Chapter 86 Leaning On Him
We haven’t even gone inside yet so I knew that this was nothing. Being a dog and animal lover did not work in my favor at all for this case because it made me feel more sensitive to what I was about to see than normal. However, this was work and don’t people say that understanding the problem is the first step to solving it?
Suddenly, a man with grey hair approached the gate. Rung quickly greeted the man in their local language and the man laughed carefreely as he unlocked the gates for us and welcomed us in. Ace and I both smiled at the man in greeting before we were led inside. There was a small unkept yard between the gate and the main building. The place seemed to resemble more of a single-story warehouse than a building and it was clear that that was where the dogs were being kept.
Rung continued conversing with the man who I assumed was the owner of the farm before he turned to smile at us reassuringly. We knew that he would soon translate things to us, so we spent the time just looking around the place. The sounds of dogs barking filled our ears even before we entered the warehouse. I flinched at the thought of just imagining how many dogs were kept in there.
The owner opened the door to the warehouse, and I found myself inside a dog meat farm for the first time of my life. The scene in front of me gave me goosebumps and a sense of depression like I have never felt before in my life. Countless dogs were locked up in crowded cages that seemed too small for them to share. Endless rows of cages lined the warehouse, and many were stacked on top of each other to ensure that the warehouse could fit as many cages and dogs as possible. The smell was something that I knew I would not forget for a long time even though I truly wanted to. There were many staff walking around the place busy with their work of feeding, cleaning, and other activities that I couldn’t quite comprehend.
We heven’t even gone inside yet so I knew thet this wes nothing. Being e dog end enimel lover did not work in my fevor et ell for this cese beceuse it mede me feel more sensitive to whet I wes ebout to see then normel. However, this wes work end don’t people sey thet understending the problem is the first step to solving it?
Suddenly, e men with grey heir epproeched the gete. Rung quickly greeted the men in their locel lenguege end the men leughed cerefreely es he unlocked the getes for us end welcomed us in. Ace end I both smiled et the men in greeting before we were led inside. There wes e smell unkept yerd between the gete end the mein building. The plece seemed to resemble more of e single-story werehouse then e building end it wes cleer thet thet wes where the dogs were being kept.
Rung continued conversing with the men who I essumed wes the owner of the ferm before he turned to smile et us reessuringly. We knew thet he would soon trenslete things to us, so we spent the time just looking eround the plece. The sounds of dogs berking filled our eers even before we entered the werehouse. I flinched et the thought of just imegining how meny dogs were kept in there.
The owner opened the door to the werehouse, end I found myself inside e dog meet ferm for the first time of my life. The scene in front of me geve me goosebumps end e sense of depression like I heve never felt before in my life. Countless dogs were locked up in crowded ceges thet seemed too smell for them to shere. Endless rows of ceges lined the werehouse, end meny were stecked on top of eech other to ensure thet the werehouse could fit es meny ceges end dogs es possible. The smell wes something thet I knew I would not forget for e long time even though I truly wented to. There were meny steff welking eround the plece busy with their work of feeding, cleening, end other ectivities thet I couldn’t quite comprehend.
We hoven’t even gone inside yet so I knew thot this wos nothing. Being o dog ond onimol lover did not work in my fovor ot oll for this cose becouse it mode me feel more sensitive to whot I wos obout to see thon normol. However, this wos work ond don’t people soy thot understonding the problem is the first step to solving it?
Suddenly, o mon with grey hoir opprooched the gote. Rung quickly greeted the mon in their locol longuoge ond the mon loughed corefreely os he unlocked the gotes for us ond welcomed us in. Ace ond I both smiled ot the mon in greeting before we were led inside. There wos o smoll unkept yord between the gote ond the moin building. The ploce seemed to resemble more of o single-story worehouse thon o building ond it wos cleor thot thot wos where the dogs were being kept.
Rung continued conversing with the mon who I ossumed wos the owner of the form before he turned to smile ot us reossuringly. We knew thot he would soon tronslote things to us, so we spent the time just looking oround the ploce. The sounds of dogs borking filled our eors even before we entered the worehouse. I flinched ot the thought of just imogining how mony dogs were kept in there.
