Meet Angel, Rescued From The South Korean Meat Trade
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

From In Defense of Animals (IDA)
October 2012

Angel is a tiny white dog who suddenly appeared on the driveway of a dog farm two hours south of Seoul, South Korea. Her coat was matted and ragged, and she was favoring her right hind leg as she gingerly hopped about.

Angel's skin was a frightful mess, horribly inflamed. The terrified button eyes stared at IDA's investigator, as she mutely inched her way closer, eventually allowing a kind touch.

In Defense of Animals dog meatIDA's investigator asked the farmer about Angel, and he said that she showed up as a stray. It was obvious that she held no real value for him as "prime" meat, though even in her sickly condition, she could have provided a meal for someone at a great bargain price. As one farmer said, skin ailments are "an easy fix. We can burn the skin off with a blowtorch and the skin comes right off. Problem solved."

We later learned that there was a dog farm that buys dogs with skin problems, removing all the fur, masking any illnesses, and selling them to restaurants that serve dog meat and, in a ridiculous irony, health food stores for gaesoju, a dog wine or broth.

Our investigator knew she couldn't leave without her. The tiny dog settled into a crate like someone awakening from a bad dream. We immediately took her to a vet and had her skin condition treated. After several weeks convalescing, IDA funded Angel's transport to Los Angeles (City of Angels), where she was diagnosed and treated for heartworm.

That transport and treatment were made possible by your donations to In Defense of Animals.

In Defense of Animals dog meat

Fully recovered, she moved to Austin, Texas with Junghee, her new adoring mom. Our little Angel has been reveling in a happy new world of love and affection. She was given the new name Banji, and soon became Junghee's shadow, never letting her out of her sight. Junghee constantly marvels at how smart and agile Banji is.

Camping recently, Junghee and friends took Banji on a long hiking trail, where she climbed a steep trail with astonishing ease. While she's happiest on Junghee's lap, lately she's taken up running. Several times a week, Banji becomes a dizzying blur on foot, leaving Junghee in the dust. Banji's life in South Korea is now a distant memory, running around a dog farm, alone, suffering from a terrible skin condition. Today, Banji is seemingly without a care in the world.

 


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