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 trade
Dori’s Dream Comes True
Had no one intervened, Dori’s fate would have ended in one of two ways. In the first scenario, he would have been slaughtered for meat and cooked into a soup during Boknal, Korea’s annual tradition where dog meat is consumed under the (unfounded) belief it boosts the immune system, among other health benefits. As a Korean Tosa, also known as a Korean Mastiff, Dori’s breed is widely considered to be a “dog meat breed” and as a result is commonly bred, stigmatized, and marginalized as such.
The Dark Side of Irresponsible Breeding
When puppies become mothers… it may sound like an oxymoron, but it is a reality.
Korea’s New Leader: Shaping the Future of the Dog Meat Trade
Last fall, the world leaned in intently with open ears after South Korean president Moon Jae In reportedly asked vice president Kim Boo Kyum, “Hasn’t the time come to end dog meat consumption?”. Following Moon’s comment, the government set up a task force with the responsibility of conducting an in-depth examination as to whether or not it would be in the public interest to ban the centuries long practice of dog meat consumption in the country. The force consists of seven government offices, including the Agriculture Ministry, civilian experts, and officials from related organizations to gather information on dog farms, restaurants, and other facilities while examining public opinion in order to deliver recommendations on the subject matter.
South Korean President Considers Ban on Dog Meat Consumption
It is no secret South Korea is an epicenter of the Asian dog meat trade. It also distinguishes itself as the only country in the world that commercially farms dogs for food, backed by the National Dog Farmer Association, a registered local group which exists to support its farmers and lobby to keep dog meat legal in Korea.
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!
Boknal: Did You Know?
Boknal, Korea’s annual dog meat tradition in which dog meat consumption is encouraged during the “hottest days of summer” to boost stamina, immune systems, and prevent or cure other ailments, is now underway in Korea.
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.
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.