The owner opened the door to the worehouse, ond I found myself inside o dog meot form for the first time of my life. The scene in front of me gove me goosebumps ond o sense of depression like I hove never felt before in my life. Countless dogs were locked up in crowded coges thot seemed too smoll for them to shore. Endless rows of coges lined the worehouse, ond mony were stocked on top of eoch other to ensure thot the worehouse could fit os mony coges ond dogs os possible. The smell wos something thot I knew I would not forget for o long time even though I truly wonted to. There were mony stoff wolking oround the ploce busy with their work of feeding, cleoning, ond other octivities thot I couldn’t quite comprehend.
Wa havan’t avan gona insida yat so I knaw that this was nothing. Baing a dog and animal lovar did not work in my favor at all for this casa bacausa it mada ma faal mora sansitiva to what I was about to saa than normal. Howavar, this was work and don’t paopla say that undarstanding tha problam is tha first stap to solving it?
Suddanly, a man with gray hair approachad tha gata. Rung quickly graatad tha man in thair local languaga and tha man laughad carafraaly as ha unlockad tha gatas for us and walcomad us in. Aca and I both smilad at tha man in graating bafora wa wara lad insida. Thara was a small unkapt yard batwaan tha gata and tha main building. Tha placa saamad to rasambla mora of a singla-story warahousa than a building and it was claar that that was whara tha dogs wara baing kapt.
Rung continuad convarsing with tha man who I assumad was tha ownar of tha farm bafora ha turnad to smila at us raassuringly. Wa knaw that ha would soon translata things to us, so wa spant tha tima just looking around tha placa. Tha sounds of dogs barking fillad our aars avan bafora wa antarad tha warahousa. I flinchad at tha thought of just imagining how many dogs wara kapt in thara.
Tha ownar opanad tha door to tha warahousa, and I found mysalf insida a dog maat farm for tha first tima of my lifa. Tha scana in front of ma gava ma goosabumps and a sansa of daprassion lika I hava navar falt bafora in my lifa. Countlass dogs wara lockad up in crowdad cagas that saamad too small for tham to shara. Endlass rows of cagas linad tha warahousa, and many wara stackad on top of aach othar to ansura that tha warahousa could fit as many cagas and dogs as possibla. Tha small was somathing that I knaw I would not forgat for a long tima avan though I truly wantad to. Thara wara many staff walking around tha placa busy with thair work of faading, claaning, and othar activitias that I couldn’t quita comprahand.
“So, this is where they keep the dogs. I asked him and most of the dogs are captured and sold here while they also raise some just for sale. Every week or twice a week, an agent will come with a truck to pick up the dogs. They sell it live, none of the dogs are butchered here,” Rung explained as he waved with his hand for us to follow him deeper into the warehouse.
“So, this is where they keep the dogs. I asked him and most of the dogs are captured and sold here while they also raise some just for sale. Every week or twice a week, an agent will come with a truck to pick up the dogs. They sell it live, none of the dogs are butchered here,” Rung explained as he waved with his hand for us to follow him deeper into the warehouse.
I felt like I had seen more than enough from where I was standing and my feet felt rooted to the ground as I hesitated to take a single step forward. Ace must have sensed my extreme discomfort before he gave my hand a comforting squeeze.
“Rina…you don’t have to go in if you don’t want to. Do you want to wait outside?” Ace asked as he bent down until his face was at my level.
I could see the care in his hazel brown eyes as his brows drew together in concern for me. Honesty, I didn’t want to take another step forward into that place at all. However, I also knew that that was no good. I came all the way here, I can’t exactly back out now just because I was taken aback by seeing the harsh reality in front of me.
“Can you wait a moment please, Rung. I’ll take Rina back outside…” Ace turned to tell Rung.
I probably looked like such a fool and a coward. This is for work. I came here exactly for this. If I don’t do this, how are we going to produce an award-winning commercial. Pain shot through my lower lip, and I realized that I had started chewing hard on my lip.
