Award-winning photographer Sophie Gamand is widely celebrated for the astonishing photos she made in her Pit Bull Flower Power series, which changed how the world views pit bulls.
The Humane Society International (HSI) recently contacted Gamand to see if she’d be willing to help capture and showcase the transformations of dogs rescued from South Korean dog meat.
The HSI wanted to launch a campaign to end the dog meat trade in the country. Gamand gladly accepted and created a photo series titled Survivors of the Dog Meat Trade.
“Through this series I want people to see these dogs for the strong and beautiful beings that they are.” she said.
Although HSI has rescued over 2,500 dogs from South Korean dog meat farms, they featured only a handful in the photo series. Some families in the United States have adopted the featured dogs.
According to HSI’s president, Jeffrey Flocken, their ultimate goal is to “get a ban passed that will end this industry forever so that no more dogs have to suffer.”
The HSI team has been working with South Korean farmers since 2015 to close their dog meat farms, saving thousands of dogs.
The portraits of the rescued dogs are currently on display at the Hamilton-Selway Fine Art gallery in West Hollywood for a limited time.
Image Credit: Humane Society International (HSI)