Author: Kristin Stone

After arriving in Toronto, 50 rescued dogs headed for shelters and rescue groups—and ultimately forever homes—in Quebec and Ontario

Humane Society International

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Following its 10th closure of a South Korean dog meat farm, Humane Society International is transporting more than 170 severely neglected dogs to North America and the United Kingdom. Forty six of the dogs have arrived at Pearson Airport in Toronto and HSI/Canada is now moving them to partner shelters in Quebec. Another four of the rescued dogs will arrive tomorrow and are being placed with an Ontario rescue group.

Rebecca Aldworth, executive director of HSI/Canada, said: “This horrific dog meat farm is one of the worst HSI has ever seen and I am thrilled we are shutting it down for good. More than 170 dogs and puppies were intensively confined in cramped, filthy, barren wire cages positioned over months of accumulated waste. The dogs had no protection from the freezing temperatures. Many had open sores on their bodies and were severely emaciated because they received little food or water. These dogs have been spared a lifetime of misery and a brutal death at the hands of the dog meat trade. This holiday season, we are asking Canadians to open their hearts and their homes to these dogs and to stand with Humane Society International as we work to end the cruel dog meat trade forever.”

Ewa Demianowicz, senior campaign manager for HSI/Canada, said: “I’ve just returned from South Korea and the conditions at this dog meat farm were appalling. These poor dogs were confined in cramped, barren wire cages with little food and water and no protection from the elements. Mother dogs were there for years, forced to bear litter after litter of pups, only to have them stolen away to be slaughtered. The dogs are emaciated and covered in open sores, and they are in urgent need of veterinary treatment, proper nutrition and love. We are so happy that they will receive that care here in Quebec and that many of the dogs could be in forever homes in time for the holidays.”

Eric Margolis, whose compassion and generosity helped make this rescue possible, said, “I was heartbroken to see the suffering these dogs endured on this horrific dog meat farm. As an animal lover, I felt compelled to do everything in my power to save them from the terrible conditions they were living in, and the gruesome fate that awaited them. It is wonderful to know that these dogs will soon be safe at last in loving homes.”

“For the second consecutive year, the Montreal SPCA is pleased to assist HSI/Canada with this important rescue. Our team is eager to meet these dogs and provide them with all the care and individual attention they require. We are relieved that they will soon be placed in loving homes, where they will get the chance to live happy and healthy lives,” said Élise Desaulniers, executive director of the Montreal SPCA. “The dogs will be settling in at the Montreal SPCA where canine behaviour experts, veterinarians and staff will care for them. Many of the dogs are timid and will be seeking patient and calm adoptive families to help them adjust to their new lives. They will become available for adoption December 18 at noon.”

Marie-Josée Roy, director general of the SPA Arthabaska, said: “It is moving and rewarding to make a difference in the lives of these dogs, helping them heal and prepare for a better life ahead with a loving forever family. Collaborating with an international organization to save animals allows us to do our part from this corner of the world. We do what we can, and we do it for them!”

Corinne Gonzalez, director general of the SPCA Laurentides-Labelle, said: “We are so moved to be participating in this rescue, and to give such wonderful animals a new life. We are very confident that we will find loving families who will help these dogs recover from such deplorable conditions.”

The dog meat trade is most widespread in China, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Nagaland in northern India. It is well-organized, with dogs being stolen or taken from the streets, transported over long distances, housed in gruesome conditions and brutally slaughtered. In South Korea, an estimated 2.5 million dogs are slaughtered for the meat trade annually.

As a part of our campaign to ban the dog meat trade in South Korea, HSI works to transition dog meat farmers to more humane industries and transports the dogs to regions where they can receive care and rehabilitation.

A special thank you to Eric Margolis, Etienne Borgeat and Friends of HSI for their tremendous contributions to this rescue, Sharp Transportation for donating space for the temporary shelter and Kane Veterinary Supplies for donating dog food. We are deeply grateful to our temporary shelter workers and volunteers and to the Montreal SPCA, the Laurentides-Labelle SPCA, the Arthabaska Society for the Protection of Animals, and Carter’s Forever Rescue and Sanctuary in Muskoka for their kind assistance in caring for and placing these deserving dogs in forever homes. 

