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Preparing a Meal of Dog Meat in South Korea

(NEWSER) – For centuries, people have been eating dog meat – neither legal nor banned – in South Korea. Some 30 years ago, chef Oh Keum-il even traveled around North and South Korea, tasting everything from dog stew to dog taffy, to learn the craft of cooking dog. Today, however, customers aren't quite as interested in eating an animal many keep as pets. Oh, for example, served her last bowl of dog stew, or boshintang, this week, closing up South Korea's longest-running dog meat restaurant as young customers avoid the spot and animal activists protest her controversial meals.

Typical Dish of Dog Meat

Though an expert guesses up to 2.5 million dogs are eaten in South Korea each year, "there is too much generational gap in boshintang," says Oh. That's clear for a 30-year-old Korean woman who says she argues with her grandfather about the meal. "Whenever he saw my dog at home, he would say it's the size of one bowl of hot soup," she says. A butcher adds that "dog is not an industry with a long-term future," noting that about 800 restaurants serve it in Seoul, when 1,500 once did. It's sad to see the end of such a lengthy tradition, says Oh, who now plans to open a barbeque restaurant that serves beef instead.

PETITION: "Stop the Dog Meat Festival" Campaign

A black Labrador retriever that spent two stints at a Kansas animal shelter is living the good life on a 120-acre Florida farm, thanks to an affluent heir who felt a personal connection to the dog and dispatched a private jet to claim her.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) shows TV commercials of abandoned and abused cats and dogs, raising money off of the confusion that it’s a pet shelter umbrella group. (It doesn't run a single pet shelter anywhere.) Maybe its commercials should instead show HSUS's lawyers paying a racketeering settlement with their tails tucked between their legs.

Recently, news broke that HSUS and its co-defendants, including two HSUS employees, have agreed to pay $15.75 million to settle a long-fought lawsuit filed against them under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act – a law that's been used to go after the mob.

The suit stems from litigation that animal rights activists, including an HSUS affiliate, pursued against the owner of the Ringling Bros. circus, Feld Entertainment. In that case, activists claimed that the circus was unlawfully harming elephants in its care, and their key witness was a former Feld handler.

However, as that case unfolded over a decade, a payment scheme was discovered going from plaintiffs and their lawyers to this witness. The court eventually threw out the lawsuit, finding that the witness was a "paid plaintiff" who was "not credible." This paid witness even "lied" to the court.

Feld then filed suit under RICO, alleging bribery, illegal witness payments, and other torts. The ASPCA settled in late 2012 for $9.3 million. And today, the other co-defendants have paid $15.75 million.

The animal liberation movement has long been associated with extremist, bullying, and sometimes even terroristic tactics in pursuit of its radical goal to institute prohibition on how we use animals, whether for food, fiber or entertainment. The FBI cracked down on the terroristic fringe over the past two decades. And the suit-wearing, lawyered-up part of the movement has now had its day in court. It comes up $15.75 million poorer, but with its inner workings exposed, the rest of society should feel better off.

Sadly, the real losers in this case are the thousands of individual donors who gave money to HSUS thinking that they were helping local animal shelters, only to find that their donations are footing the bill for HSUS's mismanagement (not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats that needed that money for their keep and care).

