Update from Taste and See South Florida on 3/28/19 at 10:30
Lauree Simmons, President and Founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, took a literal four-day trip around the world to rescue 37 dogs.
In January a group of Monks in China pleaded with Big Dog Ranch Rescue to save dogs that were being abused then were to be eaten as a delicatessen in China. After working out approvals with USDA, coordinating international flights, and working on permitting the canines arrived in Loxahatchee via bus this afternoon at 3:15 p.m.
It cost about $1500 a dog for the rescue and the money was specifically raised at an event for Big Dog Ranch.
"I want to spread the word, I want to get other people involved, I wanna' help save the lives that I've seen, that I know about, and I want this China meat trade to stop," says Lauree Simmons, President and Founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue.
Facebook Live from when the dogs arrived
You can help, by adopting a dog at Big Dog, that will help make room for these rescues. There are pure-breed Golden Retrievers, Samoyeds, and more. They will be up for adoption after they get out of quarantine in two weeks.
Previous Coverage
A dog rescue group from Palm Beach County traveled to China this week to rescue more than 30 dogs from the dog-meat trade.
According to a written statement from Big Dog Ranch Rescue, they received an urgent plea from monks about multiple animals that needed help.
The organization said they dispatched a team and departed for Asia over the weekend and returned to the ranch with 37 dogs on Thursday.
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Big Dog Ranch Rescue says their founder and president, Lauree Simmons, transported 29 dogs on a single flight from Shanghai.
“A fellow rescuer in China alerted us to the situation where a breeder suddenly had to close and sell all his purebred dogs to the “meat trucks” for under a $1 per pound. A group of monks wanted to save these dogs but found that they could not afford to support them … that is where we stepped in,” said Simmons.
Eight more dogs were transported on a separate flight from Beijing.
The group said they navigated import permits and USDA approvals in order to save the dogs’ lives and bring them to South Florida.
Donations raised at a March 9 fundraising event were used to support the overseas rescue.
The rescue group said among the dog rescued included: Golden Retrievers, poodles, Samoyeds, a Schnauzer and other breeds.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue, based in Loxahathcee Groves, prides itself as “the largest cage-free, no-kill dog rescue in the United States.”