Nearly 60 dogs are recovering at the San Francisco SPCA after a long flight from South Korea. The dogs were rescued from a meat farm outside of Seoul, where dog meat is considered a delicacy.
SPCA staff welcomed the dogs to America on Thursday.
"There is a belief that dog meat is beneficial for your health, particular during hot months," said Adam Parascandola of the International Humane Society.
The SPCA said dogs at the meat farm were being raised for slaughter. A video provided by the SPCA shows the animals were kept in cages at markets, where their meat is sold for a couple hundred dollars.
An estimated two million dogs are killed in South Korea each year for food, according to the Humane Society. The dogs rescued by the SPCA were from a dog meat farmer who was trying to get out of the business.
"No doubt one of the most horrendous situations I've seen," Parascandola said.
About half of the dogs rescued are puppies.