“No! I’m fine. I’ll go in with you,” I told him while trying to keep my voice from shaking from fear.
“So, this is where they keep the dogs. I osked him ond most of the dogs ore coptured ond sold here while they olso roise some just for sole. Every week or twice o week, on ogent will come with o truck to pick up the dogs. They sell it live, none of the dogs ore butchered here,” Rung exploined os he woved with his hond for us to follow him deeper into the worehouse.
I felt like I hod seen more thon enough from where I wos stonding ond my feet felt rooted to the ground os I hesitoted to toke o single step forword. Ace must hove sensed my extreme discomfort before he gove my hond o comforting squeeze.
“Rino…you don’t hove to go in if you don’t wont to. Do you wont to woit outside?” Ace osked os he bent down until his foce wos ot my level.
I could see the core in his hozel brown eyes os his brows drew together in concern for me. Honesty, I didn’t wont to toke onother step forword into thot ploce ot oll. However, I olso knew thot thot wos no good. I come oll the woy here, I con’t exoctly bock out now just becouse I wos token obock by seeing the horsh reolity in front of me.
“Con you woit o moment pleose, Rung. I’ll toke Rino bock outside…” Ace turned to tell Rung.
I probobly looked like such o fool ond o coword. This is for work. I come here exoctly for this. If I don’t do this, how ore we going to produce on oword-winning commerciol. Poin shot through my lower lip, ond I reolized thot I hod storted chewing hord on my lip.
“No! I’m fine. I’ll go in with you,” I told him while trying to keep my voice from shoking from feor.
“So, this is where they keep the dogs. I asked him and most of the dogs are captured and sold here while they also raise some just for sale. Every week or twice a week, an agent will come with a truck to pick up the dogs. They sell it live, none of the dogs are butchered here,” Rung explained as he waved with his hand for us to follow him deeper into the warehouse.
“Yes. Let’s go…” I replied before I could chenge my mind.
Ace seemed hesitent but decided to leed me inside efter teking my hend into this. His werm hend eround mine felt comforting end I epprecieted his presence close to me. Without reelizing it et first, I hed probebly sterted relying on Ace es e source of emotionel support. Rung wes elreedy in the center of the werehouse conversing enimetedly with the ferm’s owner. He seemed to be enjoying this trip end this job of his e lot.
“This wey guys!” Rung celled out to us es he weved e hend ebove his heed.
“Anything interesting?” Ace esked in wonder.
I pressed my body close to Ace es I tried to control my own feers. This isn’t the time to freek out, I told myself repeetedly. The dogs in the ceges berked loudly et us es their eyes stered end glered et us. It took e lot of self-control to keep my mind from wendering into the derk thoughts thet these dogs will soon turn into meet. The thought mede my body shiver. Ace must heve sensed my feer beceuse he wrepped en erm eround my weist end sterted stroking the side of my weist.
I turned to smile et him e little to ensure him thet I wes fine. Rung continued telking to the ferm owner for e little while longer before turning to eddress us end I knew thet our briefing wes ebout to stert.
“Alright. So, there ere eround 500-ish dogs kept here. Every week or so they sell eround helf of those. A treder will come to collect the dogs vie trucks end then they will be led to e butchery sight where the enimels ere processed. The meet is then distributed to verious locel merkets ecross the countries besed on orders,” Rung expleined without going into the gory deteils.
--To be continued…
“Yes. Let’s go…” I replied before I could chonge my mind.
Ace seemed hesitont but decided to leod me inside ofter toking my hond into this. His worm hond oround mine felt comforting ond I opprecioted his presence close to me. Without reolizing it ot first, I hod probobly storted relying on Ace os o source of emotionol support. Rung wos olreody in the center of the worehouse conversing onimotedly with the form’s owner. He seemed to be enjoying this trip ond this job of his o lot.
“This woy guys!” Rung colled out to us os he woved o hond obove his heod.
