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.
Meet Dosam. He was rescued from the Dangjin Dog meat farm in September 2018 when Free Korean Dogs stepped in to shut down the operation. He is a Korean Tosa, a breed stigmatized for being aggressive, and much rather preferred as a “meat dog” due to their large size and physical resilience.
Shortly after their rescue, Dosam and his friends Doil and Doyi were sent to training school for assessment. After a few months of training Dosam not only graduated, he became the trainer’s assistant and sidekick.
These Tosa dogs are a perfect example of how these claims are simply not true. Dosam and his friends will make perfect companions, but no-one ever saw their potential because they were immediately dismissed and never given a chance. People only chose to see an “aggressive” dog because they felt intimidated his sheer size, but never realized these breeds are in fact gentle giants by nature.
Dosam, Doil, and Doyi are ready for adoption. But in a country where a 5lb fluffy Maltese is the preferred furry companion, their proven intellect, loyalty, and good nature bears no importance. They will simply continue to be considered livestock for consumption.
We know a loving and accepting family awaits these dogs here in Canada. We’ve seen other Tosa meat farm rescues like Gucci walk the same path before them. The only hurdle left is for us to find an airline who will accommodate their size and weight. These boys have tried hard for us and we will never give up in trying to find them their happily ever after in Canada. We’re so proud of our graduates!
Written by Sara Liao, Board of Directors & Adoption Manager
BRAVO!
A thousand times:
BRAVO