Eight dogs have arrived in Los Angeles and will now have a second chance at life after being rescued from a slaughterhouse in Thailand.
The dogs, a variety of breeds, were rescued by Marc Ching, who runs the nonprofit Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation in Sherman Oaks.
Since last fall, Ching has traveled to several countries on six rescue missions, including China, Korea and Vietnam, where dogs are often killed for food.
"These dogs, where they're from, once they go in there, they don't leave," said Ching. "In America, we give second chances"
The dogs, which arrived at LAX on Thursday night, are survivors of cruelty and torture. Some had their paws hacked off and at least one of them had its face cut with a machete.
Ching has made it his mission to rescue and rehabilitate severely abused animals, including those in the underground dog meat trade.
"My aim is about documenting the torture so I can show the government that this is what they're doing and this is why we need to make it illegal," said Ching.
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In slaughterhouses, dogs are frequently tortured before being killed. Ching says he has seen dogs crucified, electrocuted and dumped in cauldrons of boiling water.
Often posing as a buyer to gain access to slaughterhouses, Ching talks owners into releasing the dogs to him. He's also built relationships with veterinarians in Asia who help care for the dogs until they're healthy enough to be placed in new homes, either locally, in Europe, or in Los Angeles.
While Ching has also faced dangerous situations during rescue operations, he stands by his mission to make more people aware of animal abuse around the world.
"A lot of people don't want to see what's going on out there, so they're scared of the images because they're graphic," Ching said. "But if you close your eyes, nothing changes."
The rescued dogs will be housed at the Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation in Sherman Oaks and available for adoption. Visit their website here to learn more about adoption options.
