Kelly Starbuck’s friends call her the Doggy Lama.
The Mercer Island resident connects with canines wherever she roams. She could be cuddling with her own pets at home, massively improving dogs’ lives through her work as a rescuer or attracting a four-legged friend while eating breakfast at a restaurant.
It’s always been that way for Starbuck, and she said the attraction is reciprocal between her and the animals.
“The other day we were eating at Pancake Corral outside and there was a dog across the other side and it just kept pulling its leash to get to me,” said Starbuck, adding that the dog’s owner apologized, but Starbuck noted that she’s used to that happening.
“They always seem to seek me out. And I think they always like my strength. They just feel comfort,” she said.
Starbuck — who tends to dogs who are injured, have special needs or need homes — wants canines to enjoy their lives, she said, and that’s what has kept her thriving as a rescuer and vice president at the nonprofitMercer Island Eastside Orphans and Waifs (MEOW) Cat Rescue in Kirkland since 1997.
Next month, Starbuck will be honored for her vital work for the fourth time by the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America at a national awards banquet in Chicago.
Starbuck said she gets goose bumps when discussing the huge honor, which is a reminder that she’s making a difference in the world and will keep her on the rescuing path.
“I love animals, obviously, and I’m a hard-working person and very goal oriented, so it’s just become my life’s passion,” she said.
In all, Starbuck estimates she’s rescued about 25,000 dogs over the last 25 years.
She primarily rescued Shar-Pei for a long time, but now she also focuses on Great Danes, hairless breeds and dogs with special needs. The animals are brought to them from all over the world, including close to 40 from South Korea. Hence the nonprofit’s acronym, MEOW also rescues all breeds of cats.
“We’re big on special needs. We’re known for pretty much never saying ‘no’ when it comes to anything that needs to be done surgically or emotionally. We’ll make sure it gets taken care of,” said Starbuck, adding that MEOW receives the animals from shelters 90% of the time, and in all cases, they’ll arrange for specialists to aid the animals. Once they’re healed, the animals are returned to the owners or are placed up for adoption on Petfinder.com.
As noted on its website, MEOW’s mission is: “With respect and compassion for all animal life, MEOW promotes lifelong relationships between people and companion animals, providing shelter and care for each precious life until adopted into a forever home.”
Sharon Pian Chan sings Starbuck’s praises in the rescuing realm and has also developed a friendship with the dog-lover.
“I have adopted three dogs that Kelly rescued. She is a patron saint of dogs,” Pian Chan said. “I recently moved from Seattle to New York and have now been in touch with dog rescuers in several mid-Atlantic states, and I now know that Kelly is a national hero, not just a local one.”
Starbuck, who began her professional rescuing work at the Mercer Island Pet Grocery, runs the canine division at MEOW and provides the only Shar-Pei rescue for Washington, Idaho and Oregon.
Her attraction to and care for animals really began when she was a child.
“I brought everything home when I was little, whether it was a caterpillar or a rabbit or a duck or whatever. My mom was just always like, ‘Oh, now what is she bringing home?’” Starbuck said with a laugh.
Formerly the owners of Starbucks Towing, Kelly and her husband John — a native Islander who helps out at MEOW — sold their company on Feb. 14, 2020, several weeks before the pandemic hit.
“I just always say the dogs up above were looking down on us and they helped us through that one because, whew, that was by the skin of our teeth,” Kelly said.
For more information on MEOW, visit https://meowcatrescue.org/
