Of all our NGPR rescue dogs, Ruby has traveled the furthest to reach her furever home. Some of you may remember the concern and disgust that enveloped the close of the Winter Olympics earlier this year when Korean dog meat farms within 45 minutes of Seoul were featured in the news. The games were still going on when Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy (left) visited a farm that the Humane Society International (HSI) was in the process of shutting down. It was one of an estimated 17,000 dog meat farms in Korea where at least 2 million dogs are slaughtered and eaten each year. It is an old tradition, not so popular with younger generations, so closing down meat farms provides an opportunity to impact the way things are done there.
HSI is offering to buy dog meat farmers out so they can transition out of the meat trade into farming mushrooms and other plants. The 90 dogs on this farm, which included our Ruby, were quarantined for a few weeks in preparation for their freedom flight. The dogs were flown to Canada, which humanely takes in dogs from many other countries, including those from our southern states who would be euthanized in the U.S. for lack of homes.
Ruby arrived in Montreal late in March. Her veterinary records (right) are both in Korean and French. She was pregnant and delivered a litter of puppies, who were adopted out through HSI. NGPR, which is a Humane Society of the United States shelter and rescue partner, a national network targeting large-scale animal-abuse cases, was contacted in May. Ruby’s name was on a spreadsheet list with 30 other Korean 
refugee dogs who still needed homes.
After viewing a video of Ruby and learning more about her, we decided she was a dog we could help. It was felt she would do best starting her transition at our New Beginnings Kennel in Ohio, so transport arrangements had to be made from Montreal. This took almost a month to arrange and Ruby arrived at a small airport outside of Pittsburgh on June 7. We put out the word for help and our Pennsylvania volunteers Monica and Bruce Butt (left) picked her up and drove her four hours across Ohio to Springfield.
Ruby arrived at the kennel a little unsure of what was going (right) on but our volunteers, Steve, Connie, Susan and Claudia soon put her at ease. It didn’t take long. They worked with her patiently and in a few days she had enough confidence to emerge from her “apartment”, walk on a leash and venture out into the play yard to meet the other dogs. After only a week, Connie writes “Ruby found her voice, barks at some of her friends and barks because she wants another walk. I do believe that we have spoiled her a little.” Teresa, our kennel helper, was able to give brave Ruby a bath (left) and a little pampering.
Ruby came from Montreal with all her vaccinations but she still needed to get spayed. An appointment was made with our Springfield vet to get that done in late June. She wasn’t happy with her collar (left) but then who is? Ruby spent a few more weeks at the kennel after that but the search was on to find a foster home for her, hoping it might lead to a furever home. Ohio volunteers Melissa and Ray Sherman (right) volunteered to foster Ruby and she left the kennel on July 22. We hoped it was for good and our wish came true. Melissa and Ray adopted Ruby on August 15 and our world traveler finally found her furever home. Have a wonderful life, Ruby. We know it was worth the trip!