Media Contact: Christopher Paré, 514 395-2914 x 206, cpare@hsi.org

Stars choose tofu turkey, dairy-free yule log and mushroom pâté

Humane Society International

Download HSI/UK’s EatKind Festive Guide at: www.hsi.org/EatKindChristmas

This Christmas, an estimated 7.8 million vegetarians and vegans in the UK (12 per cent of the population) will enjoy delicious plant-based festive food for their holiday meals. This includes many famous faces. To inspire even more Brits to make more compassionate choices for their Christmas cooking, celebs Joanna Lumley, Ricky Gervais, Evanna Lynch, The Vamps’ James McVey and sisters Lucy and Tiffany Watson have put together a complete menu of meat-and-dairy-free dishes for Humane Society International UK’s Christmas Stars’ EatKind Festive guide.

The recipes in HSI’s guide can be combined to make a fantastic veggie Christmas feast, with Lucy Watson’s Merry Mushroom Pâté serving as a light starter and Joanna Lumley’s Rich Red Wine Gravy and Tiffany Watson’s Spicy Soy Sprouts making the perfect accompaniments to Ricky Gervais’ Tofurky and Trimmings recipe.

Joanna Lumley said: “At Christmas time it makes me feel happier to think that no creature has suffered just so that I can celebrate. I hope the recipes in HSI’s fantastic festive guide inspires people to be a bit daring, and dance under the stars with a cruelty-free plate of fabulous vegetables, stuffings, pies and sauces. Happy Christmas to everyone… people, birds and beasts.”

Around 10 million turkeys are killed in the UK each year for Christmas dinner. Some 90 per cent of these highly social birds will have spent their short lives in over-crowded indoor sheds often with no access to natural light or any meaningful stimulation. They’re genetically manipulated to grow so fast, and so obese, that they often suffer from crippling leg disorders making it painful to take even a single step.

For those choosing to take turkey off the table, the good news is that there is a vast range of tasty meat-free selections for your Christmas centrepiece. In fact, global sales of plant-based meats, such as seitan sausages and, Tofurky or Vbites celebration roasts, are booming, according to Allied Research. Sales are set to reach US $5.2 billion by 2020, with the EU being the largest buyer of plant-based meat, and figures released by Ocado reveal that vegan food sales in the UK increased by an astonishing 1,500 per cent last year.

HSI’s guide is also packed with top tips from British celebrities and HSI/UK staff members for plant-based shopping on the high street, from animal-friendly sweet treats to savoury snacks, including Tesco’s chocolate and hazelnut churros, and mince pies and Christmas puddings from stores such as Waitrose and Morrisons. There is also a section highlighting the variety of delicious dairy-free cheeses available from artisan producers as well as leading supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s Free From Wensleydale-style with cranberries, Raw Food Rosie’s Baby-bleu cashew ‘brie’ and Nutcrafter Creamery’s Gormasio Extra Aged Cheddar-style.

Claire Bass, executive director of HSI/UK, says: “Humane Society International is delighted that compassionate celebs are sharing their tasty meat and dairy-free meals and demonstrating that it’s never been easier to take a holiday from eating meat. There are veggie versions of almost all Christmas classics so you can still enjoy your traditional favourites without harming animals. We are asking the public to give peas a chance this Christmas and leave turkey off their table in favour of more compassionate choices.”

Humane Society International advocates compassionate eating – or the Three Rs: “reducing” or “replacing” consumption of animal products with plant-based foods, and “refining” our diets by avoiding products from the most abusive production systems.

Fast facts:

  • Turkeys naturally live for up to 10 years of age, but on factory farms they are genetically manipulated to grow so fast, so obese they’re normally slaughtered at just nine to 21 weeks old.
  • In the wild, turkeys are highly sociable birds who roost in trees and can fly at speeds of up to 50 mph. Famous for saying “gobble gobble,” turkeys actually have more than 20 different vocalisations, and each bird has a unique ‘voice.’
  • Cutting down on animal products is a great way to protect your health. Studies have found that people who eat less meat have a lower risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The World Health Organisation has warned that processed meats such as bacon, ham and sausages can cause cancer.

Download HSI/UK’s EatKind Festive Guide at: www.hsi.org/EatKindChristmas

Media contact: Harriet Barclay, +44 (0) 7794354596, HBarclay@hsi.org

Reference in the press release to any specific commercial product or any brand, trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public and does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation or approval by Humane Society International or any of its affiliates of the product, producer or provider. 

