Dear Manfred,
South Korea's annual dog-meat slaughter-fest known as
Boknal is upon us! This very day, in a macabre and bloody celebration of
torture, dogs by the thousands... by the TENS OF THOUSANDS are being
cruelly and brutally slaughtered in filthy back-alley butcher
shops for a magical stew believed to enhance virility.
Just days ago, our Korean rescue partners with
Jindo Love alerted my rescue team to a truck bound for
the Boknal festival, piled high with rusty wire metal cages crammed full of
helpless dogs packed together; some squeezed together so tightly that they could
not move or even turn their heads.
 Live video and images began streaming to our screens. Our
cell phones began buzzing with incoming alerts and video...
...and there it was.
Like an ugly monstrous troll that had lumbered to its
unnatural resting spot beneath a bridge, bulging with morbid cargo.
Tiny, grainy video shot on a phone, in the dead of night,
and transmitted by a brave activist thousands of miles away showed us the
heartbreaking scene...
A rusty truck, carelessly parked, fully laden with its
cargo of innocent lives bound and waiting for
slaughter on the first day of Boknal. My heart ached to hear them
whine pitifully into the night, begging for release.
I knew immediately that we had to SAVE THEM
ALL!
Some dogs even had collars around their necks, a clear
indication that these poor suffering animals were not farmed or raised for
meat—they were stolen family companions!
In many parts of Asia, dog-meat vendors, corrupt to their
core roam the late-night streets in shadowy fleets of ramshackle pickup trucks.
They shamelessly steal unattended dogs, no matter their size or breed, to make
an easy profit from the sale of their flesh.
That fateful night I found myself staring into the eyes
of 28 desperate dogs.
It's because of such strong and generous support from
donors like YOU that we were
able to spring to action immediately and attempt to rescue
everyone!
I am not going to sugar coat it... all of them were hurt,
starved, dehydrated. Who knows how long they had been shoved into cages and
stacked on top of one another. Many of the dogs had fresh injuries from fights
caused by other dogs clawing their way beneath the pile, desperate to escape the
crushing weight.
Not all will not make it. But we have to
try.
With tears in her eyes, our frightened but brave rescue
partner pleaded our case before the authorities when they arrived on the scene,
begging for the release of these animals. It was our passionate pleas; YOUR
passionate voice that made this rescue possible.
All in all that night, we saved 28 dogs from the
butcher's block.
Tragically, two dogs, Annabelle and Bear, have passed
away as a result of advanced heartworm and extreme
neglect.
This is why we need your help more than ever. Rescue is
just the first step; all the dogs need healing, foster care, training and
rehabilitation to make a complete recovery. Medical costs are mounting up
quickly—almost all the dogs are heartworm positive and suffering from injuries
due to their cruel mistreatment.
Basic medical care will cost over $1,000 per
dog!
But in the words of our Korean rescuer,
"After
seeing their eyes... how can we not save them?"
I cannot wait to update you on everyone's progress as we
turn 26 victims into 26 survivors who will be able to share their stories… and
their love and affection with the world.
It is imperative that we continue to fund this critical
rescue project. Each life saved today will save many more lives tomorrow as our
canine ambassadors awaken the world to the plight of dogs and cats suffering for
the illicit and illegal meat trade.
Boknal is here, and for many thousands of dogs and cats,
it is too late.
For one very lucky group of dogs—their journey is just
beginning... thank you for showing your love for these 26 dog meat survivors
through your kind and generous support.
With compassion for all,
Marilyn Kroplick, MD
President, In Defense of
Animals
P.S. Each rescue and adoption that you support—each life
that you help to save, will enable us to grow our cadre of canine ambassadors.
Each rescued dog you place in the loving arms of a caring family here in the
United States (or abroad) will be one step, one life
closer to ending this industry of cruelty forever.
Please give as generously as you can.
In Defense of Animals is involved in many projects to
protect animals' rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to In Defense
of Animals supports ALL of our worthy programs and gives us the flexibility to
respond to emerging needs. Thank you for your support and
consideration. |
