He's an Olympian, a Coloradan, and -- a dog lover. Freestyle skier Gun Kenworthy is returning from the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang with a rescued dog.
For the second consecutive Olympics, Telluride skier Gus Kenworthy has made dog rescue a part of his Olympic journey. The freestyle skier and his boyfriend are bringing home a puppy -- named Beemo -- that he rescued from a South Korean dog meat farm. “This morning Matt and I had a heart-wrenching visit to one of the 17,000 dog farms here in South Korea. Across the country there are 2.5 million dogs being raised for food in some of the most disturbing conditions imaginable,” Kenworthy shared on Instagram.
After the Sochi Games in 2014, Kenworthy played a key part in rescuing a stray dog and her litter of puppies and bringing them home to the U.S. He still cares for the mother, named Mamuchka.
“Yes, there is an argument to be made that eating dogs is a part of Korean culture," Kenworthy posted regarding the most recent adoption. "And, while don’t personally agree with it, I do agree that 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."
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In addition to the one puppy he's bringing home, Kenworthy is working with the Humane Society International to shut down the dog farm he visited and re-home its 90 dogs within the United States and Canada.
Kenworthy placed 7th -- out of medal contention -- in the men's slopestyle event in PyeongChang. However, four years ago, in Sochi, he won a silver medal in freestyle skiing.
What do you think about Kenworthy's pet platform? What do you think about the way dogs are treated in other countries? We'd love for you to leave us a comment below!
