A Dumfries family is desperately trying to find their dog that is a survivor of the Korean meat trade.
We spoke with Dumfries resident David Wyttenbach, who himself has saved three dogs from the meat trade, about the missing dog. Wyttenbach is in contact with the family that adopted the dog.
The dog, named Paul, is a white male Jindo that was last seen in Dumfries near Route 234 and I-95 on January 9, when the Virginia State Police unsuccessfully attempted to retrieve him. According to missing posters, the dog is wearing an Army ACU printed collar with his name on it, and an engineer castle emblem.
“That dog has only been in the United States for five days. It was rescued from the Korean meat trade in South Korea, and brought here,” said Wyttenbach.
The new owners had taken the dog for a veterinarian visit that morning, when it got away and ran off.
“In the parking lot it had backed out of its harness and ran away,” said Wyttenbach.
Wyttenbach shared more insight about the Korean dog meat trade, and his experience rescuing dogs from the trade.
“These dogs that are being raised aren’t treated well at all. They have bad upbringings, and then they end up on people’s tables,” said Wyttenbach.
According to Wyttenbach, there are thousands of professional farms set up in South Korea for dog farming.
“It’s an issue that continues to this day…we recognize things such as we eat cow, and pig, and things like that – but in Korea, it’s the one country where this is still legal,” said Wyttenbach.
The conditions he was raised in is likely why Paul is so skiddish and ran away, according to Wyttenbach.
“Paul is in a strange new land, [he] doesn’t understand a word of English…and [cannot] be approached by anybody…he doesn’t trust anybody,” said Wyttenbach.
If anyone sees Paul, they are urged to call Prince William County Animal Control or the owners at 703-615-6368.