Sometimes, the only humane thing to do is to put a dog to sleep. Just three weeks ago, Erica Daniel steeled herself to take that difficult step with Harper, a small puppy in her care.
Daniel, 26, fosters dogs that need serious help, and Harper had come to her in the most desperate of circumstances. On Aug. 31, a woman in Sanford, Fla., first encountered the little dog when she spotted a squirming garbage bag.
"There was a man outside the Save-A-Lot selling pit-bull puppies for $50 a pop," Daniel explained. "This woman approached him and noticed a noise coming from a garbage bag he was holding. She asked him, 'What's in the bag?' and he said, 'Don't worry about it.'"
The woman pressed the issue and the man opened – and gave her – the contents of the bag. Inside was a puppy so deformed that it couldn't walk or hold up its head. Shelter workers and veterinarians grimaced when they saw the dog and came to the same conclusion: It really should be euthanized.
That's when Daniel, a regular at the local animal shelter, stepped in. She decided to take the puppy home for one full and final day of unabashed affection. "I had to show her what it was like to be loved," Daniel said. "I'd planned on taking her home that night, letting her sleep in bed with us, and having her humanely euthanized in the morning."
What a difference a day can make. Today, Harper is not only alive – she's thriving. The frisky gray puppy is gaining more and more mobility each day, to the astonishment of onlookers and medical professionals.
Harper's rapid recovery began on that initial day with Daniel. The puppy had been born with a condition commonly dubbed "swimmer puppy disorder," and most dogs afflicted with it don't survive. The formal name of Harper's disorder, pectus excavatum, causes puppies to lie flat on their chests with their legs perpetually splayed out, as if they were humans – or perhaps frogs – swimming through water.
"The longer she was like that, the more she stayed in that position," Daniel said. "It felt like rigor mortis – like her legs might break."
Despite that, Daniel kept massaging Harper's tight muscles, hoping to alleviate at least some of her stiffness and pain. Within just a few hours, Harper started lifting her head and looking around. Her front legs became more limber as well, so much so that she tried using them to walk and pull herself around.
Daniel's reaction: "WHOA."
Convinced that this determined little dog needed a second opinion, she canceled the following morning's appointment and made a new, hopeful one with a veterinarian at the University of Florida. At first, the vet described the reasons Harper probably would need to be put to sleep. The list included the likelihood of degenerative bone disease, brain abnormalities and a severe heart murmur.
They decided to do a few tests just to be sure. And, as it turned out, the rumors of Harper's demise were greatly exaggerated. Her organs were functioning just fine, and she had no heart murmur or serious brain abnormalities. The medical conditions she did have required treatment – but nothing that warranted putting her to sleep.
Some nice people at Hip Dog Canine Hydrotherapy & Fitness in Winter Park, Fla., heard about Harper and donated free hydrotherapy and massage therapy to the puppy. Harper responded remarkably well, and before long, she actually started walking.
"She started out on grass, then carpet, then concrete," Daniel said. "She still can't walk on tile or hardwood floors, but she's getting there."
Bev McCartt, a Hip Dog therapist, explained that swimming has helped teach Harper what her natural gait should be.
"Her brain kicked in and by the end of her first session, she was like, 'Oh, I can do this,'" McCartt said. "She's a walking miracle. She's a real testament to a dog's determination to get up and just go."
Today, Harper is about 11 weeks old, and she's holding her own playing with the seven other dogs at Daniel's home. Daniel estimates that Harper should be ready to be adopted in about a month – that is, if she can handle parting with her.
"Right now we're saying that eventually she'll be available for adoption because we haven't made any decisions," Daniel said. "If I give her up, that will make it possible for me to foster another dog. But she's like a baby to me. I just don't know!"
This is not the first time Daniel has taken on an impossibly sad case and witnessed an incredible transformation. In April of last year, she began fostering Dolly, a pit bull that had been used as a bait dog in a dog-fighting ring. Dolly's injuries were severe; her mouth was so swollen that she couldn't eat. With careful attention and lots of love, Dolly recovered.
Today she's a happy girl and an American Kennel Club-certified "Canine Good Citizen."
Dolly's saga prompted Daniel to establish Dolly's Foundation on Jan. 1 of this year. The organization rescues and rehabilitates homeless, neglected and abused American Pit Bull Terriers and other bully breed dogs, and it has plenty of puppies and dogs available for adoption.
"They're just dogs," Daniel said of pit bulls, noting the breed's negative image. "Dogs need love, and they need homes."
That's certainly proven true in Harper's case.
"The whole world was against her, but she's such a fighter," Daniel said. "She's a blessing. She's awesome."
  