Owls found bound up by the legs, dehydrated and possibly destined to be sold for their parts or meat

Humane Society International

  • One of the rescued owls. HSI

Karnataka Forest Department’s Bangalore Rural Division along with animal protection organizations Humane Society International/India and TRAFFIC India coordinated a joint rescue operation to save two owls from traffickers near Doddaballapura, on the outskirts of Bangalore. Wildlife trafficking activities spike during Diwali as demand for live animals and their parts during the festivities drive the illegal trade. The Karnataka Forest Department is collaborating with HSI/India and other organizations to crack down on this activity.

The Bangalore Rural Division, directed by Deputy Conservator of Forests Mr Natesh I.F.S, led the raid that led to the discovery and rescue of the owls. The accused traffickers told authorities that they had captured the owls the week prior and were intending to sell the animals to black magic practitioners or for meat.

Sumanth Bindumadhav, wildlife campaign manager for HSI/India, who was part of the rescue team, said, “The owls were in poor physical condition. They were severely dehydrated and their legs were tied tight using a nylon rope. We are grateful to Mr Natesh I.F.S for acting on this information on top priority. We hope rescue will only lead to a stronger collaboration with the Forest Department to protect these animals from the illegal wildlife trade.”

Become a Wildlife Defender.

Trade in live owls in India is notoriously popular affair, especially during Diwali when many people sacrifice owls based on unfounded beliefs. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 protects all owl species in India and makes their capture and trade illegal.

Media Contact: Vidhi Malla, +919560103078, vmalla@hsi.org

Humane Society International

Kraft Heinz, one of the world’s largest food makers, has committed to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs in its entire global supply chain by 2025. This follows on previous commitments to eliminate the use of cages from their regional egg supply chains in North America, Europe and Latin America.

Chetana Mirle, senior director of farm animals for Humane Society International, said: “We applaud Kraft Heinz for extending their cage-free egg policy commitment to Asia and Africa. By ensuring that their global egg supply chains are 100 percent cage-free by 2025, Kraft Heinz’ latest commitment provides further incentive for egg producers throughout the world to transition to cage-free housing systems that offer higher welfare standards for hens over caged systems.” 

Around the world, the majority of egg-laying hens are confined in wire battery cages. The cages are so small that the hens can’t move freely and are unable to stretch their wings. Each battery cage confines five to 10 egg-laying hens and each animal has less space than a letter-sized piece of paper on which to spend her whole life. Hens confined in battery cages are unable to express important natural behaviors including nesting, dustbathing, and perching. Cage-free systems generally offer hens higher levels of animal welfare than battery cage systems.

Kraft Heinz joins other multinational companies that have committed to global cage-free egg procurement policies including Compass Group, Sodexo and General Mills.

Media contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org

Many dogs found starving, pregnant, covered in sores

Humane Society International

Adam Parascandola,HSI's Director of Animal Protection and Crisis Response, rescues Ava, a goldern retriever headed to Pennsylvania
Adam Parascandola, HSI’s Director of Animal Protection and Crisis Response, rescues Ava, a golden retriever headed to Pennsylvania. Jean Chung for HSI

Animal rescuers from Humane Society International have saved more than 170 dogs languishing on a squalid dog meat farm in South Korea, a mere two hour drive from where the country will host the 2018 Winter Olympics in 10 weeks’ time. The charity is flying the dogs to shelters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to receive care and rehabilitation. Scroll below for a list of shelters receiving dogs.

The dog meat farm in Namyangju is one of an estimated 17,000 dog farms in South Korea breeding more than 2.5 million dogs a year for human consumption. It is a grim, shocking and largely hidden side of South Korea that is in stark contrast to the colourful pomp and ceremony of the Olympic festivities, and one that a growing number of South Koreans believe has no place in their modern, progressive society.

The stated vision of the 23rd Winter Olympic Games is ‘new horizons’, explicitly appealing to the younger generation and aspiring to create a ‘cultural new horizon’ where traditional and world culture converge. HSI believes that with young Koreans increasingly rejecting dog eating, there has never been a better time to phase out the dog meat trade and usher in the ‘cultural new horizon’ of compassion.

