ANIMALS
‘Horrifying’ Dog Meat Trade Overseas Motivated Beauty Blogger To Start Animal Rescue
Beauty blogger and business owner Amanda Jo has saved 600 dogs’ lives through the rescue business she started with her husband – and that’s just the beginning.
Jo, who runs online beauty business Organic Bunny, said it took just one video of animal cruelty circulating online that inspired her to act fast.
“My husband [Kyle] and I were scrolling Instagram one night and came across a video of a golden retriever being boiled alive. I have seen a lot of animal cruelty videos online but this one hit a bit differently, considering I had two of my own goldens lying next to me at home,” Jo said in an interview with Amazing Animals+.
“I knew I had to do something so from that moment on, I committed to helping dogs from the horrifying dog meat trade.”
Beauty blogger Amanda Jo founded Bunny’s Buddies, a nonprofit organization, with her husband – CREDIT: Amanda Jo
After shining a light on animal cruelty within her beauty community online, the donations started pouring in. Shortly after, Bunny’s Buddies was founded.
“My [Organic Bunny] community was super supportive so I thought how cute to name it something similar? I also would love to help all animals someday so I went with buddies instead of something like dogs only,” she said of the rescue organization’s name.
According to Jo, Bunny’s Buddies operates “totally different” than most rescue organizations. While a majority of dog rescues allow pet owners to choose the pups they want to adopt, Jo says Bunny’s Buddies does the opposite.
“Most people see a cute golden and just want to take them home, but those homes oftentimes do not fully understand the magnitude of what they have been through. We made a promise to these dogs that their failure ends with us and that means we must protect them at all costs!”
In order to ensure the dogs rescued through her nonprofit organization end up in safe and loving households, Bunny’s Buddies uses cross-referencing techniques to match canines with future owners.
Jo says Bunny’s Buddies identifies a variety of factors before placing dogs in homes throughout the United States and Canada. The organization researches a family’s home size, lifestyle, other residents within the home as well as existing pets to ensure dogs “are placed with the best match.”
Most of the dogs rescued from Bunny’s Buddies come from slaughterhouses or kill shelters in Korea or on the streets of Asia, Jo says.
“We have teams all over Asia ready to help dogs in need and our system is rock solid after years of fine tuning,” the founder said.
Each dog gets in-depth medical testing and are only cleared to fly after they are approved by veterinarians on the ground.
The Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China’s Guangxi province has been widely criticized for years. The 10-day festival occurs every year in June and it’s been estimated that up to 15,000 dogs are tortured and then eaten.
Back in 2014, dog lovers protested the Yulin festival outside the Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom – CREDIT: RAAA/ZDS/WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Jo, who called the festival “horrific,” says that’s not the only torture dogs around the world are subjected to.
“Most people think that Yulin is the problem these dogs face but that is sadly not true. Their abuse and torture happens every single day. Yulin is just one tiny part of it,” she said.
“In many countries, even beyond Asia, eating dogs is common and they do not discriminate with the breeds they consume. People often call us a scam, finding it impossible to believe that someone would eat a golden retriever or a poodle, but sadly, they do. They also believe that the more the dog suffers, the more tender and healthy the meat becomes. This is actually a horrible myth because most of these dogs are loaded with viruses and diseases, and then people consume them. The entire thing is traumatizing to even think about.”
In addition to placing tortured and abused dogs in supportive environments and homes, Jo sells organic and nontoxic pet items through her Organic Bunny business.
“We do a ton of educational content around healing these dogs from the inside out, which means feeding them the best diets, giving them the safest toys, and really being mindful of everything else in their environments.”
Organic Bunny also offers holistic pet consults with full-time veterinarians.
Jo also runs a beauty business called Organic Bunny – CREDIT: Amanda Jo
The nonprofit founder also shared some tips for those adopting rescues for the first time.
“You should never bring a dog home from a traumatic past if you are not prepared to put in the work with them. These dogs need support, love, leadership, training, healing, guidance and time to settle in without any expectations or deadlines,” Jo says.
