Humane Society International saves 149 more dogs destined for butcher in South Korea
The dogs rescued, including new-born puppies, passed their days in small, elevated cages or on chains. Photo by Jean Chung/For HSI
As South Koreans get ready for the Bok Nal days of summer, which trigger a sharp increase in dog meat consumption in the country, Humane Society International (HSI) has pulled 149 more dogs from the terrible fate of being inhumanely killed and then carved up for use in soup.
The dogs we’ve saved from the pot — including new-born puppies – lived in small groups on a property in Yesan County, in western South Korea. Some passed their days in small, elevated cages, as is typical of dog meat farms, while the owner had others on chains that were hitched to dilapidated dog houses. The dogs were emaciated, with ribs that barked for food. Not only were they fearful and frustrated, they suffered from eye conditions, open sores, and foot and leg deformities. Those posture problems almost certainly stemmed from a combination of nutritional deficiencies and awkward maneuvering on metal caging since puppyhood.
“The flies harass the dogs incessantly, on their bodies and within their cages,” said Kelly O’Meara, HSI’s senior director of companion animals, who is on the ground to work on the rescue. “The hot and humid weather worsens the living conditions, as the dogs don’t get water or food regularly, and they struggle just to get through each day.”
Instead of being funneled to a nearby dog meat market for Bok Nal, the dogs are now finding their way to animal shelters and rescues in the United States, thanks to our intervention. The first of them arrived stateside yesterday, and others will continue to land here in coming weeks. Fifteen puppies who are too young to fly will remain with their moms at a foster home in Korea until they can make the trip to the United States.
The dogs, seen here in elevated cages at the dog meat farm, were emaciated, fearful, and frustrated. They suffered from eye conditions, open sores, and foot and leg deformities. Photo by Jean Chung/For HSI
One of the dogs we rescued has been named Emily, and she’s a beautiful young mastiff-cross suffering from painful skin diseases and swollen paws. HSI found her cowering in her cage, too afraid to lift her head or make eye contact. Angel, a four-month-old puppy who had been kept in isolation, was so desperate for company that she leapt into the arms of our HSI team when they first opened her rusty cage. Our team never needed that motivation to conduct these operations, but what a signal and what an affirmation of the life-saving, life-changing work our team is doing.
This is the ninth dog meat farm that HSI has permanently closed since 2014, rescuing and rehoming nearly 1,000 dogs by working in cooperation with dog meat farmers. The farmer whose dog meat farm we just closed approached HSI because he is considering a move into crop growing. HSI will help him with a business plan to transition into a more humane livelihood, as we have with other dog meat farmers. We are grateful for the support of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation in making this rescue possible.
Although fewer and fewer Koreans now consume dog meat, farmers raised more than 2.5 million dogs on thousands of dog meat farms across South Korea – the only country in the world to commercially raise dogs for human consumption. The dogs have a miserable life, followed by a terrible, sometimes prolonged death. Electrocution is the most common method of killing, and it can take up to 20 minutes for some dogs to die. Dog meat traders also hang the dogs, and often they are killed in full view of their kind, making their final moments a social nightmare, packed with dread and hyper-anxiety.
While we recognize that it’s impossible for us to save every dog trapped in a cage or on a chain and destined for the meat trade, we can change the world for the ones we take into our care. What’s more, we are attacking the problem at many levels to bring an end to this trade altogether. With the farm closures, we are not only freeing individual dogs trapped in this cruel trade and giving them a new lease on life while raising awareness about the dog meat trade, but we are also providing the South Korean government with a successful blueprint for change to scrap the entire, sordid industry.
Kelly O’Meara, senior director of companion animals for Humane Society International, holds a puppy rescued from the dog meat farm in Yesan, South Korea. Photo by Jean Chung/For HSI
We are working to dispel mistaken beliefs around consuming dog meat. Although eating dog meat is a dying practice in Korea, many Koreans who don’t otherwise eat it are likely to do so during Bok Nal in the mistaken belief that it invigorates the blood in the sluggish heat.
Throughout the summer, HSI is taking its campaign to the streets of Seoul to raise awareness, including iDog, our virtual reality experience that shows Koreans the disgusting conditions in which the dogs are forced to live on the dog meat farms. Most Koreans are unaware of what a dog meat farm really looks like. We are also trying to dispel a widespread misconception that farmed dogs are somehow different from companion dogs.
We rolled out on the Seoul subway an eye-catching advertising poster featuring Korean-American actor Daniel Henney, and next we are launching Korean language PSAs with national TV stars Hunter and Sam Hammington. HSI is also running a petition in English and Korean with campaign partners Korea Animal Rights Advocates.
With all the work we are doing, there is cause for hope. Increasingly, farmers are finding exit strategies from the trade because of the dropping demand for dog meat, as opposition to eating dog grows among Korean citizens and politicians. In December last year, officials in the city of Seongnam expressed their desire to close down the dog meat section of Moran Market, the largest in the country, and transition traders to other livelihoods, much like HSI does. While some Moran dog traders are still resisting the move, others have already taken the opportunity to move into other businesses.