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Also, see:

• VIDEO: Harper, the beloved handicapped puppy
• UPDATE on Harper's Progress
• For more info about the Dolly's Foundation, click HERE and HERE
• Who, me? Handicapped???!
• Kandu, the 2-legged Jack Russell
• Blind Dogs Make Great Pets!
• Why You Should Adopt a Senior Dog
• Couple Rescues Abused, Special Needs Dogs
• List of No-kill Rescues & Shelters

The dog was found wandering the streets, badly injured.

This dog was found wandering down the side of a road, starving, alone and badly injured. He must have been hit by a car, because his rump was a bloody mess. The tail had been broken off. The injury was so bad there were nerve endings showing. His injury, though, explained something strange his rescuer noticed: the dog could only use his front two paws.

His tail was broken off, with nerve endings and bone exposed.	As a result of his injury, he could only walk on his front two paws.

The poor pup was rushed into a vet's office for treatment, shaking with fear. Luckily, "Hands Solo" (or "Hands" for short) was about to receive expert care, lots of love and a miracle.

His story didn't end there, though. After receiving treatment, he was welcomed into a foster family's care. There, he found out what it meant to be part of a loving family. He also found out a way to be miraculously healed ... just watch:


Hands is truly incredible! This dog did not give up once, nor did his rescuers or foster family! It's absolutely unbelievable he was able to run like a normal dog after it was all said and done. This is the best ending ever, so share it with others!

Source: ViralNova

Kandu's story began in October 2005 when his owners, believing that Kandu would never have a good quality of life, took him to a veterinarian to be euthanized. Very luckily he was rescued by the Evergreen Animal Protective League (EAPL) where his next life began. There are so many people that helped from the EAPL but special thanks to Robin, Betsy, Laura and Linda. You can read about everything they have done for Kandu HERE. And please check all of the other pets they have helped along the way.

Once Kandu made it to his new home, the fun began. Martin Kaufmann with Orthopets fabricated the initial design for Kandu's wheels and winter monoski. This truly turned Kandu's life around. He can now run with the other dogs, dash from room to room, roll up and down the driveway, and yes, he has even been in two parades in Steamboat Springs. Many, many thanks to Martin and Amy for their creativity and energy.

Kandu now lives outside the little town of Oak Creek near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He spends a lot of time with his step brother Bob and house cat Bookie. But as important Kandu is now a certified therapy dog with Heeling Friends in Steamboat Springs. Heeling Friends is a Delta Society Pet Partner affiliate that takes pet partner teams to hospitals and care facilities to offer comfort and companionship to those in need. Kandu has help lift the spirits of many patients at the Yampa Valley Medical Center. This is something he simply loves to do and gets excited every time he sees the front door of the hospital. Please take a moment to check out Heeling Friends and learn more about the pet partners program.

As you can tell, Kandu has had the help and support of many people along the way. If it had not been for Jodi Brooks at KCNC television in Denver, we would never had seen her great story (CBS News4 Story) and met Kandu. Also, our thanks to one of the top mechanics with the Yamaha Racing Team, Geoff Cesmat, for his cleverness as Kandu's wheels evolved. Thanks to Campo Design and to Traci Schalow for their help in putting together Kandu's Web site and all the graphics. And finally our thanks to Drew and all the folks at Colorado Plastic Products for supplying Kandu with materials as we keep building better gizmos for Kandu.

By Deidre Grieves, Pet360.com
People make money buying houses for low prices and then reselling them for profits. It's a practice known as flipping – and it looks like this may be happening with dogs as well.

A Craigslist ad is sparking controversy after a woman who adopted a Jack Russell Terrier from a Hawaiian animal shelter allegedly put the dog up for sale just an hour after picking the pooch up from the shelter. According to a report from KHON2 News, the advertised rate for the dog was "$200 or best offer," which is more than double what the woman paid in adoption fees.

The 10-year-old Jack Russell named Sally Mae was adopted by a young woman, but an hour later, the same dog was offered up for sale in an ad on Craigslist that stated that the woman and her boyfriend were caught up working two jobs and couldn't take care of the dog. The posting immediately sparked outrage and sadness from the local animal community.

