MIDLAND, MI — When the Humane Society of Midland County opened its doors to the public at noon Wednesday, Feb. 20, five dogs rescued from a meat and pet farm in South Korea were ready and waiting to be adopted.
And within hours, all five of the dogs had found new forever homes.
Shelter director Beth Wellman said the dogs were rescued by Humane Society International after the farm owners agreed to cease operations in exchange for being taught an alternative trade.
About 200 dogs were rescued from the farm, five of which ended up in Midland after the Humane Society of the United States reached out to the shelter, an emergency relief partner, Wellman said. The animals were vaccinated and then quarantined for 30 days before being transported.
“The dogs are all friendly, which is surprising, considering the conditions they’ve lived in,” Wellman said.
Shelter officials announced the dogs’ arrival and shared photos of them on the Humane Society of Midland County Facebook page Wednesday morning. The public was invited to visit the dogs beginning at noon.
Within about an hour, three of the dogs had been adopted. By 7:45 p.m., all five had been, according to another post on the shelter’s Facebook page.
Wellman said the five dogs that came to Midland included two larger dogs, which would have been bred for the meat trade, and three smaller dogs, which would have been bred for sale in pet shops. The dogs included a lab-Jindo mix, a shiba inu, a Pomeranian, a Pomeranian-spitz mix and a poodle.
Humane Society of Midland County, a no-kill shelter, is located at 4371 E. Ashman St. in Midland. Standard adoption fees range from $150 to $200 and help to cover the cost to spay/neuter the dogs, vaccines, microchips and other medical care. Learn more at hsomc.org/adopt.