Gus Kenworthy Reunites with Puppy He Rescued from Dog Meat Farm During the Winter Olympics

Absence makes the heart grow fonder — and the pups grow fluffier.

After being separated for several weeks, Team USA Olympics skier Gus Kenworthy reunited with the puppy he rescued through Humane Society International from a dog meat farm in South Korea during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Kenworthy, who also rescued two pups during the Sochi Olympics, and his boyfriend Matt Wilkas joined HSI on one of the non-profit’s dog meat farm closure operations and fell in love with one of the 80-plus dogs at the shut down farm.

Dario Ayala/The Humane Society/AP

After meeting the jindo/husky mix, who they named Beemo, the couple had to say goodbye to their new pet so Beemo and the other canines could go through the quarantine process and be flown to HSI’s temporary shelter in Montreal, Canada.

Dario Ayala/The Humane Society/AP

It was at this shelter that Kenworthy and Wilkas reunited with Beemo, who is a little bit bigger and furrier than the last time the athletes held her in their arms. Beemo’s Canadian quarters are a huge step up from her last home. HSI reports that the puppy and the other dogs they rescued, a mix of mastiffs, golden retrievers, labradors and more, were being kept in “subzero temperatures” at the farm and were in desperate need of care.

Dario Ayala/The Humane Society/AP

“It’s so great to see her far away from that horrible cage. But there are millions of dogs still suffering back in South Korea, and if I can help raise awareness about how HSI’s dog farm closure team is working hard to end the entire trade, then I’m happy to do so for Beemo and all these wonderful dogs,” Kenworthy said in a statement about South Korea’s dog meat trade, which affects 2.5 million dogs a year.

Beemo is sure to have a safe, snuggly life ahead of her. Life for the former dog meat farmer will change as well. As part of HSI’s closure operation, the farmer has been set up with a more humane livelihood.

Dario Ayala/The Humane Society/AP

As for the other dogs saved from Beemo’s farm (and inclusive of over 1,300 dogs that HSI has rescued from closed dog meat farms), many of the now-healthy pups are available for adoption to potential owners living in Canada. If you are interested in providing a forever home to one of Beemo’s buddies, visit HSI Canada.

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