San Diego Humane Society takes custody of 29 dogs rescued from slaughter by the Korean meat trade

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Humane Society Thursday took custody of 29 dogs that were rescued from slaughter by the Korean meat trade.

Humane Society International is transferring more than 100 dogs from South Korea — mostly mastiffs ranging in weight from 20-60 pounds up to 100-130 pounds — but also some Jindo-mixes and Chihuahuas. All are estimated to be between 1 and 2 years old, with the exception of some puppies under a year old.

The canines were flown from South Korea to San Francisco, where a San Diego Humane Society team picked up 29 of them.

“The dog meat trade is one of the most horrific forms of cruelty and we’ve taken on helping these animals as an urgent mission for San Diego Humane Society,” said Gary Weitzman, president and CEO.

“Our partnership with Humane Society International is critical to our ability to provide a second chance for animals — in this case animals destined for the worst type of abuse and slaughter,” he said.

Veterinarians and animal care staff were set to spend this afternoon and the coming days conducting exams of the dogs to gauge their health, with the hope of placing them up for adoption.

The international Humane Society said it’s working in countries across Asia to end the dog meat trade and helping dog meat farmers transition to more humane ways of making a living.