Winslow is two years-old, and has been a part of our pack for a little more than a year now. He is a trusting and gentle soul who has an insatiable curiosity and a great sense of humor.

But Winslow would have every right to demonstrate quite the contrary. Despite being an incredibly handsome and vivacious pup he was not destined to be a part of a warm and loving home that would celebrate his beautiful spirit.

 

Winslow was going to be killed for human consumption.

 

Winslow, like 2.5 million other dogs from the same country, was born and “raised” on one of that country’s nearly 17,000 dog meat farms.[1]  Life for dogs like Winslow, is usually short albeit traumatic.

Winslow began his life crammed into a crate made of metal bars, often unable to lie down because several other dogs shared the same space. They stood all day, directly on the thin metal strips of crating, frequently unsheltered from the hot sun or pouring rain. If he was fed, it was merely scraps and likely only once a day.

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Then, a global animal protection organization stepped in and closed the farm—rescuing Winslow along with nearly  150 other dogs on the same farm—an act they’ve performed 13 times in the same country; in total, nearly 1,600 dogs’ lives have been saved.[2]

Unlike millions of dogs before him, his life would not end by electrocution, strangulation through hanging, or being bludgeoned to death. Instead, he would be fed nourishing food, know the feeling of fresh-cut grass under his paws and enjoy the love and companionship of two other canines and their human caretaker (me). And, because Winslow’s story (and the many like his) has been shared, animal welfare in all parts of the world has changed for the better.

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Winslow’s journey demonstrates why evidence-based story-telling is so important.

 

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1 -  http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2017/12/south-korea-farm-10-120517.html
2 - http://www.hsi.org/world/canada/work/dog-meat-trade/dog-meat-farm-rescue.html