Adami is a one-year-old Golden Retriever living with a foster family in Ladera Ranch, Calif. He is being treated for a severe case of heartworm. Adami’s treatment requires that he be contained. That’s not easy for a playful one-year old. But it sure beats what was in store for him in his native Korea.

Adami was purchased from a dog meat market while still in one piece by a South Korean animal rights activist  She contacted Barbara Gale of Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue (SCGRR) and before long Adami was on his way to Los Angeles rather than the dinner table.

Adami at the butcher shop from which he was rescued.

The Tess McIntyre Foundation recently made a $2,000 donation to SCGRR to help defray the cost of Adami’s heartworm treatment and hospital stay. The Foundation is seeking additional donations to provide further assistance as Adami proceeds along the path to recovery and adoption.

Upon his arrival in the U.S. on April 18, Adami was neutered and treated at the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in Los Angeles. He remained there until early May when he was released to his current foster home. His initial 60-day treatment involves two injections of Immiticide. The veterinary staff at AMC will determine if a third injection is necessary.

Adami at SCGRR shelter

SCGRR has been working to rescue dogs not only from Korea, but from China and Taiwan as well. While the production and consumption of dog meat is illegal in South Korea, there are some traditional Korean dishes that are made with dog meat and the law often goes unenforced. According to the Korea Animal Rights Activists (KARA), some 2.5 million dogs are slaughtered each year in that country.

The Tess McIntyre Foundation was founded last year. It is named after Tess, a three-year-old Golden Retriever who was adopted from SCGRR. Tess was killed in an accident not long after moving into her new home. Her owners have dedicated their efforts in her memory to helping other rescued dogs. One of the primary goals of the Foundation is to support dogs who need medical care before they can be put up for adoption.

(The author, Ken Dowell, is a trustee of the Tess McIntyre Foundation  You can follow the foundation on Twitter@TessMcIn.)

This story was originally published on the Tess McIntyre Foundation web site.