At the Namyangju farm, dogs including golden retrievers, spaniels, beagles, greyhounds as well as Korean jindos and mastiffs, were being kept in filthy and deprived conditions, spending their whole lives in rows of barren wire cages, exposed to the elements and with no veterinary care whatsoever. HSI found many of the dogs suffering from eye infections, skin disease, as well as painful leg and paw sores from endless days of standing and sitting on thin wire mesh. Their fate would have been to be killed by electrocution at the local market or slaughterhouse and made into a spicy soup called bosintang, but instead they’ve been saved by HSI as part of the charity’s campaign to see an end to the brutal dog meat trade.

Nara Kim, HSI’s South Korea dog meat campaigner, said: “As a Korean myself, I’m hugely proud to be able to save these beautiful dogs and stop their daily suffering. Most people in South Korea have no idea how atrocious these dog meat farms are and what physical and mental misery these animals go through. I feel privileged to be able to show these dogs that humans can be kind not just cruel, and to make them feel safe and loved for the first time in their lives. Eating dog is already a declining habit in South Korea, but if people could see the sorrow of these dogs and the disgusting unhygienic conditions in which they’re raised, I think even more people would stop eating it.”

HSI has been working on the ground in South Korea for the past three years; this is the tenth dog farm the charity has permanently closed, working in partnership with dog meat farmers keen to leave the trade. A combination of growing societal shame, increased difficulty in selling dogs as appetite for dog meat declines, and regret at the suffering of dogs, leads farmers to approach HSI for a practical ‘way out’. While for some very elderly dog farmers, HSI intervention has meant they can finally retire without the hard physical labour of dog farming and without having to sell their dogs for slaughter, others work with HSI to devise a business plan to transition them into alternative, humane livelihoods such as water delivery or blueberry farming. Mr Kim, who has been farming dogs for twenty years, plans to enter the construction business and to grow vegetables on his land. It’s a blueprint for change that HSI hopes the Korean government under President Moon Jae-In will adopt.

Farmer Kim said: “I originally started farming dogs because I heard it would make money, but now in South Korea even in the summer the trade has reduced by about one third. I also have a young child, and the dog farming business won’t look good for her because she really likes dogs. Working with HSI makes me feel great for the dogs, but at the same time I’m nervous to step into a new business. Before HSI, I wouldn’t talk to the dogs and I stopped myself from caring about them because it made it harder selling them to traders. But after I decided to work with HSI, I started to talk to these dog and told them to hang on in there. I told them they are going to have a much better life. And I mean it. I feel really great and happy for them.”

HSI’s President Kitty Block who joined the dog farm rescue effort, said: “I’ve worked in animal protection for many years but I can tell you, seeing these dog farms for myself has been one of the most emotionally confronting things I’ve ever done. As we count down to the Winter Games, it’s clear that it’s not sufficient for South Korea to temporarily hide the dog meat trade in the shadows when the world’s media shines its Olympics spotlight. What’s needed is a commitment to phase it out for good.”

HSI has saved a total of 1,222 dogs so far from South Korea’s dog meat trade, like gentle giant Clint the mastiff who recently starred in a PSA video with Criminal Minds actor Daniel Henney, and little Caspian who went from dog farm horror to Ambassadorial luxury when adopted by the British Ambassador to South Korea.

Facts:   

