TWINSBURG, Ohio — Six dogs have traveled from across the globe to Northeast Ohio in the hopes of looking for a place to call home. Five dogs, rescued from a dog meat farm in South Korean countryside, and a sixth dog, rescued from Lebanon after left without a home following the Beirut blast in August, arrived in mid-November to the Humane Society of Summit County.
Since their arrival, the dogs have received medical care, socialization, behavioral support and compassionate care from the humane society’s Twinsburg shelter.
The five dogs rescued from South Korea are two different breeds, including two Tosas, a large mastiff-like dog with a short red and black coat and three Jindos, a medium-sized hunting dog with tan fur.
The rescue of these dogs was part of larger effort by Humane Society International that works with Korean dog meat farmers to end the practice of raising dogs for human consumption and assisting them with finding other livelihoods.
Four of these five dogs; Anderson, Havana, Jin, and Dorothy, are now ready for adoption, while another, Teddy, will remain at the Humane Society of Summit County as he undergoes treatment for a heartworm infection.
Dog meat farming remains legal in South Korea where it’s estimated over 2 million dogs are raised as livestock in deplorable conditions.
The rescue effort wasn’t met without its challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. After two months, 200 dogs made their trek to the United States—where a group of them came to the Humane Society of Summit County.
The last dog is a Siberian Husky named Talej who was rescued from Beirut after the explosion,which killed 200 and injured over 6,000 people. Pets were victims, as they went missing, lost their homes or were injured. With the work of Animals Lebanon, displaced animals who could not be reunited with families were taken to the U.S.
Despite their difficult experiences, all six dogs are ready for adoption. All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations.
Each dog has different needs as far as a home environment with people, children and other pets. Those interested in adopting a dog are encouraged to visit thehumane society’s website and then contact adoption counselors to begin the process by calling 234-212-9843 or by emailing adoptions@summithumane.org.
