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!
A New Taste of Freedom:
One of the most rewarding things to experience when rescuing dogs is getting to know them and seeing their journeys progress. Every journey is different with each dog having a special, innate quality unique to them. For some, the awareness is immediate, happily greeting everyone they meet and yearning to pets and affection. Or perhaps it is a lack of awareness, and more so an admirable quality of living and enjoying each moment in carefree oblivion. For other dogs, the cognizance and intuition of their past situation remain traumatic with emotional scars running deep. A lot of healing is required to rebuild self confidence and trust in others.
When a dog is rescued and brought to the shelter, the journey begins in quarantine. All incoming dogs are separated from the rest of the residents to decompress in a quieter environment, and until they are given a clean bill of health to join the general population, ensuring no potential diseases or viruses can be spread. This also gives us the opportunity to have a more focused assessment of what their personalities are like. Are they social? Shy? Assertive? Independent? Energetic? Couch potatoes?
Upon arriving to safety at our partner boarding house, we have seen personalities emerge and blossom. Some relished in their new found freedom immediately, enthusiastically looking to meet new furry and human friends. Others took time to process their new situation with a little more apprehension and caution. It has been a joy to see them discovering new “firsts”, even if as simple as touching grass for the first time. We are happy to say they are all thriving at the boarding house, and we enjoy seeing their personal growth and how much freedom agrees with them.
A Visit from the Vet:
We feel so lucky to have the acquaintance of caring, kind, and compassionate groups and individuals who share our common goals. Volunteer vets arrived and set up a mobile clinic at the boarding house, greatly eliminating the stress of transportation for our dogs, as well as saving valuable time and resources for our shelter volunteers. The remaining 5 dogs completed their spay and neuter surgeries, while the other dogs completed their vaccinations, including the puppies.
Onwards and Upwards!
It has been an eventful, yet rewarding few months, and we’re excited to see what their futures hold. Some of the dogs will begin looking for their forever home soon, others will take more time to decompress and settle in before becoming available for adoption. For now, we will let them, let us know when they are ready for the next chapter of their lives.
Written by Sara Liao, Board of Directors & Adoption Manager
