.

But the world can still be a big place for a little dog, and I get fearful of what I don’t understand. I’ve had so many things taken from me, I forget myself, and I sometimes feel the need to protect the things I love, even though I don’t need to. And so Tracy and Nathan made the hard decision to give me my best chance, to find a new home that could give me both the space I need, but the protective people to make sure there’s nothing to fear in the world. This was a difficult decision, but one out of pure love, and I am thankful for that.

Through the kindness of a mutual friend (and Facebook! THANK YOU, LISA!!), my humans met one another, and a new home in Duvall was offered to me. I’m still getting used to this place, and these people, Brock and Denise, but I think they’re all right. And they certainly like me, judging from the constant petting and snuggling — I can’t get enough! I can still sense the previous dog they had, there is still some sadness in this house, but I see the smile I bring to these new people, how their faces light up every time they look at me. I’ve gone on drives in a weird little white car, neighborhood walks, and I have a huge fenced-in yard where I can run anywhere I want! Although whenever it’s time to go in, I’m happy to do so, I’m finding I don’t want to be too far from Brock or Denise. They’ve already introduced me to some of their friends, who are very generous with head-pats and snuggles, and the house is full of happy laughter. I have my own spot on the couch, beds all throughout the house, and someone is usually home all day, so I’m rarely alone. This is just one small part of a very blessed life I’ve had, despite a rough start. I’ve been saved twice, and I am eternally grateful. 

If you would like to learn more about what you can do to help the Save Elephant Foundation, please visit them online, and here is a video of the animal rescue efforts from the 2011 flood that BK was rescued from:



Jaunty Fine Print: Photographs by Denise Sakaki