Alexandria Helps Dogs Rescued from South Korean 'Dog Meat Farm'

PHOTO: Abbie Hubbard, AWLA deputy director, meeting one of the puppies upon its arrival to the airport, from South Korea. HSI photos

Humane Society International rescued 23 dogs from a “dog meat farm” in Seoul, South Korea and transported them to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria on Wednesday, according to a report by WUSA9. The dogs were flown in Monday and Tuesday.

At least one of those dogs, “Billy,” got a good grooming and bathing upon arrival by volunteer Jennifer McCleary — a video was posted by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (watch it below).

The dogs range in age and include 12 puppies. They have been through the quarantine process; starting Friday the dogs will be sent across the area in a joint effort to get them adopted, to shelters that include:

• Animal Welfare League of Arlington
• Fairfax County Animal Shelter
• Loudon County Animal Services
• City of Manassas Animal Control and Adoption Shelter
• The Washington Animal Rescue League

HSI director of companion animals, Kelly O’Meara, tells the Agence France-Press that dog meat farmers number “at least in the hundreds” in South Korea, where an estimated 1.2 to 2 million dogs are consumed every year, according to thedodo.com.

HSI worked with the farmer to remove the dogs from miserable conditions and close the doors of his facility for good. As part of the plan, HSI secured an agreement with him to stop raising dogs for food and move permanently to growing crops as a more humane way to make a living.

“Our objective is to have this be a permanent change in a cruel trade,” O’Meara tells the Washington Post. “He is the first, and we’re hoping [he is] a model example for others to follow. Offering him some assistance — that was something we were happy to do.”

Watch pup Billy get groomed and bathed in a video posted by the Alexandria shelter; he’ll be available for adoption at the Arlington shelter.