10 dogs on a Flight to Freedom from Taiwan!

On Tuesday, February 15^th, just one day after Valentine’s Day, a local company is reaching out and giving 10 severely abused and neglected dogs a Valentine’s Day gift to remember. These 10 dogs currently reside in an overcrowded Taiwan shelter where many of them stand no chance of ever being adopted.

In Taiwan, there are over 2 million stray dogs and there are no laws preventing animal cruelty. There are no humane societies in Taiwan and the pounds that have been established are overrun. In Taiwan, they do not practice euthanasia as a means of population control and instead turn to other, more horrific methods such as electrocution, burning and drowning. According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Taiwan is the worst place in the world for animals.

TUAPA (Taichung Universal Animal Protection Association) is a non profit shelter that is currently home to over 1,000 dogs and cats. They have limited resources and rely solely on donations to save the staggering number of homeless animals in the Taiwan area.

Johanna Quinn, a TUAPA volunteer reached out to the community abroad for help. Since adoption rates in Taiwan are incredibly low, the only chance these dogs had to make it out of the shelter alive was to go abroad. The Collared Scholar, a San Diego based dog training company, in partnership with their new Animal Rescue Outreach Center, decided to step up and lend a hand.

On February 15^th, 10 dogs will be given a “Flight to Freedom”. These dogs are doing poorly at the shelter and otherwise would never have a chance at a good life. They will be flown from Taiwan to LAX where they will be met by volunteers working with The Collared Scholar’s Animal Rescue Outreach Center. Those volunteers will transport them from Los Angeles to San Diego where they will be placed in loving foster homes until they are adopted.

One of the dogs who made the flight has a particularly heart wrenching story. Pineapple, a 2-3 year old mixed breed male was taken into TUAPA after a Taiwan resident saw him weak and wounded on the road. Upon his arrival at the vet, it became apparent that, in an attempt to scare the dog off, someone had poured boiling oil all over his back.

“At first we thought the wounds on Pineapple’s back were caused by dog-fighting” says TUAPA volunteer Johanna Quinn, “but when we sent him to the hospital for emergency treatments, the doctor told us he was very likely abused by someone who poured hot oil on his back.”

Pineapple suffered severe burns all over his back and legs. TUAPA took him in and gave him the care he needed to make a full recovery. Unfortunately, the fact that he was missing most of his fur made him extremely vulnerable. At TUAPA, hundreds of dogs share a single space. It’s common for fights to break out. Given Pineapple’s wounds, he was often the target of aggression in the yard. It was critical he make it out of the shelter in order for him to survive.

Pineapple, along with 9 other dogs will make the “Flight to Freedom” Tuesday, February 15^th. The Animal Rescue Outreach Center is currently seeking donations to help support these dogs in their foster homes. Donations of food, toys or financial donations will help these dogs tremendously. The group is also feverishly searching for more foster homes in order to save more dogs.

For more information on helping these Taiwan refugees who are coming to San Diego for a better shot at life, contact Meagan Karnes at The Animal Rescue Outreach center at 619-916-8710.