Christina Kam, the shelter's communications and event coordinator, told reporters, "It's really disappointing to think that animals are really seen as a commodity versus your loving pet that's part of your family, so that's really hard for us."

Sally Mae, the Jack Russell Terrier listed on Craigslist Immediately after Adoption

The shelter did attempt to call the new owner and get Sally Mae returned to the shelter so that they could find her a loving home. However, when reporters reached out to the woman who adopted Sally Mae, the woman explained that it was a misunderstanding. She told Hawaii News Now that she was selling Sally Mae because she was loud and energetic and wasn't fitting in.

Ultimately, the woman told reporters that her family would help care for the dog, and that she plans on keeping Sally Mae.

People that return animals to the adoption center within 30 days are given a full refund and Kekama Amona, who volunteers to make videos of the animals for the shelter, believes that is exactly what the woman should do. "I think she should return the dog and give it to somebody who really wants to keep the dog," he told Hawaii News Now.

Unfortunately, the Craigslist poster did not technically break any laws. There are no rules or regulations that make the reselling of adoptable animals illegal or punishable. The shelter does not have language in its adoption contracts preventing owners from "flipping" pets, but after this incident, the shelter is looking into making that a part of contracts in the future.

This is a truly sad story, and the victim here is undoubtedly Sally Mae. That Jack Russell deserves a loving pet parent, not one that tries to sell her for profit just because she is loud and energetic. If the woman had done any research beforehand, she would have known that Jack Russells have plenty of energy and need an active family. All we can hope is that Sally Mae manages to have a good life, whether she remains with the woman who adopted her or with a completely different family. Dog-flipping of any kind – no matter the circumstances – should absolutely be prohibited by law.

UPDATE: The Hawaiian animal shelter announced that the 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier was returned and successfully placed with another family.

Stray dogs in Moscow take the train. Many of Moscow's stray dogs actually live in the suburbs and take the subway downtown daily to forage for food. While on the train they do normal commuting stuff like napping and listening for their stop to be announced. They find seats and sometimes remind one another where to get off the train.

Once their workday begins, they go looking for easy targets like people eating street food and children. They employ a number of tactics to get fed, based on the mark. They bark at noshing adults to alarm them into accidentally dropping their food. They rest their heads on the laps of kids and flash them their cutest puppy dog eyes. When the day is done they head back to the suburbs and rest up for the next day's adventures.

SB 648 Would Result in More Killing at Illinois Animal Control Shelters

  

Senate Bill 648 is a disastrous bill for shelter pets. It would prohibit animal shelters from accepting stray dogs or cats unless they were released from animal control. Any strays who come in would have to be transferred to the county or city pound, greatly increasing the number of animals housed at local government facilities. Some of these facilities don't even have adoption programs. This is a huge waste of lives and also a waste of tax dollars.

The bill has other poorly thought-out provisions, such as requiring humane investigators to notify local law enforcement or the local animal control agency prior to investigating neglect or cruelty.

Please take action HERE and send an email or letter to your state representative to ask him or her to oppose this ill-conceived legislation. If you could also CALL your representative today and politely ask that they vote "NO" on SB 648, it would be greatly appreciated.

Together, we can Save Them All.

Sincerely,
Ledy VanKavage, Esq.
Sr. Legislative Attorney

Source: Best Friends

Dear God,
What is "Time"?

I hear the sadness in the voices of workers here. They say my "Time is up," that they have to make room for yet another dog.

My "Time" is up.

I don't know what that means, God. I only know that my new friends are so sad, and the more I wag my tail – the harder I try to make them feel better – the sadder they become.

I know I have heard that word "Time" before, but I don't understand.

When I was younger, my people would say "Time to play!" They would throw the ball, and I would run fast. Sometimes I brought it back to them, but other times we'd end up chasing each other having fun.

I remember "Time to eat." My people would put down a bowl of food, and I would enjoy dinner, wagging my tail in joy.

