Is rescue about saving as many lives as possible, or trying to help those who need it the most? Should it be about quantity or quality? This question is difficult to answer, but in short, it depends on our capacity at any given time.
Dog Meat Farm
An Inside Look Into Our Korean Shelters
Our executive director, EK Park, has returned to Korea to continue where we left off on our recent endeavor. The last time she had her boots on the ground, Free Korean Dogs led the shutdown of a dog meat farm operating in Sihueng, Korea, saving its 101 residents from a terrible fate. She oversaw the negotiation of the shutdown, legal contracts to ensure history would not be repeated, preparation of the shelter for intake, removal and transportation of dogs from the farm, demolition of the farm, and the first stage of medical and behavioral assessments in order to determine a plan of action.
The Dark Side of Irresponsible Breeding
When puppies become mothers… it may sound like an oxymoron, but it is a reality.
Debunking Myths of Dog Meat Trade Survivors
July 26th of this year marks Joongbok, the second day of Boknal, Korea’s annual dog meat consumption tradition. While we have previously provided education and awareness on Boknal and the dog meat trade itself, today, we would like to focus on its survivors.
Surprise Puppies
Sihwa (from our recent Sihueng dog meat farm shutdown) was one of the 10 dogs we sent to training school to help her find her courage and confidence. Coming from such an awful background, she found it difficult to trust humans and would often resort to growling and showing her teeth when approached.
The Beginning of a New Start … For Good!
We say it all the time – rescue is simultaneously fulfilling and inspiring as it is disheartening and traumatic. Earlier this year, we shared a rescue story of a few dogs who were being raised on a construction site to be sold for meat as a secondary income, and the efforts made to save them.
Yongin Dog Meat Rescue Update 2
It’s been for a while since we discovered and rescued 15 dogs from a restaurant in Yongin, Korea, who were being raised for slaughter for fresh dog meat stew. They have since been known as our “Yongin rescues”, and while we have been inadvertently slow with updates we have been busy with the pups behind the scenes!
Yongin Dog Meat Rescue Update 1
Since we rescued and took custody of the 15 dogs from a restaurant in Yongin, Korea where they were destined to be handpicked for slaughter whenever a patron ordered fresh (dog) meat soup off the menu. They were kept in small, filthy cages on the property behind the restaurant, strategically positioned away from public eyes despite being known in town for selling dog meat.
And Bab(ies) Make 8
There are always surprises in the world of dog rescue, especially when it comes to dog meat farm survivors. You always expect them, but you never truly know the surprise entails. Some are unfortunate – will they have significant health issues? Irreversible trauma? Others are lovely surprises – personalities that willingly trust or a clean bill of health. But when a rescue dog is pregnant, it’s a mix of emotions.
The Man in the Red Apron
Last week we announced our endeavor in attempting to secure the safety and release of 15 dogs being kept for meat at a restaurant in Yongin, Korea. Today, it is with great relief we announce that after a tense and nerve-wracking week of negotiations, we were successfully able to acquire custody of all 15 dogs on the property.
Changing the unimaginable fate of 15 dogs
Free Korean Dogs is currently working with our colleagues in Korea to secure the safety of 15 dogs from the brutal dog meat trade. At a seemingly regular restaurant specializing in Vietnam food in Yongin, Korea, a city right outside the capital, dogs are being kept in cages for slaughter. When a customer chooses a dog meat dish, a dog is subsequently handpicked, tortured, and then butchered for “fresh meat”. These are the faces of the dogs currently at the restaurant awaiting a terrible fate.
The Underdogs of the Rescue World
Working within the world of dog rescue we often see and hear the stigma associated with adoption, especially for meat farm rescues. They say shelter dogs are ‘broken’; They have deeply rooted trauma and behavior issues beyond the help of rehabilitation; They are past their prime years and cannot be trained. The list goes on.