  • Most people in South Korea don’t regularly eat dog meat. In fact, opposition to eating dog is growing among Korean citizens, and the newly elected President Moon Jae-in recently adopted a dog named Tory who was said to be rescued from a dog meat farm.
  • Most dog meat — up to 80 percent – is eaten during the hottest days of summer, called Bok Nal. Dog meat is usually made into a soup called bosintang. Small dogs can also be made into a herbal drink called Gaesoju.
  • While some very elderly dog farmers with whom HSI works choose to retire, others work with HSI to devise a business plan to transition into alternative, humane livelihoods such as water delivery or blueberry farming. Mr Kim plans to enter the construction business and to grow vegetables on his land.
  • In summer 2017 Konkuk University’s Institute for the 3Rs and Korean Animal Welfare Association inspected dog meat from 93 vendors at 25 markets, and found that 64 percent of dog meat contained antibiotic residues (up to 490 times higher than antibiotic levels seen in other meat products such as beef or chicken). In addition, an earlier study by the Research Institute of Public Health & Environment (Seoul Metropolitan Government) showed that the dogs in the butcher shops of South Korea’s largest dog meat market, Moran Market, often carry potentially zoonotic bacteria (e.g. staphylococcus, colon bacillus), and traces of antibiotics exceeding hazardous health standard limits.
  • Dogs are usually killed by electrocution taking up to five minutes to die, although there are instances of dogs taking up to 20 minutes to die. Hanging is also still used despite laws prohibiting this.
  • The dog meat industry is in legal limbo in South Korea, neither legal nor illegal. Many provisions of the Animal Protection Act are routinely breached, such as the ban on killing animals in a brutal way including hanging by the neck, killing in public areas or in front of other animals of the same species.
  • An estimated 30 million dogs are brutally killed and eaten each year in parts of Asia. Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore have laws in place prohibiting the trade, on grounds of both animal welfare and human health/disease control.
  • At each dog meat farm closure, HSI has a veterinarian test for the presence of the H3N2, or dog flu, virus at the time the dogs receive their rabies, DHPP, and coronavirus vaccines. HSI also vaccinates the dogs for distemper, parvo and coronavirus. HSI then quarantines the dogs on the farm (if they’re healthy and with added enrichment and constant monitoring) or at a temporary shelter with no dogs in or out for at least 30 days prior to transport.

For more information visit hsi.org/dogmeat

Media contact:

United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins: whiggins@hsi.org, +44 (0)7989 972 423
South Korea: Nara Kim, nkim@hsi.org
United States: Raúl Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1-301-721-6440

Note: Below is a list of HSUS Emergency Placement Partner shelters receiving dogs from this latest rescue. The dogs are being transported on various days in the coming weeks; please check their websites for dog arrival and adoption information.

Kentucky:
The Arrow Fund, Louisville, Ky.

Pennsylvania:
Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, Reinholds, Pa.
South Hills Pet Rescue, South Park, Pa.

Utah:
Humane Society of Utah, Murray, Utah

Virginia:
Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Arlington, Va.
Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, Charlottesville, Va.
Peninsula SPCA, Newport News, Va.
Portsmouth Humane Society, Portsmouth, Va.

Wisconsin:
Fox Valley Humane Association, Appleton, Wis.
Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin, Janesville, Wis.
Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), Waukesha, Wis.
Oshkosh Area Humane Society, Oshkosh, Wis.

In addition to our shelter and rescue partners, we are grateful to the Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART), which provided transport inside the U.S.

HSI and the Ministry of Environment and Energy celebrated the occasion, which makes Costa Rica home to the highest number of accredited sanctuaries in Latin America with international standards

Humane Society International

  • HSI

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy and Humane Society International celebrated the accreditation of two Costa Rica-based wildlife rescue centers: Las Pumas and Rescate Animal ZooAve for high animal welfare standards. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries granted the accreditation after an extensive process of evaluation of the two facilities.

The Minister a.i Patricia Madrigal noted that: “This accreditation is a great step in the right direction to ensure that the wildlife entering the rescue centers will receive the highest standards of treatment. These rescue centers have excellence, scientific criteria and good protection as their principles. This initiative also strengthens the regulatory framework with which our country has to ensure the good management and conservation of wildlife, which is the heritage of all Costa Ricans.”

Article 103 of Costa Rica’s Wildlife Law asks rescue centers to meet international standards and that their conservation and demands animal protection work be science-based. This accreditation process included visits to the rescue centers, where the GFAS representatives assessed management, transparency, animal welfare and veterinary care, among other factors.

According to Jeanne Marie Pittman, director of GFAS for North and Latin America, thousands of entities worldwide are described as sanctuaries or wildlife rescue centers. However, the quality and nature of these facilities vary widely. Leaders of the largest animal welfare organizations in the world formed GFAS to distinguish those centers that comply with standards of care based on the best and most current management practices, enrichment and veterinary care of different species. Those facilities are committed to ethics in governance and transparency in their financial practices and management of the sites in general.

The Ministry of Environment and Energy, via National System of Conservation Areas, along with HSI/Latin America, participated in the accreditation process, providing necessary funding and technical assistance. HSI/Latin America also collaborated with the government to ensure the GFAS standards serve as basis for official rescue center accreditation nationally.

Andrea Borel, executive director of HSI/LA, said: “We congratulate Rescate Animal ZooAve and Las Pumas for achieving the highest form of accreditation for animal sanctuaries. These sanctuaries play a crucial role in the protection and rehabilitation of wildlife in Central America. Their accreditation also gives Costa Rica the distinction of being the country with the most rescue centers with high Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries standards in Latin America.”

