Lakeway woman rescues dogs from torture, slaughter

A Lakeway mother decided to take action after learning about the horrific circumstances thousands of dogs face in Asia's "dog meat trade." You can't tell by their faces, but these dogs have been through a lot. They were just spared from enduring days of torture and slaughter in Vietnam.

"They believe extreme suffering and increasing the adrenaline levels in the dogs will make the meat more tender and will give health benefits to the person who eats it," said Amy Stanton, who rescued the dogs.

The Lakeway mom partnered with the Thailand based organization Soi Dog to rescue four dogs, including Lucille and Ella off a slaughter truck. "I saw this video of raw footage of what was going on in slaughterhouses and it affected me on such a visceral level," Stanton said.

In certain countries like Vietnam, it is legal to consume dog meat.

Although she disagrees with dog meat consumption, the bigger issue is the inhumane treatment. "Skin the dogs alive, they can crucify them to a wall and beat them. Sometimes the torture lasts for up to two days," said Stanton.

The dogs often know their fate before it happens.

"They're watching what's going on to the other animals, nothing's hidden, and that's part of the torture."

Stanton is director at Addicus' Legacy, an organization that works with Soi Dog. They also save many dogs here in Texas. It was through her work at Addicus' Legacy that led her to Soi Dog.

"The violence is beyond anything most people in America can imagine," Stanton said.

Three of the dogs are now up for adoption. Lucille is especially ready for a loving family. "When she first came home I had to separate her from the rest of the family and introduce them one at a time," said Denise Guzman, foster parent.

Despite a chapter of their lives being so traumatic, these dogs continue to show great signs of healing. Stanton is glad she could just be a voice for the voiceless. "People ask 'why are you doing this for a dog across the world'? I just believe in compassion and all living being deserve respect," said Stanton.

Stanton hopes to continue this effort and rescue more and more dogs. The dog meat trade is alive and well in many countries aside from Vietnam like Indonesia, China, Korea, and Malaysia to name a few.

If you are interested in adopting one of the rescued dogs, click here.