Recently, South Korea’s newly elected President Moon Jae-in adopted a dog named Tory. Tory was rescued from living life on a dog meat farm. What a hopeful and extraordinary sign that is, as the world focuses attention on South Korea in the run-up to the 2018 Winter Olympics there.
Thank you for all you do!
I would love to see a follow up story on a former dog-meat farmer that has transitioned to a different industry. I think promoting that success in areas with active dog meat farms may encourage other farmers to come forward and ask for transition assistance. Thank you for everything you do for the animals.
This breaks my heart.
thank you so much for doing a great job. i really cant sleep at night.it justs breaks my heart.
I donate £25 every month to you and will do so for the rest of my life. I have also made provision for a.lump sum for you when I die. I think the work you carry out is so so important and just hope you continue your success in ending this terrible treatment to dogs in South Korea and the far East generally. God bless all of you who work tirelessly to end this ghastly barbaric trade. I wish you all the success in the world.
Dawn Hunn.. England
Ever seen those ASPCA commercials on TV? They put these poor dogs out in the cold and wait till they are nearly freezing to death and shivering, then roll the cameras. Then comes that CARING, crackling female voice pleading with you to send in the money so that the expense accounts can stay funded and the six-figure incomes can continue for these swine who use and exploit these animals for their own gain. Beyond disgusting isn’t it……….
I cannot believe that these dog meat factories still exist in this day and age. Thank you for the work(rescuing) you do. Now, the 2018 OLYMPICS are taking place in South Korea in a few weeks. Is there any way that this could be announced to the audiences so that they are informed of this disgusting, barbaric trade that most Westerners are not aware of? What can we do? We already have 5 rescue dogs so $’s are not readily available. We must do something!
Why are these oriental countries so bloody cruel ? Thank you for your good work rescuing them His bless you all.
Anyone whom eats a dog will get maggets inside their body just remember that and then it makes you become inhuman inside and then you want to eat human flesh after that and you will not go to heaven but hell for that cause Jesus said they inhuman must die and not go to heaven!
Thank you! You guys are the best heroes in the world!
Primeramente buenas tardes…y agradecer a Dios porq la Sra Kitty..ayuda a estos animales…..
Yo opino q deberian de castigar a estaas personas q hacen esta maldad con los perritos….q son nuestros amigos y nos cuidan..
No permitir esta maldad. Y lo peor q hagan comidas con ellos..q tristeza
Los perros tenían que estar en un lugar seguro veterinario tenía que ver para sanar los perros y hacer una campaña para q muestren los perros y les pueda comprar a los perros la comida y hicieron un buen trabajo 🤗😊
Buenos días Mi opinión
Es que no maltraten a
Los animales y los
Entrenen para que se
Vuelva fuerte y si lo
Maltratan tarda 20 minutos
En morir no quiera que
Pase eso tenga compacion
Yo opino que no hay que matar a los perros que son animalitos indefensos necesitados , porque no los tienen que encerrar en jaulas y no hay que consumir su carne porque eso esta mal y no hay que hacerlo .
Carlos Justillo
Gracias por hacer ese gran trabajo por los perritos aunque ce hace difícil rescatar a todos los que están enjaulados encadenados y enjaulados ustedes le están brindando una oportunidad a ellos que tanto los necesitan
Gracias a ustedes por hacer esta gran labor por los perritos aunque ce ase difícil rescatar a todos los enjaulados y encadenados gracias por brindar esa oportunidad de vida a ellos
Me gustó que hayan salvado a los perros grandes y perros recién nacidos que vivian en cautiverio y no podían tener una vida normal ya que muchos tuvieron una muerte muy fea.
Me parece muy bueno que harían cerrado las granjas donde encerraban a los perros porque los perros no son comida sino mascotas
Buenas noches
yo opino q deberian de considerar mas a estos animales y todos los demas porq tambien tienen vida y cuidarlos asi como aveces ellos nos cuidan, deben de haber mas fundaciones asi como lo hace la srta..KITTY q los protege ..
Buenas noches:
El proyecto propuesto muy bueno ya que gracias a esto se salvan muchas vidas animales y logran que los granjeros tengan una nueva y mejor vida creando conciencia social y ambiental
Me parece que es una práctica muy desagradable. Pese a respetar la cultura y las creencias de cada sociedad.. no estoy de acuerdo con tales actos de maldad.
Primero porque tienen encerrados y descuidados a los perros y luego porque en nuestra cultura no es aceptada ese tipo de prácticas inhumanas.
En hora buena, existen organizaciones y gente de buen corazón que ayuda en este tipo de casos.
No me gusta el maltrato a los perritos peor el saber que los crían para comerlos, estos países del otro lado del mundo tienen otra ideas de alimentación, bien por la fundación humanitaria que rescato a estos perritos.
Buenas tardes mi opinion es que me da mucha pena esos perros ojala que le hagan lo mismo a esas personas pobrecitos esos animales inocentes pobres como se le sale el pelaje me da mucha pena 😥😪😭
muchas gracias
Me parece un uso erroneo el comer carne de ¨ Perro ¨ , este es un Animal el cual es una mascota esta es como si fuesen un hijo para nosotros es cruel como ver que hacen esta atrocidad el cual este ser no fue creado para este proposito y me siento a gusto apoyando en contra de comer carne de perro