Become a Wildlife Defender.

Media contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org

Humane Society International

Animal rescuers from Humane Society International have saved more than 170 dogs languishing on a squalid dog meat farm in South Korea, and The Only Way Is Essex’s Pete Wicks joined the rescue team on what he described as one of the most emotional experiences of his life. Thirteen of the dogs will fly to a shelter in the UK in the New Year after completing their quarantine. The rest will fly to the United States and Canada.

The dog meat farm in Namyangju is one of an estimated 17,000 dog farms in South Korea breeding more than 2.5 million dogs a year for human consumption. It is situated a mere two hour drive from where the country will host the 2018 Winter Olympics in 10 weeks’ time. It is a grim, shocking and largely hidden side of South Korea that is in stark contrast to the colourful pomp and ceremony of the Olympic festivities, and one that a growing number of South Koreans believe has no place in their modern, progressive society.

At the Namyangju farm, dogs were being kept in filthy and deprived conditions, spending their whole lives in rows of barren wire cages, exposed to the elements and with no veterinary care whatsoever. HSI found many of the dogs suffering from eye infections, skin disease, as well as painful leg and paw sores from endless days of standing and sitting on thin wire mesh. Their fate would have been to be killed by electrocution at the local market or slaughterhouse and made into a spicy soup called bosintang, but instead they’ve been saved by HSI as part of the charity’s campaign to see an end to the brutal dog meat trade.

A mixture of breeds were being bred for eating including greyhounds, spaniels and mastiffs, and among the 13 headed to the UK are a golden retriever, beagle, and Korean jindo. Pete was keen to join the rescue effort after being moved by videos from previous HSI dog farm closures. Ending the dog meat trade is an issue close to his heart.

Pete said: “Seeing for myself the horror of a dog meat farm has been one of the most emotional experiences of my life. I love my dog Eric with all my heart, and I kept thinking how dreadful it would be for him to spend even one day in a place like that. Some of the dogs I met were terrified, and you can’t blame them because they’ve seen the cruel side of humanity, but I couldn’t believe how friendly most of them were despite everything they’ve been through. The way they wagged their tails just broke my heart. Despite going through hell, they still wanted to be our friends. That was so humbling. I’m proud to support HSI’s campaign to end the dog meat trade in South Korea because it’s a really tough job their rescue team does, and it’s not just about saving the dogs, they’re offering practical solutions to help dog farmers get out of this horrendous business, and also urging politicians to change the law, so it’s the whole package.”

HSI’s UK Director Claire Bass joined Pete on the dog farm, and met for the first time a dog she and her family will be adopting. Golden retriever Henry will be coming to live with Claire in Brighton and she can’t wait to get him home.

Bass said: “Henry is around a year old and may never have known life outside his filthy, dilapidated cage. When I first climbed in and sat with him he was confused and fearful, but he started to relax as I gently massaged his ears and told him that it would all be OK, that he’s going to be so much more than a meal when he joins our family. But Henry is just one life saved amongst the 2.5 million lives lost each year. The Winter Olympics is now fast approaching, and the image of dogs languishing on farms or being butchered in markets, even in the same region as the Games, is a very jarring reality. As a global media spotlight falls on South Korea, now is the time for the government to commit to phase out this awful trade.”

HSI has been working on the ground in South Korea for the past three years; this is the tenth dog farm the charity has permanently closed, working in partnership with dog meat farmers keen to leave the trade. A combination of growing societal shame, increased difficulty in selling dogs as appetite for dog meat declines, and regret at the suffering of dogs, leads farmers to approach HSI for a practical ‘way out’. While for some very elderly dog farmers, HSI intervention has meant they can finally retire without the hard physical labour of dog farming and without having to sell their dogs for slaughter, others work with HSI to devise a business plan to transition them into alternative, humane livelihoods such as water delivery or blueberry farming. Mr Kim, who has farmed dogs for 20 years, plans to enter the construction business and to grow vegetables on his land. It’s a blueprint for change that HSI hopes the Korean government under President Moon Jae-In will adopt.

