Where “Perfectly Imperfect” Cocker Spaniels Find Their Perfect Match

Camp Cocker Rescue

1 day ago

We don’t know who Shaggy’s future lucky adopters will be, but what we do know is they must be worthy of this very loved boy. (we are already receiving adoption applications which is hopeful)

Shaggy’s rescue story began a year ago in Mongolia.

It was -30 degrees the week of his rescue from the streets and the very next week after we committed to him, the extreme temps had dropped to -40 degrees. 🥶

Mongolia is the coldest country on earth and we have no idea how these cocker spaniels can survive.

Additionally, Mongolia has never had the financial resources to establish municipal animal shelters. The least expensive way to address the stray dog population is to pay the hunters a per dog reward for every body they bring in. 😭💔

This makes us appreciate that here in the U.S. stray dogs are humanely euthanized and not shot.

Well with the exception of gas chambers. 😩 There is still one state in the U.S. that is using gas chambers at animal shelters (Wyoming) and this is significantly more cruel for an animal because the last fifteen minutes of their life is terror and suffering. (and some survive the first gassing and have to go through it again, how is this cruelty still legal in America?)

Shaggy was found out on the streets in the snow and he happily jumped into the car of a Good Samaritan.

Camp Cocker Rescue was asked if we could take Shaggy and of course we said yes!

Here is what our protocol is for dogs once we commit to one in Mongolia.

- they immediately go to a climate controlled boarding/doggie daycare place (the owner is a force free dog trainer and his staff is so kind to our dogs)

- they get their initial vetting done, vaccines, spay/neuter, etc

- the C.D.C. has very strict protocols for dogs entering the U.S. from countries that are on the rabies watch list (Mongolia is one of those countries)

- first rabies vaccine

- thirty days later, a second rabies vaccine

- two weeks later, a blood sample is air shipped to a C.D.C. approved lab for a rabies titer test (results can take up to four weeks)

- once all of this has been completed, then the dogs can depart Mongolia.

- timing is tricky because of the extreme cold season, airlines have an embargo on animals in cargo between early December and early March (sometimes we have dogs ready to travel but they have to wait until winter is over)

- next the travel options to bring a Mongolian dog to the U.S. is varied and a bit complicated

- to put one dog on a plane to California in cargo, is too expensive but if we can find someone flying from Mongolia to Los Angeles who can check the dog into cargo at a much lower cost (it is rare to find someone traveling that route)

- if we bring a dog in this way, we have to pay a C.D.C. approved animal care facility to quarantine the dog upon arrival (this is expensive)

- another option is to fly the dogs from Mongolia to South Korea. If a Mongolian dog has been in South Korea for at least six months, then the C.D.C. waives the quarantine upon arrival to the U.S.

- our generous rescue partner, Rachel who runs Cocker Friends Korea, has gone above and beyond to find foster homes there for the Camp Cocker Mongolian dogs. 🥹 (how HOW have we been so lucky to have met Rachel? what a gift she and her volunteers have been to Camp Cocker)

Shaggy has just spent the last six months getting the best of care in a kind foster home in South Korea. How can we ever thank the foster home volunteers for doing this for us?

His Korean foster mom sent the sweetest letter along with Shaggy, for his future adopters. 🥹 #ImNotCryingYouAre

Compassion has no borders is something we always talk about. We never dreamed that there would be strangers from around the world who would want to help our dogs.

Since there are rarely cocker spaniels in American shelters, we are grateful for the opportunity to save these beautiful and deserving dogs from Mongolia.

Also, the American adopters who are adopting these spaniels from us, are so happy because they don’t have to go to breeders to find their favorite breed. (many of our adopters have reported to us that these are some of the most special dogs)

We reluctantly had to close our Mongolian intakes due to how slow our adoptions have been since February 2025. This makes us so sad knowing there are dogs that won’t get rescued from the inevitable fate of living on the streets.

We still have dogs in Mongolia that are currently ready to leave but have to wait until March (likely not arriving to us until Sept/Oct of 2026).

Shaggy is taking adoption applications at CampCocker.com (you can deep dive his bio there).

Serious adoption inquiries, be sure to check out the adoption process as well at:

CampCocker.com/adoption-process

Camp Cocker Rescue adopts out all over the U.S. mainland, however no steps of the adoption process are waived.

Adopters must complete the screening process prior to traveling to where the dog is located, to adopt in person. (please do not ask us to “send you” a dog)

Shaggy will be in the Los Angeles region.

If you are unable to travel to adopt a Camp Cocker dog, that is completely understandable. Please support your local rescues in your region. There are nice dogs needing forever homes everywhere. 🤗

Spread the word!

#CompassionHasNoBorders ❤️

#SaveADogChangeTheWorld 🌎

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