Dogs rescued from S. Korea meat farm need D.C.-area homes (Photos, Videos)

Shiba Inu Jindo mix rescued by the Humane Society from a South Korean meat farm will soon be available for adoption in D.C. (WTOP/Kristi King)
Shiba Inu Jindo mix rescued by the Humane Society from a South Korean meat farm will soon be available for adoption in D.C. (WTOP/Kristi King)
A Jindo and terrier mix go to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria after the Humane Society rescued the dogs from a meat farm in South Korea. The dogs will soon be available for adoption. (WTOP/Kristi King)
A Jindo and terrier mix go to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria after the Humane Society rescued the dogs from a meat farm in South Korea. The dogs will soon be available for adoption. (WTOP/Kristi King)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, a staff member of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington carries Gabriel to their vehicle for transport to the shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, a staff member of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington carries Gabriel to their vehicle for transport to the shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, staff from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria carry a pair of dogs (Star, front and Eve, back) to their vehicle for transport to the shelter.
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, staff from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria carry a pair of dogs (Star, front and Eve, back) to their vehicle for transport to the shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, staff from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria carry a dog to their vehicle for transport to the shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, staff from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria carry a dog to their vehicle for transport to the shelter.  (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, a staff member from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria gets kisses from Eve before transporting her to the shelter.
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, a staff member from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria gets kisses from Eve before transporting her to the shelter.  (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
The dogs aren't immediately available for adoption. It will take a few weeks to get them ready for new homes. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
The dogs aren’t immediately available for adoption. It will take a few weeks to get them ready for new homes. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, Snow (right) and Noel (left), greet each other excitedly for the first time since arriving at WARL.  The two are a bonded pair from their days in South Korea. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, Snow (right) and Noel (left), greet each other excitedly for the first time since arriving at WARL. The two are a bonded pair from their days in South Korea. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
(Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, Vixen awaits transport to a new shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, Vixen awaits transport to a new shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, Bell plays with Kristen Walker from The HSUS.
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters. Here, Bell plays with Kristen Walker from The HSUS. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Some of the dogs are skittish around people and awkward walking on a leash. They've lived their entire lives in cages that are open to the elements and suspended over the ground. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Some of the dogs are skittish around people and awkward walking on a leash. They’ve lived their entire lives in cages that are open to the elements and suspended over the ground. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
S. Korea Dog Meat Farm dogs Santa, Dancer,  Vixen, Blitzen,  and Dasher get ready to fly to the United States. (Courtesy Frank Loftus/The HSUS)
S. Korea Dog Meat Farm dogs Santa, Dancer, Vixen, Blitzen and Dasher get ready to fly to the United States. (Courtesy Frank Loftus/The HSUS)
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Shiba Inu Jindo mix rescued by the Humane Society from a South Korean meat farm will soon be available for adoption in D.C. (WTOP/Kristi King)
A Jindo and terrier mix go to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria after the Humane Society rescued the dogs from a meat farm in South Korea. The dogs will soon be available for adoption. (WTOP/Kristi King)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, a staff member of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington carries Gabriel to their vehicle for transport to the shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, staff from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria carry a pair of dogs (Star, front and Eve, back) to their vehicle for transport to the shelter.
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, staff from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria carry a dog to their vehicle for transport to the shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, a staff member from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria gets kisses from Eve before transporting her to the shelter.
The dogs aren't immediately available for adoption. It will take a few weeks to get them ready for new homes. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, Snow (right) and Noel (left), greet each other excitedly for the first time since arriving at WARL.  The two are a bonded pair from their days in South Korea. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, Vixen awaits transport to a new shelter. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Dogs that arrived over the weekend from a dog meat farm in South Korea are picked up at the Washington Animal Rescue League by area shelters.

Here, Bell plays with Kristen Walker from The HSUS.
Some of the dogs are skittish around people and awkward walking on a leash. They've lived their entire lives in cages that are open to the elements and suspended over the ground. (Courtesy Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
S. Korea Dog Meat Farm dogs Santa, Dancer,  Vixen, Blitzen,  and Dasher get ready to fly to the United States. (Courtesy Frank Loftus/The HSUS)

WASHINGTON — More than two dozen dogs rescued from a South Korea meat farm are now in the D.C. area, and are being prepared for new loving homes.

Some of the dogs are skittish around people and awkward walking on a leash. They’ve lived their entire lives in cages that are open to the elements and suspended over the ground.

“They never actually even walk physically on the ground at any point in time. They don’t even know what grass feels like beneath their feet. And then within a year they’re sold off to slaughter,” says Director of Companion Animals and Engagement with Humane Society International Kelly O’Meara

The dogs aren’t immediately available for adoption. It will take a few weeks to get them ready for new homes.

“We’ll make sure that medically, they’ve gotten all their vaccinations and that they’re in good health. We’ll need to spay and neuter them,” says Abbie Hubbard of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

“Then we’ll take a look at their behavior and if they need any support, we’ll make sure we provide that either to a foster or an adoptive parent.”

The dogs soon will be available for adoption from the Washington Animal Rescue League, Washington Humane Society, Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, and the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

This batch of animals comes from the fourth dog meat farm shutdown this year by Humane Society International. O’Meara says the farmers are happy to give up the animals.

“We offer them seed funding to make a transition into new business. We take custody of the dogs and remove them and we demolition all of their property so that it becomes a farm that can be used for another purpose such as crop growing,” O’Meara says.

To read about other pets that are up for adoption, check out WTOP’s Pet of the Week page.

Kristi King

Kristi King is a veteran reporter who has been working in the WTOP newsroom since 1990. She covers everything from breaking news to consumer concerns and the latest medical developments.

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