Farmer Kim said: “I originally started farming dogs because I heard it would make money, but now in South Korea even in the summer the trade has reduced by about one third. I also have a young child, and the dog farming business won’t look good for her because she really likes dogs. Working with HSI makes me feel great for the dogs, but at the same time I’m nervous to step into a new business. Before HSI, I wouldn’t talk to the dogs and I stopped myself from caring about them because it made it harder selling them to traders. But after I decided to work with HSI, I started to talk to these dog and told them to hang on in there. I told them they are going to have a much better life. And I mean it. I feel really great and happy for them.”

HSI has saved a total of 1,222 dogs so far from South Korea’s dog meat trade, like Elsa who lives in the UK and recently starred in HSI’s video with former Goggleboxer Sandi Bogle, and little Caspian who went from dog farm horror to Ambassadorial luxury when adopted by the British Ambassador to South Korea.

Facts:                    

  • The 13 dogs coming to the UK will arrive in early January 2018 and will stay at our partner shelter, All Dogs Matter. Enquiries about adoption can be made at info@alldogsmatter.co.uk
  • Most people in South Korea don’t regularly eat dog meat. In fact, opposition to eating dog is growing among Korean citizens, and the newly elected President Moon Jae-in recently adopted a dog named Tory who was said to be rescued from a dog meat farm.
  • Most dog meat — up to 80 percent – is eaten during the hottest days of summer, called Bok Nal. Dog meat is usually made into a soup called bosintang. Small dogs can also be made into a herbal drink called Gaesoju.
  • While some very elderly dog farmers with whom HSI works choose to retire, others work with HSI to devise a business plan to transition into alternative, humane livelihoods such as water delivery or blueberry farming. Mr Kim plans to enter the construction business and to grow vegetables on his land.
  • In summer 2017 Konkuk University’s Institute for the 3Rs and Korean Animal Welfare Association inspected dog meat from 93 vendors at 25 markets, and found that 64 percent of dog meat contained antibiotic residues (up to 490 times higher than antibiotic levels seen in other meat products such as beef or chicken). In addition, an earlier study by the Research Institute of Public Health & Environment (Seoul Metropolitan Government) showed that the dogs in the butcher shops of South Korea’s largest dog meat market, Moran Market , often carry potentially zoonotic bacteria (e.g. staphylococcus, colon bacillus), and traces of antibiotics exceeding hazardous health standard limits.
  • Dogs are usually killed by electrocution taking up to five minutes to die, although there are instances of dogs taking up to 20 minutes to die. Hanging is also still used despite laws prohibiting this.
  • The dog meat industry is in legal limbo in South Korea, neither legal nor illegal. Many provisions of the Animal Protection Act are routinely breached, such as the ban on killing animals in a brutal way including hanging by the neck, killing in public areas or in front of other animals of the same species.
  • An estimated 30 million dogs are brutally killed and eaten each year in parts of Asia. Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore have laws in place prohibiting the trade, on grounds of both animal welfare and human health/ disease control.

For more information, visit hsi.org/dogmeat

Media contact: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org, +44 (0)7989 972 423

Humane Society International

  • © Michael Pettigrew/iStockphoto

Amidst growing public outcry that the Defence Animal Centre is planning to euthanize three retired military working dogs despite professional handlers offering to adopt them, Humane Society International/UK has urged the Centre to immediately reverse its decision. The following is a statement from HSI/UK Executive Director Claire Bass:

“We are extremely saddened to hear that the Defence Animal Centre plans to euthanize Kevin, Dazz and Driver, three retired military working dogs, despite outcries not only from the public but from the handlers who worked closely with them. If euthanized, these dogs, who served for years and saved countless lives, will have been robbed of the opportunity to spend their golden years in loving homes. After a lifetime of duty to protect humans, we have a duty of care to them, not to dispose of them like unwanted equipment.

“We urge the Defence Animal Centre to reconsider this decision, and work with the handlers who have offered their assistance to facilitate the dogs’ adoption into loving homes with experienced owners. Both two and four legged veterans deserve our utmost respect.”

Media contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org

Humane Society International/Canada welcomes progress but urges eliminating all crate confinement

Humane Society International

  • Anonymous_Farm Sanctuary

The National Farm Animal Care Council’s new Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Veal Calves represents both a first step towards improved farm animal welfare and a missed opportunity. The updated Code, released this week, phases out the use of cruel veal crates by December 31, 2020, but only for calves older than eight weeks of age. Humane Society International/Canada welcomed the move as a step in the right direction, while calling for the elimination of all veal crates, regardless of the age of the calf.
 
