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Ahead of the first Bok Nal since the passage of the Special Act to ban the dog meat industry in South Korea, people gathered in a hopeful celebration at Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul. The event was organized by a coalition of animal protection groups, including our team at Humane Society International

Indonesia’s first-ever prosecution of dog meat traders under animal health and food safety laws represents another milestone in the global campaign to protect dogs from being slaughtered for food. A district attorney on the island of Java recently confirmed plans to prosecute dog traders intercepted

When residents reported hearing harrowing yelps and screams coming from a nearby farm on Jindo Island in South Korea, local authorities investigated. What they found were the typical heart-wrenching scenes of a dog meat farm. I am acquainted with sounds like these. When I have visited these dog meat

It is with immense joy that I report that South Korea’s National Assembly has just passed legislation to ban the dog meat industry. In November, the South Korea government publicly announced that it would support a ban; this historic vote was the final hurdle to make such a ban official.

One of the most important aspects of animal advocacy is ensuring that changes to policy translate to meaningful actions that save lives. What happened on a street in Indonesia earlier this month signals remarkable progress, bringing much-needed hope to the more than one million dogs who are sold for

Early this morning, 171 dogs from South Korean dog meat farms landed at Dulles International Airport to start new lives, and on this first day of their bright futures, I am reminded of how critical our day-to-day work is. Every time Humane Society International shuts down a dog meat farm it has a

In China and a few other East Asian nations, there is a civil war playing out over the dog and cat meat trade. It is a war of ideas, attitudes, behaviors and worldviews. It is a fight that pits citizens of these nations who love dogs and cats as companion animals and want the best for them, against

An act of bravery has saved 68 dogs just hours before slaughter, and we have local animal activists in China to thank. The rescue happened outside the city of Yulin, the site of the infamous dog meat “festival,” which takes place each year as the summer solstice begins. Activists flagged down a

One of the most miraculous things about animals is their extraordinary ability to heal and love. It is something we witness time and again in our work, especially with the dogs we rescue from South Korean dog meat farms. Last month, I told you about the latest group of 170 survivors from the 17th

The pandemic posed many challenges for our Humane Society International staff working to end the dog meat trade in nations where it exists. Travel overseas was difficult if not impossible in most cases, but with millions of dogs still suffering in the dog meat trade, sitting on our hands was not an

When our responders rescue dogs from Korea’s dog meat farms, they invariably find the animals living in terrible conditions, in barren outdoor cages with no protection from the heat or the intense winters. Food is inadequate and the animals never feel the grass under their feet or a kind human touch

Perceptions in South Korea about dog meat are changing, with more Koreans than ever before supporting a ban on it. But some within the country continue to believe that "meat" dogs are somehow different from "pet dogs" and therefore not adoptable. Humane Society International is working to change

When Winkie, a Boston terrier, landed at Dulles airport in Virginia last week, he had a life filled with hope to look forward to: something he’d never had before. Humane Society International rescuers found Winkie earlier this year on a South Korean dog meat farm. He was living in a small cage with

It is a beautiful scene that never gets old no matter how many times we watch it: a dog who has endured a life of extraordinary suffering meeting her new parent at her new home for the first time and bonding instantly. But Korean-American actor Daniel Henney fell in love with Juliette, a young

It’s a long way from dog meat farmer Il-Hwan Kim’s operation in South Korea to Washington, DC. Yet that’s the amazing journey being taken by 170 dogs rescued by Humane Society International’s Animal Rescue Team. Together with more than two dozen other dogs from previous HSI rescue operations who had

In South Korea, Bok Nal is a month-long period in July and August that marks the hottest days of the year. During this time, some residents eat certain foods they believe help to ease the heat, including dog meat soup. Although most Koreans don’t eat dog meat, dog meat soup typically rises in

The high cost of pet care often causes people to make the heartbreaking decision to relinquish their animals. But it also creates a barrier for potential adopters to consider as they weigh the cost of adding a pet to their family.

We pledged $1 million to support recovery efforts after those wildfires and for future preparation. Here are some updates.

In recent weeks, our organization has answered the call to help animals and people displaced by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the United States and Hurricane John in Mexico, as well as disasters in India, Viet Nam, Nepal and Ecuador, where we have sent team members or funds to help local