“Make sure you adopt from a reputable group that really knows their stuff and does rescue right. At Bunny’s Buddies, we hold your hand through the entire process, from finding the best trainers and treats to how to heal their guts and home cook a healthy diet. We are here to support our adopters from start to finish,” Jo added.
For more information, check out Bunny’s Buddies
Beauty blogger Amanda Jo founded Bunny’s Buddies, a nonprofit organization, with her husband – CREDIT: Amanda Jo
After shining a light on animal cruelty within her beauty community online, the donations started pouring in. Shortly after, Bunny’s Buddies was founded.
“My [Organic Bunny] community was super supportive so I thought how cute to name it something similar? I also would love to help all animals someday so I went with buddies instead of something like dogs only,” she said of the rescue organization’s name.
According to Jo, Bunny’s Buddies operates “totally different” than most rescue organizations. While a majority of dog rescues allow pet owners to choose the pups they want to adopt, Jo says Bunny’s Buddies does the opposite.
“Most people see a cute golden and just want to take them home, but those homes oftentimes do not fully understand the magnitude of what they have been through. We made a promise to these dogs that their failure ends with us and that means we must protect them at all costs!”
In order to ensure the dogs rescued through her nonprofit organization end up in safe and loving households, Bunny’s Buddies uses cross-referencing techniques to match canines with future owners.
Jo says Bunny’s Buddies identifies a variety of factors before placing dogs in homes throughout the United States and Canada. The organization researches a family’s home size, lifestyle, other residents within the home as well as existing pets to ensure dogs “are placed with the best match.”
Most of the dogs rescued from Bunny’s Buddies come from slaughterhouses or kill shelters in Korea or on the streets of Asia, Jo says.
“We have teams all over Asia ready to help dogs in need and our system is rock solid after years of fine tuning,” the founder said.
Each dog gets in-depth medical testing and are only cleared to fly after they are approved by veterinarians on the ground.
The Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China’s Guangxi province has been widely criticized for years. The 10-day festival occurs every year in June and it’s been estimated that up to 15,000 dogs are tortured and then eaten.
Back in 2014, dog lovers protested the Yulin festival outside the Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom – CREDIT: RAAA/ZDS/WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Jo, who called the festival “horrific,” says that’s not the only torture dogs around the world are subjected to.
“Most people think that Yulin is the problem these dogs face but that is sadly not true. Their abuse and torture happens every single day. Yulin is just one tiny part of it,” she said.
“In many countries, even beyond Asia, eating dogs is common and they do not discriminate with the breeds they consume. People often call us a scam, finding it impossible to believe that someone would eat a golden retriever or a poodle, but sadly, they do. They also believe that the more the dog suffers, the more tender and healthy the meat becomes. This is actually a horrible myth because most of these dogs are loaded with viruses and diseases, and then people consume them. The entire thing is traumatizing to even think about.”
In addition to placing tortured and abused dogs in supportive environments and homes, Jo sells organic and nontoxic pet items through her Organic Bunny business.
“We do a ton of educational content around healing these dogs from the inside out, which means feeding them the best diets, giving them the safest toys, and really being mindful of everything else in their environments.”
Organic Bunny also offers holistic pet consults with full-time veterinarians.
Jo also runs a beauty business called Organic Bunny – CREDIT: Amanda Jo
The nonprofit founder also shared some tips for those adopting rescues for the first time.
“You should never bring a dog home from a traumatic past if you are not prepared to put in the work with them. These dogs need support, love, leadership, training, healing, guidance and time to settle in without any expectations or deadlines,” Jo says.
“Make sure you adopt from a reputable group that really knows their stuff and does rescue right. At Bunny’s Buddies, we hold your hand through the entire process, from finding the best trainers and treats to how to heal their guts and home cook a healthy diet. We are here to support our adopters from start to finish,” Jo added.
For more information, check out Bunny’s Buddies
