All dogs should be celebrated. End of. These furry balls of joy truly deserve their title of 'man's (and woman's) best friend' - they're loyal, intelligent, affectionate and endlessly entertaining.
However, sadly in some places of the world dog meat is still considered a delicacy, an issue that was highlighted this week thanks to Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy.
Gus, who is currently competing in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, proved to be a strong contender for 'hero of the year' after he and Humane Society International managed to convince a South Korean dog rancher to shut down his farm.
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In a lengthy Instagram post, Gus highlighted the inhumane treatment of dogs in the region, stating that while "It's not my place to impose western ideals on the people here... the way these animals are being treated, however, is completely inhumane and culture should never be a scapegoat for cruelty."
In partnership with the Humane Society International, the Olympian managed to save the lives of over 90 canines.
It just warms the cockles of your heart, right? Well just wait, because this story gets even better. The Evening Standard reports that only did Gus help to save these puppies from the slaughterhouse, but he's also planning on shipping them back to find homes in the US and Canada and he's adopted a girl pup named Beemo.
"I cannot wait to give her the best life," said Gus. We're sure he's going to give her the best home possible.
This isn't the first time Gus has saved the day either. Back in 2014, while competing at the Sochi games in Russia, he drew global attention for saving five stray dogs that were roaming the streets.
His boyfriend at the time, Robin Macdonald, stayed in Russia for an extra month to take them home. It's no surprise that the skier has been hailed Inspirational Honoree by The Humane Society of the United States.
While this story has a happy ending, Gus points out that there are still millions of dogs out there that are suffering from mistreatment.
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While South Korea adopted its first Animal Protection Law in May 1991, it never prohibited the killing of dogs for meat, meaning there are no regulations when it comes to how dogs are slaughtered.
Thankfully, the practice does seem to be dying out in the country, as outlined by a 2017 study that showed the number of dog meat farms dropped from 17,000 to 2,800 in just two years.
Hopefully within the next few years this number drops to 0.
Featured Image Credit: InstagramTopics: korea, SPORT, olympics