SAN FRANCISCO—Thirteen young dogs were rescued from a dog meat farm in a South Korea and brought to San Francisco.
The pups were the last of 57 dogs rescued from the farm in an effort carried-out by the Humane Society International in the hopes of ending the worldwide butchering and inhumane treatment of canines.
Because the dogs were kept in such cramped conditions, caged for the majority of their lives and imprisoned within the confines of the farm, many of the animals are traumatized and unresponsive to human love and affection.
The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the organization responsible for bringing the dogs to the Bay Area, are hoping the animals recover to live normal lives.
The effort marks the first time that dogs initially bred for slaughter will be available for adoption in California. Following medical checkups and psychological evaluations, the pups, all younger than two-years-old, will be sent to homes across the Bay Area.
The farmer behind the South Korea rescue, named Tae Hyung Lee, was a dog breeder for 20 years. Citing mounting criticism from family members and a steep decline in the popularity of canine meat, Lee has agreed to close his dog farming operation and begin growing produce, an effort the Humane Society has agreed to help fund.
