In a gold medal-worthy move for animal rights, Olympic figure skater Meagan Duhamel rescued Moo-tae, a miniature dachshund mix destined to be on someone’s dinner plate, from slaughter in S. Korea’s notoriously cruel dog meat trade.
Last year while competing in PyeongChang at the Four Continents figure skating championship, Duhamel, an animal lover and vegan, met Moo-tae and took him home to Toronto. To say Moo-tae is adjusting well to his new life would be an understatement. Duhamel told the Associated Press that Moo-tae is “like a saint,” and “just wants to sit in everybody’s arms.” The rescue, organized through Free Korean Dogs, was a success story, though other dogs awaiting adoption still need volunteers flying from South Korea to Canada to escort them to new homes. Duhamel will be doing just that on her return flight from competing in the 2018 Olympic games.
The South Korean dog and cat meat trade are being pushed into the global eye now more than ever thanks to the 2018 Winter Olympics taking place this week in PyeongChang.
2018 Olympics Scorecard for Animals, Environment and Social Justice – The Marks Aren’t High
Up to 2.5 million dogs are bred each year in South Korean dog meat farms. They are often neglected, abused, and kept in small wire cages the majority of their lives. Awaiting them is a brutal death in a slaughterhouse. (Though let’s not forget — pigs, chickens other animal species suffer similar life and death conditions, even here in the U.S. and Canada.)
As pet ownership increases, more and more people in South Korea are turning against eating dog and cat meat. Meanwhile, nonprofits around the world — including Lady Freethinker — are working hard to raise awareness globally and end the trade.
How you can help
Though it may be difficult to feel empowered to make a difference from across the globe, there are things you can do to help end this horrific practice. Signing petitions like the one below, spreading the word, donating to organizations working to end this brutal practice, and even flying a dog over from the other side of the world will help!
