Twenty golden retrievers who were to be slaughtered for meat in China and sold at markets have been rescued and flown to Florida t...
Twenty golden retrievers who were to be slaughtered for meat in China and sold at markets have been rescued and flown to Florida to be placed with their forever homes.
The dogs arrived at Miami International Airport this weekend having been saved from the slaughter and got to meet their new families for the first time.
'This is the happiest day in 2020 for me,' said Katie Brown, one of the dog's new owners.
Twenty rescued golden retrievers met their forever families on Sunday in Miami, one of whom is pictured above
Rescue coordinator Kristine Minerva from Organization Golden Rescue South Florida helped bring the dogs to the States. She is pictured here hugging one of the new arrivals
'The fact that we've been waiting so long for these dogs to arrive, it's been such a long journey, and to have her here, it means everything. It truly is making our year.
'This is what rescue is all about. Taking the time to give the unconditional love to animals that they give to us.'
The lovable canines were brought to the States by Golden Rescue South Florida which focuses on saving golden retrievers around the country and now the world.
On this occasion, a rescue center in China, 8,000 miles away, contacted the Florida organization for help.
The dogs traveled 8,000 miles from China where they were abused
The dogs received a check-up, a bath, and some snacks before they were ready to go home
After six months of planning and a fundraising drive to generate the $60,000 required, the pups were finally brought over. It costs a minimum of $2,600 to bring each dog over.
But the task of bringing the pooches to the U.S. was not easy.
'It was very stressful,' said rescue coordinator Kristine Minerva to WSVN.
'We had an over 40-hour delay. The dogs were supposed to arrive Friday at 4:30pm and unfortunately, their flight had a mechanical issue, so they were delayed,' she said.
The plane carrying the dogs was delayed in Taiwan due to a mechanical issue.
Many families came to meet the dogs in person at Miami International Airport to pick them up
The dogs would have likely been butchered and ended up in the dog market as food
Families each came to meet the the dogs before taking them back to their 'fure-ever' homes
The families got to spend some time getting to know their new family members before heading home
Officials were approved to give the dogs food and water, but they were not allowed to be taken out of their crates.
'With the help of the Taiwan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, PETA, the China rescue that we've been working with, TCA, another organization in Chicago, we all came together,' said Menerva,
'Currently in China, they're for meat consumption. They eat the dogs for meat, so this has been a rescue six months in the making.
'These dogs have been through traumatic experiences, so some of them really don't know how to act like a dog,' Minerva explained. 'So it's going to take a lot of patience, a lot of training and a lot of determination to get the dog to that golden breed and that golden demeanor, which we know that they all can be.'
This dog appears slightly having endured a 50 hour, 8,000 mile journey from China
Organizer Kristine Minerva was emotional as the 20 dogs were sent to their new homes
Minerva said she and everyone at Golden Rescue South Florida are thankful for the help they got to get these dogs to safe and loving homes
There is a lot of paper work and money involved including a 'pet passport' to bring them over
The dogs may be timid and shy having endured a life of abuse in China
The dogs appeared eager to get on with their lives as they left the Miami Airport cargo facility
Kristine Minerva hugs one of the 20 dogs she had managed to rescue at a cost of $60,000
'The dogs were fed, and they were given water and constantly 24-hour care while they were held up in their facility.'
Once the dogs received a check-up, a quick bath, and some snacks, they were ready to go home.
Each of the local families adopting the animals were interviewed prior to picking up their retrievers.
Golden Rescue said they have to make sure that the owner and home are the right fit for the rescued pup and that the accommodations are suitable for the dogs.
All 20 of the golden retrievers have been given new homes across the country - truly a new leash on life.
If you are interested in rescuing a golden retriever rescued from China, you can reach out to Minerva at her email address: Kristinegoldenrescue@outlook.com phone: (561) 662-4736 and donate at their website.
Families took time later to post pictures of their dogs safe and sound in their new homes
These two brothers look particularly happy with their new family member
One dog gets to stretch out having spent the past 50 hours in a crate from China
The families were each vetted to ensure they were the 'right fit' to take care of the animals
This dog looks to have found the right spot in the middle of the floor
Now the dogs are at home, some appear to have found some very comfy spaces
A new owner looks happy with his double dosing of dogs. The duo seem to look happy too!
Another new owner kicks back with their new pooch, safe at last in a pair of loving arms
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