As Olympic-medal winning freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy gets ready for the 2022 Olympics he must be reminded of the last time he competed and brought home something quite different to a medal.
In 2014 the two-time Olympian brought home the silver medal for the U.S. when he competed in Russia. But in 2018 when he competed in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea he brought something home that left animal lovers rejoicing around the world.
The talented sportsman, who will compete for Great Britain in the 2022 Winter Olympics, announced on his Instagram page that he and his boyfriend had helped shut down one of South Korea’s many dog farms.
Gus and his boyfriend Matt Wilkas toured a dog meat farm and were horrified by what they saw.
“The dogs here are malnourished and physically abused, crammed into tiny wire-floored pens, and exposed to the freezing winter elements and scorching summer conditions,” Gus wrote on his Instagram page.
“When it comes time to put one down it is done so in front of the other dogs by means of electrocution sometimes taking up to 20 agonizing minutes.”
This particular farm is being permanently shut down with the help of Humane Society International and the “cooperation of a farmer who’s seen the error of his ways,” Gus added.
The animal heroes announced the 90 emaciated and abused dogs would travel back to the United States and Canada to try to find “fur-ever homes.”
Gus adopted one of the dogs pictured on his Instagram page and planned to take her home, after her vaccinations, to “give her the best life possible.”
Despite pressure from animal rights groups around the world, around one million dogs are slaughtered for their meat in South Korea every year, often tortured to death.
While some dogs are bread for their meat, others that are killed for their meat are stolen pets.
Gus hoped his visit would raise awareness of all the dogs that need a loving home.
What a Gus and Matt did makes them animal heroes, but we need more high-profile people to joint the fight.
Please share to pay tribute to their hard work in getting this barbaric dog farm closed.