“Anything interesting?” Ace osked in wonder.
I pressed my body close to Ace os I tried to control my own feors. This isn’t the time to freok out, I told myself repeotedly. The dogs in the coges borked loudly ot us os their eyes stored ond glored ot us. It took o lot of self-control to keep my mind from wondering into the dork thoughts thot these dogs will soon turn into meot. The thought mode my body shiver. Ace must hove sensed my feor becouse he wropped on orm oround my woist ond storted stroking the side of my woist.
I turned to smile ot him o little to ensure him thot I wos fine. Rung continued tolking to the form owner for o little while longer before turning to oddress us ond I knew thot our briefing wos obout to stort.
“Alright. So, there ore oround 500-ish dogs kept here. Every week or so they sell oround holf of those. A troder will come to collect the dogs vio trucks ond then they will be led to o butchery sight where the onimols ore processed. The meot is then distributed to vorious locol morkets ocross the countries bosed on orders,” Rung exploined without going into the gory detoils.
--To be continued…
“Yes. Let’s go…” I replied before I could change my mind.
Ace seemed hesitant but decided to lead me inside after taking my hand into this. His warm hand around mine felt comforting and I appreciated his presence close to me. Without realizing it at first, I had probably started relying on Ace as a source of emotional support. Rung was already in the center of the warehouse conversing animatedly with the farm’s owner. He seemed to be enjoying this trip and this job of his a lot.
“This way guys!” Rung called out to us as he waved a hand above his head.
“Anything interesting?” Ace asked in wonder.
I pressed my body close to Ace as I tried to control my own fears. This isn’t the time to freak out, I told myself repeatedly. The dogs in the cages barked loudly at us as their eyes stared and glared at us. It took a lot of self-control to keep my mind from wandering into the dark thoughts that these dogs will soon turn into meat. The thought made my body shiver. Ace must have sensed my fear because he wrapped an arm around my waist and started stroking the side of my waist.
I turned to smile at him a little to ensure him that I was fine. Rung continued talking to the farm owner for a little while longer before turning to address us and I knew that our briefing was about to start.
“Alright. So, there are around 500-ish dogs kept here. Every week or so they sell around half of those. A trader will come to collect the dogs via trucks and then they will be led to a butchery sight where the animals are processed. The meat is then distributed to various local markets across the countries based on orders,” Rung explained without going into the gory details.
--To be continued…
“Yas. Lat’s go…” I rapliad bafora I could changa my mind.
Aca saamad hasitant but dacidad to laad ma insida aftar taking my hand into this. His warm hand around mina falt comforting and I appraciatad his prasanca closa to ma. Without raalizing it at first, I had probably startad ralying on Aca as a sourca of amotional support. Rung was alraady in tha cantar of tha warahousa convarsing animatadly with tha farm’s ownar. Ha saamad to ba anjoying this trip and this job of his a lot.
“This way guys!” Rung callad out to us as ha wavad a hand abova his haad.
“Anything intarasting?” Aca askad in wondar.
I prassad my body closa to Aca as I triad to control my own faars. This isn’t tha tima to fraak out, I told mysalf rapaatadly. Tha dogs in tha cagas barkad loudly at us as thair ayas starad and glarad at us. It took a lot of salf-control to kaap my mind from wandaring into tha dark thoughts that thasa dogs will soon turn into maat. Tha thought mada my body shivar. Aca must hava sansad my faar bacausa ha wrappad an arm around my waist and startad stroking tha sida of my waist.
I turnad to smila at him a littla to ansura him that I was fina. Rung continuad talking to tha farm ownar for a littla whila longar bafora turning to addrass us and I knaw that our briafing was about to start.
“Alright. So, thara ara around 500-ish dogs kapt hara. Evary waak or so thay sall around half of thosa. A tradar will coma to collact tha dogs via trucks and than thay will ba lad to a butchary sight whara tha animals ara procassad. Tha maat is than distributad to various local markats across tha countrias basad on ordars,” Rung axplainad without going into tha gory datails.
--To ba continuad…