Sag Harbor, N.Y. – A compact rescue organization rooted on Long Island has extracted roughly 600 dogs from the perils of China’s dog meat trade, transporting them to safety and adoption in the United States.[1][2] Co-founders Bonnie Klapper and Brandy Cherven direct efforts that span continents, relying on local operatives to intercept animals bound for markets, festivals, and slaughterhouses. Their work addresses a grim reality where an estimated 30 million dogs face slaughter annually worldwide, including 10 million in China alone.[1]
Founders Forge a Lifeline Across Borders
Bonnie Klapper, a Sag Harbor resident, launched Run 2 The Rescue in 2024 alongside Brandy Cherven, a seasoned rescuer. The pair built a network of on-the-ground contacts in China who target high-risk sites such as puppy mills, butchers, and transport trucks. Klapper’s team has placed nearly 300 of the saved dogs into American homes, spanning breeds from tiny Pomeranians to larger beagles and schnauzers.[1]
Unlike many operations, this group accepts every dog regardless of condition. They have cared for severely injured or terminally ill animals, providing humane euthanasia when suffering proved inevitable. Cherven emphasized the rarity of such commitment in the field, where few rescuers handle the most challenging cases.
Tactics Against a Shadowy Trade
Rescue teams in China employ bold strategies to halt the pipeline. Operatives halt dog meat trucks, raid unlicensed facilities, and negotiate buyouts from breeders and labs, often leveraging threats of police intervention over missing permits. Once secured, dogs receive initial care at a Chinese sanctuary before flights to U.S. airports like John F. Kennedy International.[1]
Klapper described the trade’s ruthlessness. “Butchers will steal family pets, and people sell dogs to dog butchers who sell by the pound,” she said. Earlier this year, a shuttered breeding mill yielded over a dozen toy poodles headed for slaughter, underscoring the constant urgency.
Key Statistics:
- 600 dogs saved from dog meat trade
- 300 placed in U.S. homes
- 30 million dogs killed globally per year
Individual Tales of Trauma and Triumph
Recent arrivals at JFK highlighted the stakes. A three-year-old schnauzer named Twitch arrived with a fractured skull from blunt force trauma, spared at the last moment from a slaughterhouse sale. Freeport resident Yolanda Lobban agreed to foster him with her daughter Aryanna. “I love that we can just give him a second chance,” Lobban said, noting the chance to counter his past suffering with care.[2]
The same flight brought toy poodle Junebug, described as an “orthopedic nightmare,” and partially blind Pearl. Syracuse couple Greg and Amy Carrico adopted them, adding to their collection of special-needs poodles from prior rescues. Other feats included intercepting 77 lab-tested beagles en route to a butcher and saving Kronk, a 39-pound malamute beaten so severely he walks sideways and cannot use his hind legs. Now doubled in weight, the “goofball” thrives with Cherven in Ohio.
Enduring Impact of Relentless Rescue
Klapper reflected on the rewards amid hardships. “We feel as lucky as the dogs do because we have a chance to change lives,” she said. The operation persists despite slim ranks of willing rescuers, offering a model of determination. As adoptions multiply, Run 2 The Rescue continues to disrupt the trade one flight at a time.
