Everyone at Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is so glad that we have partnered with Humane Society International (HSI) to save six severely abused and neglected dogs from a dog meat farm in Wonju, South Korea. This is the sixth dog meat farm closure in South Korea managed by Humane Society International, with a total of 770 dogs rescued since January 2015 as part of the organization’s campaign to end the dog meat trade in South Korea and across Asia. 

The first two of these dogs, Sadie and Amelie, arrived on January 11th, and while we know they have a long road to recovery, they have the entire Lucky Dog family standing behind them 100 percent. We are proud to share the stories of their progress, as told below by their loving Lucky Dog fosters.

SADIE’S STORY:

After an exceptionally long flight, Sadie landed in the D.C. area early Friday morning. She was utterly terrified... but, try as she might, she couldn't fight her natural curiosity.  She would huddle in the corner of her crate, but then, her tail would start to slowly wag.  The light thumping on the crate floor a sharp contrast to her shaking body.

It took her a while to come out of her crate, her safety zone.   She would peer out the sides, interested in seeing the world around her but not yet confident enough to be part of it.  We knew we had to giver her time.  Time to adjust to her new surroundings.  Time to understand that she was now a part of a family -- not an entree to feed them.

The cats in our home took an instant interest in Sadie.  One, even joined her in the crate, which was rewarded with some tail wagging. I have come to love the sound of that thumping tail.  The signal that Sadie's inner confidence and curiosity was still alive -- and winning over her fear.

That first night, we kept Sadie in her crate next to our bed, and left the door of her crate open, hoping she might explore her new world...   I checked on her next to me throughout the night, but she didn’t budge until 7 AM the following morning, when she briefly left the crate to use the bathroom.  Even Sadie couldn't avoid the call of nature!  Her exploration was brief, though, and she quickly returned to her safe spot.

When we had to leave for work, we gave Sadie the run of our bathroom, leaving her crate door open and a web came live streaming so we could be sure she was ok.  Once we humans had left the building, Sadie's fear subsided.  She began to explore, sniffing the things we had left for her, stretching out, eating and drinking.  That quickly stopped when we returned home.

Having seen her interest in food on the live stream (available on our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/bXhyVij9uvk) we decided to try a "path of treats" to encourage her to venture out even when scary humans were present.  That little bit of food gave her the determination to start to venture out.  It's a good thing her stomach can override her fear!

Every day since, Sadie has continued to gain confidence and trust.  She and her foster brother, Rookie, are learning a lot about each other.  He doesn't quite understand why she won't play.  She doesn't quite understand what play is, but is trying hard to learn!

She will approach us  if we aren't looking looking right out of her.  And, if Rookie is around, she will come out of the bathroom when we get home from work.  She sometimes even crosses the hallway!

We are so proud of how far she has come in just one week.  From living her whole life in a metal cage surrounded by 200 dogs and surrounded by humans who only viewed her as dinner to living in a home halfway around the world with two cats, another dog and two brand new people.  No wonder it will take some time.

Stay tuned for future updates!


AMELIE’S STORY:

Amelie arrived in the US, scared and withdrawn. The first couple days were very hard for her. My whispered voice made her jump, and my tile floor was scary to walk on. Having never stepped foot outside a metal mesh cage, she had no idea what to do when her little feet hit a smooth surface.

It took nearly 24 hours before all four paws very cautiously stepped out of her travel carrier, where a trail of yummy treats and a friendly doggie face greeted her. What a milestone!  Having other dogs around to follow and watch was just what Amelie needed to take her first exploratory steps.  And, of course, the food didn't hurt!

She has been with me for about a week, and I am amazed at how resilient she is.   She has given me a few tentative smiles and tail wags!  In fact, she even licked my hand when I finally got her to take a treat from me rather than the floor! 

Amelie has never had the chance to play or run.  She doesn’t quite know how, but my pup Charlie is teaching her day by day.  I am sure that once she finally figures it out that my condo may long for the days of more quiet behavior!

I am so privileged to share in Amelie’s journey as her foster mom—giving her comfort, teaching her to trust, watching her learn all the great things her new life has to offer. There is no doubt in my mind this sweet girl already knows how to love. Stay tuned as I update you on her progress.

To help us care for Sadie and Amelie, and to support our remaining Korean Lucky Dogs who are soon to arrive in the U.S., donate today at http://bit.ly/2iQf4Og. #IAmLuckyDog