There was also "Time for your walk." My boy would put my leash on, and we would go walking together, visiting the neighborhood and enjoying each other's company.

When I was younger I thought "Time" meant fun. Or maybe Love?

I don't understand. "Time" must mean something else, but how can it change, God?

Before I came here, I heard my people say, "No time to feed you now, boy. Later, when I get home." Sometimes my family would forget, and there was no food in my bowl.

Does "Time" mean when my belly hurts?

My people said there was no time for walks. I tried to hold it all day long – but God, I just couldn't anymore. When I finally had to go, it made my family very angry.

Does "Time" means anger?

Or maybe Loneliness? My family said they didn't have "Time." They didn't have time to play, or time to take me to the vet, or time to go for walks. They didn't have "Time," so they brought me here. Maybe I was right.... They said they didn't have time, and if "Time" means Love, how did they lose it?

Did I do something wrong?

God, I think my new friends are sending me to you. Do you have "Time"? May I sit on the couch? Am I a good dog, God?

Is it "Time"?

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One of the most important things we can give our pets is "Time." The time to love them, care for them, and train them. Animal Shelters across the country are filled with pets whose families didn't have "Time." Every year, the "Time is up" for 12 million companion pets. Do you have the "Time" to make a difference?

Source: Paw Protectors Rescue
   

"We can just feed her and she'll get better, right?"

Ten simple words.

And ten simple words kept me up most of the night, thinking.

Friday, I had my regular TylerDog rescue shoot at Tulsa Animal Welfare. It was special because I had a lot of kids come help given it was Spring break. It was so much fun getting to see them loving on the animals and truly feeling like they were doing something meaningful, which they were. At the end of the shoot, Desi, the youngest one at eight, asked if we could go back and look at puppies. So all of us headed back to the kennels in search of puppies, but what we found pretty much stopped us in our tracks, especially Desi.

We walked up to kennel 251A and sitting there was an emaciated, young red Pit Bull girl; so emaciated the muscles in her head had atrophied and sunken into her skull. A fresh, pink scar went around her neck where a chain had resided for a very long time. Ribs and hip bones jutted out. The kennel card listed her as "Unknown." The baby didn't even have a name! And as we stood there in silence, looking at the skeleton of her body, Desi spoke up and said, "What's wrong with her?" I took a deep breath and said, "Well, sweetheart, looks like someone didn't feed her or take care of her." And Desi looked up with those innocent eyes of youth and said, "Why would somebody do that?"

Why, indeed.

Standing there, I had all the answers I would give another adult: "Piece of scum owners...not caring for their dog...letting it wither away to nothing..." All words of anger from seeing too many beautiful animals treated like garbage. But this was an innocent, sweet child with a pure heart. She hasn't seen the side of humanity I've seen. So I swallowed and said, "I really don't know, baby, there's a lot of bad people in the world. And..." She cut me off and said, "We can just feed her and she'll get better, right?" Then went on to tell me we would just feed them and they would all be better and nothing bad would ever happen to puppies like her. I looked down at her and said, "Of course."

The minute the words left my mouth, I knew I had just lied to an eight-year-old. She wasn't going to be better. She most likely was going to be euthanized once her stray hold was up. Why? Because those of us in rescue know an emaciated dog that obviously lived on a chain and was starved to this point is most likely not going to pass any temperament tests, which includes food and dog-to-dog aggression. A dog like this needs time to heal and acclimate and get better before testing. Yet we all know in a municipal shelter environment, that time simply does not exist. As the weather warms, intake increases, and the number of available kennels decreases. They have to make decisions, unpleasant ones, of which dogs and cats make it and which ones won't based on a lot of factors and with all the odds stacked against her, a dog like "Unknown" wouldn't stand a chance.

I left that evening feeling heavy in my heart. For "Unknown." For Desi knowing the sad things she would eventually learn about humanity as she grew up. For knowing I had lied to a child. Sure, I did it to protect her, but still, I lied to her. I kept hearing the words "Say what you mean and mean what you say" repeat in my head. As I tried to sleep, browsing Facebook to get my mind off things, looking at pictures of anything and everything, I kept going back to those innocent blue eyes looking up at me saying "We can just feed her and she'll get better, right?"

