Rescue Dog Owner Gets Driver License for the Most Heartwarming Reason

A woman has shared how she got her driving license for a unique reason—so she can take her rescue dog on hikes.

Jin C, who lives in New York, shared a picture of her dog Bingsoo's new hiking backpack on Reddit's r/MadeMeSmile subreddit, revealing the story. The post quickly gained traction, amassing over 32,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments.

Bingsoo came into Jin's life when he was adopted from the Hearts & Bones Rescue based in NYC and Dallas in September 2022. Bingsoo was originally called "Keith Urban," but Jin renamed him after a Korean summer dessert. Despite limited information about Bingsoo's past, Jin was instantly determined to give him the best life she could.

"I wanted to learn to drive and hike with him because he is absolutely at home in Prospect Park," Jin told Newsweek. "I took him on a few cabin trips with my friends and my family, and it was so clear he loved having large grassy fields and forests nearby. I knew I needed to be able to take him on adventures more often."

As well as getting her driving license, Jin also purchased Bingsoo his very own hiking backpack. Designed specifically for dogs, it sits over his back and ties up underneath his stomach. It has multiple pockets to hold any hiking essentials.

Bingsoo the dog
Rescue dog Bingsoo showing off his new hiking backpack. His owner told Newsweek she got a driver's license as "I knew I needed to be able to take him on adventures more often." u/Frankensteinbatch/Reddit

After the owner shared a picture on Reddit, people were obsessed. "I can already picture him on his first hike, all goofy and happy," wrote user wander-and-wonder.

And ideclareshenanigans3 wrote: "Awwww! That's so sweet that you got your license for the pupper! What a great motivator. Obv you needed it for other things, but this is the cutest reason. Drive safe and enjoy your hikes with your new bestie."

The decision to get Bingsoo his very own backpack stemmed from a pretty practical consideration.

"To be very honest, it's because last time I carried three filled poop bags with me for three hours," said Jin. "He also loves having responsibilities since he's a mixed breed of working dogs. I will put very light items like an extra poop bag roll, his treats, and his own poop."

The duo recently visited the Finger Lakes, hiking on the trails nearby. With friends, Jin and Bingsoo also recently went to the Catskills with friends where they rented a cabin, and the dog had plenty of space to run around.

There are big adventure plans to come, too. "I have a trip to the Kings Park Bluff in Long Island as I ramp up our hiking time and driving time," said Jin. "Then I'm hoping up next is a day trip to Sleepy Hollow [in New York], and in a few months, I'm planning a 10-day road trip to Tennessee and all trails on the way there."

Correction 04/22/24, 13:14 p.m. ET: This article was updated to correct the owner's gender

Uncommon Knowledge

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more

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