Although I have been aware of the dog meat trade for many years it wasn’t until recently that I knew I had to get involved to do my part to stop it. And then I met Ichabod. Ichabod, affectionately known as “Ike”, is an Alaskan Malamute rescued from a slaughter truck in Asia. He now lives with his mom, author Gayle Ellias, and six other dogs in Michigan. Ichabod is a certified therapy dog and was named Malamute of the Year by the Alaskan Malamute Official Fan Club in 2021. His journey is truly inspiring.

In addition to the trauma Ike experienced on his way to a slaughterhouse, he is disabled. But he has never let his disability get in the way of living. Ichabod could teach the world a thing or two about perseverance and love. As I became more and more obsessed with ending the meat trade, I had to ask myself why did I care so deeply about this issue? The answer was clear: because murder is murder.

What exactly do I mean by that? Throughout my life dating back to as early as I can remember, I was obsessed with murder victims whose lives had been cut short and stolen; no punishment seemed to be enough to make up for what was done to them. And so, what has been happening and unfortunately continues to take place in many parts of the world, that is, dragging dogs to their death, caught my attention. As a dog lover I truly believe they are the purest of living creatures: selfless, loving, loyal souls. But what millions of them have been subjected to is horrifying. They are murder victims as much as any human being is.

Just as murder is murder, so too evil is evil and it must be stopped. Hopefully, the many organizations fighting for global animal welfare laws along with local education will start to make a difference. A shift in culture and perspective is what is needed to give dogs the safety, respect, and freedom they deserve. I will never stop fighting on their behalf to end the atrocities being committed against them.

Follow Ichabod on Instagram to get all the latest updates on his appearances and events:

@ichabodndlb and mine as well: @wendywhitmanauthor