Every year in South Korea, a dog-tasting festival known as Bok Nal takes place between July and August.
Though this national practice is declining in popularity, it still brings about the death of hundreds of thousands of dogs over a two month period every year.
These creatures are imprisoned for months in appalling conditions, confined to very small iron cages until they are slaughtered, usually by electrocution.
Source: @Humane Society International
Since 2010, the Canadian-American Humane Society International (HSI) has been leading the fight against this cruel custom in an attempt to save as many dogs as possible.
The organisation has managed to save 250 of these dogs this year. The last 171 have only just arrived in the U.S., at the beginning of May.
The animals were divided between two rescue shelters as part of the Humane Society of the United States emergency placement programme, the Animal Hospital of Roxbury in Ledgewood and St Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey. They are being looking after at these shelters and will be later put up for adoption.
Source: @Humane Society International
This rescue was made possible thanks to the help of a South Korean farmer from the Wonju province. Most dog breeders are part of the industry against their best wishes and are trying to find a way out of it.
The president of the New Jersey rescue centre said in a press conference:
We are proud to welcome these poor animals, happy in the knowledge that their stories will alert the public to the fight against this practice.
Source: @Humane Society International
He confirmed that most of the dogs are happy to return to a normal, peaceful life, and seem capable of getting over the trauma.
Source: @Humane Society International
For many years, the Humane Society International has been working in various countries in Asia, fighting to put an end to the dog meat industry.
In South Korea, the organisation is developing support programmes for these farmers to help them earn a living by other means.
For more information about the dog meat industry in South Korea and to join the fight against it, you can make a donation on the Humane Society International website.
We're LIVE from our temporary shelter! We'll be giving a quick tour and taking a look at some of the lucky dogs we rescued from a South Korean dog meat farm.Posted by Humane Society International on Thursday, April 28, 2016
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