When I awoke this morning, my heart was troubled and I knew I had to do something. I texted a friend who helped at the photo shoot and said, "What dog's your most stable?" She replied and I said, "I can't quit thinking about that red Pittie. I want to do something." Kelly responded she felt the same way, so we both headed to the shelter. In the meantime, I contacted Kim with Epic’s Pit Bull Rescue and asked, if we were successful with Unknown, would they take her under their rescue if one of us fostered and nursed her back to health. Bless their hearts, they said yes. So now I had a mission.

So it begins...

I arrived with two packages of treats, Kelly brought treats and her dog, Mia, in case we were successful in reaching the testing stage. We walked back to the kennel and there she sat: still labeled as Unknown. Cowering in the corner of her kennel. I opened the door, sat down on the floor, and opened the first bag of treats. I reached one out to her and she growled. So I tossed it her direction. She snapped it up. Over and over, I tossed treats, eventually getting to the point they were closer to me than they were her. And each time she cautiously came to get them. Then I held the treats out in my hand and she gently took them from me. Each time, my hand came closer and closer to my body until she was standing right next to my leg and was letting me touch her with one hand while she ate from the other. The first time I touched her, she flinched and froze. I knew someone's touch had not been so kind and she remembered it. So when she came close again, my hand brushed her body again. After the third time, she no longer flinched.

I knew we were making progress.

After awhile, we decided to take her outside, so I asked for a leash, looped it around her, and she gladly walked outside with me. She was still scared, but I noticed right away her tail was no longer tucked between her legs. We walked quietly and slowly. I didn't speak to her other than soothing sounds one would make when comforting a baby. Each time she came close, I touched her so she'd know my hand wasn't one of anger or violence, but one of caring and love.

We walked past another dog and she sniffed and greeted him quietly, even though he was bouncing around like a nut. So far, so good. We stayed out a bit longer, then decided that was enough excitement for the day and walked her back to the kennel.

One more look...

Kelly and I talked about what to do and made sure the shelter staff knew to put a hold on her for one of us once her stray hold was up the following week. As we walked out, I decided I wanted to go back in one more time and see her again, so I took my camera and back in we went. This time, it was a completely different story. She saw me approach and her head went up. Instead of cowering down in fear, she looked me straight in the eyes. It was almost like she was saying, "Okay, you were patient with me when I was scared. I just was waiting to see if you'd come back." I snapped several photos of her and as I sat there in front of the gate with it open, she walked up and let me gently pet her the entire time. It was all I could do to not break down and cry because I knew what it took for her to trust me enough to let me touch her like that.

She finally decided she'd had enough and went over to her bed and blanket, curled up, and laid down. She watched me the entire time, then she put her head down to sleep. I gently touched her cheek and whispered, "I love you, baby girl." And she lifted her head, looked me straight in the eyes and blinked, then laid back down to sleep. It was like she acknowledged my words. And that's when the tears fell.

I told Kelly, "All she needs is time and love and patience. She'll learn she doesn't have to be alone anymore. Or scared. Or hurt. Or hungry. One of us is going to take her and give her a chance..." and Kelly agreed.

And her name is...

I truly believe it was meant for us to walk back to the kennels that Friday after our photo shoot. It's not something I'm in the habit of doing, but I did. I truly believe it was meant for us to see the dog named "Unknown" in kennel 251A. And it was absolutely meant for an eight-year-old to say ten simple words to change the course of this dog's life and mine. So no longer will this sweet dog be known as "Unknown."

Her name is Destiny.

Because it was meant to be.

Source: http://tylerdog.com/destiny/
Copyright © 2014 TylerDog Photography

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Also see:

• More of Destiny's Photos on Facebook
• Shelter Dogs are Best!
• I Am a Forever Dog
• Adopt or Foster, but DO Something!
• Some Facts about Pit Bulls