While many Chinese cities ban the trade in cat and dog meat, the use of these animals for human consumption is still widespread throughout South Asia. Gus Kenworthy, an Olympic freestyle skier, saved countless dogs from the South Korean meat trade and gave them a brighter future, on his last trip to the country.
After winning the silver medal for the U.S. team at the 2014 Olympics in Russia, Kenworthy competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He didn’t bring a medal with him, but he brought something much better with him. While he loved just about everything about this diverse and wonderful country, there was one aspect of his trip that he couldn’t ignore.
Kenworthy posted on his Instagram: “This morning Matt and I took a heartwarming visit to one of the 17,000 dog farms here in South Korea.
However, the way these animals are treated is completely inhumane and culture should never be a scapegoat for cruelty. “
Despite his good intentions, Kenworthy had no way of anticipating what lay in store for him on the farms. The dogs were kept in small kennels which gave them barely enough room to roam.
After his visit, the farm manager realized the “misconduct” and closed the facility permanently. But the gentle animal lover knew that dogs still needed him.
With the help of the Olympic skater, more than 90 dogs were rescued and airlifted to the United States and Canada. Once there, the dogs were rehabilitated and returned forever to their loving and caring homes. Kenworthy and his friend even adopted one of the dogs themselves.
The two have vowed to “give him the best possible life.” Kenworthy concluded his letter by writing: “I hope to use this visit to raise awareness about the brutality of the dog meat trade and the plight of dogs everywhere, including the United States where millions of dogs need loving kennels. !
Thank you, Kenworthy, for taking a stand and making a change!
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