At the beginning of January 2017, The Humane Society International rescued 200 dogs from a meat farm located in Wonju, South Korea. These Dogs were crammed into small metal cages and forced to live in their own filth. When Rescued, over a dozen dogs were transported to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, where they would be cared for.

Rescued dog named Harriet learns to sleep on a soft bed for the first time

One of the dogs was a three year old Korean Jindo which is a type of hunting breed. She was named Harriet by her rescuers and like the other dogs brought to Tampa Bay, she was scared and tired. The young dog also had problems with open spaces because she just did not know how to handle that kind of freedom, and she needed to be taught how to walk on a lease. However, the workers at the shelter noticed that Harriet soon showed an interest in her human care-givers and even started walking up to the front of her enclosure.

One day, the shelter’s volunteer manager, Leslie Menichino, decided to bring Harriet into an office.

Menichino witnessed how Harriet seemed to be falling asleep while standing up. It was hypothesized that because the dogs at the meat farm were forced to live in small tight enclosures, they would often fall asleep standing up while the other dogs helped keep them upright. Therefore, she decided to bring in a soft “fuzzy” blanket. With some help, Harriet was shown how to lie down on the blanket. Harriet eventually became comfortable enough to sleep for a few hours on her new bed.

30 million dogs are killed annually in Asian countries

According to the Humane Society International website, as many as 30 million dogs are killed every year for human consumption. Known as the dog meat trade, the countries involved are China, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Nagaland in Northern India.

China is also responsible for the majority of dog deaths with 10 to 20 million killed annually.

It has been documented that most of the dogs killed, except for those in South Korea, are pets stolen from their homes or strays. South Korea gets their dogs from breeding farms. It is also a well-documented fact that the dogs used are severely abused and inhumanely killed.

Public opinion is showing opposition to eating dog meat

Recently, public opinion seems to be opposed to the dog meat trade. In China, for example, a 2016 opinion poll revealed that just over 69% have never tried dog meat. There is also a growing national animal protection movement, and violent conflicts are known to have erupted between dog owners and dog thieves.

Where you can learn more about the dog meat trade and get involved

As for Harriet's story, Menichino said that “being a witness to (Harriet's first encounter with her bed) brings tears to my eyes and such happiness”. Pictures can be viewed on The DoDo website. Additional information about the rescued dogs, dog meat trade and ways you can get involved can be found on the Humane Society International webpage, Soi Dog Foundation website and Humane Society Tampa Bay Facebook page.