PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Gus Kenworthy, a British-born, U.S. Winter Olympic skier wrote a detailed post on Instagram about his recent trip to a South Korean dog farm Friday.
The farm is being shut down due to efforts on behalf of Humane Society International.
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Eating dog meat is a common practice in Asia — specifically in China, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam, Cambodia and northern India.
In South Korea, an estimated 2.5 million dogs are slaughtered for the meat trade annually, according to Humane Society International.
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“While I don't personally agree with it, I do agree that it's not my place to impose western ideals on the people here. The way these animals are being treated, however, is completely inhumane and culture should never be a scapegoat for cruelty,” Kenworthy wrote.
He goes on to explain that some of the dogs at the farm were once pets, whether stolen or found on the street and sold into the dog meat trade.
The good news is the farm he visited is being shut down "thanks to the hard work of the Humane Society International and the cooperation of a farmer who's seen the error of his ways.”
Kenworthy and his boyfriend, actor Matt Wilkas, adopted an aww-worthy puppy they’re naming Beemo.
All 90 of the dogs at that particular dog farm will be flown to the U.S. and Canada to find permanent homes, the post said.
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There has also been backlash and debate spurred by the Olympian's post.
See the tweets below:
This is neo-colonialism at its finest. Just because you like dogs doesn't make eating pigs/cows/chicken etc any more moral. Especially when they are treated in equally barbaric ways.
— Kuznetsova's Rotten Corpse Career (@GOATnetsova) February 23, 2018
A few notes:
— Joon Lee (@joonlee) February 24, 2018
1) Most Koreans do not eat dogs, and are against the practice, especially amongst young people.
2) While Kenworthy acknowledges the potential imposition of western standards, reality is 9 billion chickens are killed every year vs. 30 million dogs in Asian countries. https://t.co/1xOn84GidB
That's why I wanna help! Most young Koreans ARE against it & bc farming dogs is a much smaller industry than other livestock there's an opportunity to make real change! I'm sorry if it seemed like I was judging Korean ppl. I'm not. I just wanna help end the dog abuse! @iamjoonlee https://t.co/xnpG67ntsE
— Gus Kenworthy (@guskenworthy) February 24, 2018