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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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A dog who was rescued from the meat market has been given a second chance at life, and now he is putting those unthinkable horrors in the past.
While dog owner Christina Gemballa, 28, may already have three canines in her home in Los Angeles, California, she couldn't resist adding one more to her tally. After hearing about Norman, a "terrified" dog who was saved from the meat trade two years ago, she knew she had to adopt him and give him the life he deserves.
Norman spent much of his life chained up at a Korean meat market where he was given only "sticks to eat." Gemballa told Newsweek that he was "beaten and starved," and only had three feet of space to live in.
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As a result, the poor dog is incredibly nervous and gets overstimulated easily, but he is certainly on the mend in his forever home.
"It makes me very angry because, if you just look at Norman's face, he's such a kind, sweet soul who has never been aggressive, and you can tell that those experiences really broke him very early in life," Gemballa said.
She often shares videos about Norman (and her other rescue dogs) on TikTok (@christinancraddick). A heartwarming clip showing Norman fast asleep in her lap and cuddling up to her has delighted internet users, leading to more than 518,800 views and over 90,700 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
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The caption alongside the sweet clip reads: "Norman's been THROUGH IT, how could you be mean to this dog?"
Norman is still very hesitant and gets scared easily, even two years after being adopted. He still "looks around every corner" in the house, and he often freezes in place when he is particularly nervous.
Gemballa continued: "He's making glacial progress every day. He was really dependent on his bed and having a closed door because it cocoons him, and that makes him feel safer. Recalling him back into the house from the backyard has been an ongoing journey, and he is a lot better now. Only when he gets overstimulated, does his fight or flight mode kick up."
At present, it is believed that an estimated 2 million dogs a year are reared on meat farms across South Korea. They are predominantly slaughtered by electrocution, which can take up to five minutes to die.
But, in recent years, the dog meat industry has seen a decline in numbers, with a survey by Gallup Korea suggesting that 70 percent of South Koreans will refuse to eat dog meat in the future.
In 2024, South Korea passed a Special Act to cease the breeding, slaughtering and distribution of dogs for consumption. In the six months that followed, 623 dog farms closed down, equating to 40 percent of the total number across the country. It is also expected that 60 percent, or 938 farms, will be closed by the end of 2025.
Thankfully, Norman's life was spared, and he is now living his best dream life in the U.S.
It breaks Gemballa's heart to think about what he once experienced, but she is so glad that she could provide him with a loving forever home.
"I would highly recommend people look into rescuing because it's such a rewarding experience to show a living being kindness when all they have known is distress and despair," Gemballa said.
Since sharing the sweet clip of him laying beside her, the viral video has generated over 800 comments on TikTok.
One comment reads: "He's perfect! Thank you for saving him and giving him a safe place to feel what every dog should … love."
Another TikTok user wrote: "This literally made me cry. He deserves the world."
A third person added: "The fact that dogs can be so hurt, but still just want to be loved will never cease to break my heart."
One commenter replied: "I wish with all my heart that all of them get saved and loved."
Update 07/04/25, 10:05 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comments from Christina Gemballa.
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