A substantial body of scientific evidence has shown these small, barren stalls to be detrimental to animal welfare. Nine U.S. states have already banned them and the American Veal Association has announced plans to abolish, entirely, the use of confinement crates in the U.S. veal industry.
 
Under the new Code of Practice, however, Canadian producers will be permitted to confine calves in individual stalls for the first two months of their lives. After that point, producers will be required to transition to higher-welfare group housing that allow calves to socialize and move around more freely, as well as groom themselves, play and explore their environments. Additionally, the Code also requires that calves not be tethered after 2020, eventually allowing them greater mobility and freedom.
 
“The decision to transition the Canadian veal industry away from lifelong confinement in these archaic crates is indicative of the public concern for animal welfare in this country,” stated Riana Topan, campaign manager for HSI/Canada. “Regrettably, the Code still permits the veal industry to subject calves to intensive confinement in veal crates for as long as eight weeks, which is out of step with Canadian values and scientific opinion.”

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The newly released Code allows several other practices detrimental to animal welfare, such as the use of electric prods on calves older than three months and the painful and unnecessary practice of dehorning. It also continues to permit calves to be separated from their mothers at birth and the weaning of calves (from milk or formula) beginning at just four weeks of age, even though they would naturally nurse from their mothers for seven months.
 
In 2014, three of Canada’s largest grocery retailers – Loblaw, Metro and Sobeys – pledged to end the use of individual crates from their supply chains by 2018.
 
Media Contact: Christopher Paré: 514 395-2914 x 206, cpare@hsi.org

Humane Society International

© Iain Sarjeant/iStockphoto

Humane Society International hosted Brazil’s first corporate animal welfare roundtable, bringing together food industry leaders to discuss the cage-free egg movement in the country. In recent years, egg-laying hen welfare has become a priority corporate social responsibility issue for the food industry, with dozens of food companies committing to sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs.

The roundtable, which took place at the Mercure hotel in São Paulo, included speakers from Arcos Dorados, the company that operates all McDonald’s restaurants in Brazil and 19 other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Bunge, one of Brazil’s largest food and agribusiness companies. They spoke about their corporate commitments and actions to achieve a transition to a 100 percent cage-free egg supply chains by 2025. Other speakers included representatives from FAI do Brasil, who discussed technical information regarding cage-free egg production systems, and from Certified Humane, who shared information on animal welfare certification in Brazil. Representatives from Brazilian companies that have already committed to or are looking into cage-free supply chains attended the roundtable.

Leonardo Lima, director of sustainable development for Arcos Dorados, said: “Arcos Dorados has a strong commitment to animal welfare in all its procurement and follows advances in farm animal production models. That is why we are sourcing exclusively cage-free eggs by 2025, committed to providing our clients with higher quality products. Our partnership with Humane Society International will help ensure that our animal welfare policies are robust and applicable to our suppliers.”

Meire de Fatima de Ferreira, sustainability manager for Bunge in Brazil, stated: “At Bunge we take corporate social responsibility and responsible consumption seriously, which includes animal welfare in our supply chain. We’re committed to only sourcing cage-free eggs by 2025, and will work with Humane Society International and our peers to make this happen.”

Fernanda Vieira, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, stated: “We’re thrilled to host Brazil’s first corporate animal welfare roundtable and bring together forward-thinking companies that are committed to higher animal welfare standards in their supply chains. Humane Society International’s mission is to not only call for the improved treatment of animals, but to support companies as they implement animal welfare policies, and encourage collaboration among various stakeholders. We want to help ensure that companies have all of the tools and resources they need to make a cage-free future for laying hens a reality.”

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In Brazil and around the world, egg-laying hens spend their entire lives confined in wire battery cages, so small that they cannot even fully spread their wings. Science confirms what common sense tells us: the lack of space and restriction of movement is detrimental to the physical health of these animals and causes enormous frustration and suffering. However, advocates for better animal welfare are making enormous progress in Brazil. Dozens of the largest food corporations, including McDonald’s, Bunge, Cargill, Nestlé, BFFC, and GRSA, have committed to using exclusively cage-free eggs in their supply chains in Brazil, by 2025 or earlier.

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