Seven dogs cramped in tiny cages have been freed from a Cambodian slaughterhouse where their saviour said a family had been killing and torturing animals for generations.
Michael Chour, 49, flew to Cambodia in May on a mission to save as many dogs as possible from the facility where around 200 are slaughtered each day.
Chour, from France, was able to save a total of seven dogs from death and encouraged the slaughterhouse to shut down a week later, saving thousands.
Chour said the dogs were denied food and water for days, battered with poles and their cages hurled to the floor, resulting in broken bones.
Michael Chour, 49, flew to Cambodia from France to try and rescue as many dogs as possible from the slaughterhouse in Cambodia (pictured: dogs for the slaughter are held in cramped cages)
Chour said he saved seven dogs and then a week later the place was closed down (pictured: puppies that Chour rescued eat from a bowl)
Chour, founder of the Sound of Animals, said: ‘The family who owned this house had been torturing and killing dogs for generations.
‘In Cambodia, there are approximately five million dogs tortured to death every year – this slaughterhouse that closed tortured and killed around 200 dogs a day.
Chour with a dog he rescued previously, he said: ‘In Cambodia, there are approximately five million dogs tortured to death every year’
‘I kept this establishment under observation for days and nights and saw turned away crates of dogs, destined for slaughter, over and over again.’
Chour hopes by sharing the images he can encourage others to educate themselves on the dog meat torture trade and contact their government to put a stop to it.
After spending so long rescuing dogs in Cambodia, Chour explains that the killing methods are some of the cruellest he has witnessed.
He said: ‘The dogs are transported and kept in tiny cages to the point of not being able to move, denied food and water for days, treated barbarically, hit with metal poles if they bark, or cry, cages thrown on the floor, resulting in broken bones and internal injuries.
‘The dogs are usually placed where they can witness their companions being tortured and killed. The dogs are usually petrified, shaking with fear, urinating, defecating and vomiting on each other.
‘They are then tortured to death, which can last from a couple of minutes to five minutes, depending on the methods used.
Dogs lie in their cages (left) and squashing each other (right). Chour said: ‘The dogs are transported and kept in tiny cages to the point of not being able to move, denied food and water for days, treated barbarically, hit with metal poles if they bark, or cry, cages thrown on the floor, resulting in broken bones and internal injuries.’
Chour said: ‘The dogs are usually placed where they can witness their companions being tortured and killed. The dogs are usually petrified, shaking with fear, urinating, defecating and vomiting on each other.’ (pictured: weary dogs lie in their cage)
‘This slaughterhouse cut all four of the dogs joints, prior to being thrown in a pot of boiling water, so they were boiled alive, to death.
‘The joints were cut in order to stop the dog escaping the pot of boiling water.
‘The idea they have, is the more a dog suffers the better the meat, they believe the meat has health benefits, and increases libido.
‘This is why people need to do anything they can to stop this happening.
‘Luckily, this footage shows a happy ending and I’m so glad that I could save these dogs – but there’s many out there who aren’t as lucky.’