Dozens of dogs arrive in US from meat farm, will need adopters

WASHINGTON (Gray News) – Dozens of dogs have arrived in the United States this week after they were saved from a dog meat farm overseas.

The Humane Society International/Korea and its partners rescued 34 dogs from a meat farm in South Korea. The dogs arrived Thursday at Washington Dulles International Airport and were taken to a Humane Society rehabilitation center for care.

According to a press release, the Humane Society said the dogs “will receive the love and comfort that the dog meat industry denied them, including beds, a nutritious diet, enrichment and veterinary care.”

Sangkyung Lee, Dog Meat Campaign Manager of HSI Korea, rescues the last Tosa dog at a dog meat... — Sangkyung Lee, Dog Meat Campaign Manager of HSI Korea, rescues the last Tosa dog at a dog meat farm in Ansan City, South Korea, on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. The operation is part of HSIs efforts to fight the dog meat trade throughout Asia. In South Korea, the campaign includes working to raise awareness among Koreans about the plight of meat dogs being no different from the animals more and more of them are keeping as pets.(Jean Chung | Jean Chung/For HIS)

Eventually, the dogs will be transferred to a Humane Society rescue shelter and be put up for adoption.

The Humane Society said an estimated 1 million dogs are killed per year for meat in South Korea, bred on farms where they are locked in metal cages without proper food or water. Most are killed at around 1 year old, according to the Humane Society.

“For these dogs flying to the United States, South Korea’s dog meat industry will soon be a distant memory. But hundreds of thousands of other dogs are still languishing in terrible conditions on dog meat farms for a meat that very few Koreans want to eat and most want banned,” Sangkyung Lee, dog meat campaigner for Humane Society International/Korea, said.

HSI staff and volunteers carry dogs from the Ansan, South Korea dog meat farm rescue into the... — HSI staff and volunteers carry dogs from the Ansan, South Korea dog meat farm rescue into the Humane Society of the United States’ Care and Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022 in Hagerstown, Md. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for HSUS)(Kevin Wolf | Kevin Wolf/AP Images for HIS)

An opinion survey by Nielsen Korea published in October shows that 85% of Koreans said they have never eaten dog meat or will not do so in the future. In addition, 56% said they support a dog meat ban.

Since 2015, Humane Society International/Korea has permanently closed 17 dog meat farms and rescued more than 2,500 dogs who found adoptive, forever homes.

The group has helped dog farmers transition to new livelihoods such as chili plant and parsley growing or water truck delivery.

Dogs from the Ansan, South Korea dog meat farm rescue arrive at the Humane Society of the... — Dogs from the Ansan, South Korea dog meat farm rescue arrive at the Humane Society of the United States’ Care and Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022 in Hagerstown, Md. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for HSUS)(Kevin Wolf | AP Images for HSUS)

“As these rescued dogs arrive in the United States and move into our rehabilitation center, we look forward to the next chapter: preparing them to be adopted into loving homes where they can finally enjoy life as all dogs should,” Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and CEO of Humane Society International, said.

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