In January 2024, the South Korean government passed a historic ban on the dog meat industry—a win we’ve been working toward for a decade. The estimated 1,500 dog meat farms in the country must shut down operations by February 2027. This past spring, members from our Animal Rescue Team and our team in South Korea stood in front of a dog meat farm for their first farm rescue since the ban passed.
Through our Models for Change program, our team has worked collaboratively with farmers to permanently shut down 18 dog meat farms and rescue more than 2,700 dogs. But this rescue was different.
Jean Chung/For Humane World for Animals
“In all the years our charity has been rescuing dogs from these dog meat farms, this is the first time we have done so knowing that a ban is finally consigning this terrible suffering to the history books. That’s an amazing feeling,” says Sangkyung Lee, our program manager of campaigns in South Korea.
The farm, located in Cheongju, South Korea, had been operating for 40 years. There, an untold number of dogs had been reared for slaughter over the years, kept in tiny wire cages. Some lived in the same building dogs were slaughtered in. They likely watched other dogs get butchered before it was their turn to be killed.
The cruelty finally ended in February when Cheongju authorities closed the farm due to animal cruelty violations. Funding from Humane World for Animals helped provide care for the dogs until the rescue team arrived in May to take them off the farm forever.
Jean Chung/
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When rescuers arrived, they found dozens of dogs living in cages with wire flooring. Many had scars on their paws. Some lived above piles of their own excrement. Others had deformed bones, likely caused by malnutrition and living in tight confinement.
A large bag of dog collars found on the farm raised unsettling questions. Were these pets stolen from loving families? Are the collars the only remnants of past victims?
Many dogs were incredibly fearful, but puppies wiggled their whole bodies in excitement as people approached them. Rescuers entered their cages and gently carried them into crates.
Ahead of the rescue, 38 dogs were retrieved from the farm and brought to a local shelter. Our team removed the remaining 29 dogs. Over 50 were flown to our Maryland care and rehabilitation center. Mother dogs and their young will stay with one of our local partner organizations in South Korea until the puppies are old enough to travel.
In all the years our charity has been rescuing dogs from these dog meat farms, this is the first time we have done so knowing that a ban is finally consigning this terrible suffering to the history books. That’s an amazing feeling.”
Sangkyung Lee, program manager in South Korea
Across the country, other farms like this one are closing. According to official statistics, around 40% of South Korean dog meat farms had already closed when the dogs were rescued in May. The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture expects that number to reach 60% by the end of this year.
Humane World will keep working to ensure every farm is shut down by the February 2027 deadline. “It’s so obvious that dogs are still suffering and dying within the dog meat industry during the phase-out period,” says Lee. “This makes us feel even more determined to push the government for proper implementation.”
Lee says he won’t feel relief until the final dog meat farm is shut down.
Jean Chung/For Humane World for Animals
700 dogs lost, 7 saved from historic wildfires
In March, South Korea was ravaged by the worst wildfires in its history. As the devastation spread across the southeast region, the fires struck a dog meat farm. Trapped inside their cages, almost 700 dogs burned to death.
Miraculously, seven dogs survived. The survivors escaped their cages during the fires but stayed close to the farm. A local animal advocacy coalition found them and persuaded the farmer to surrender the dogs—three of whom suffered burns across their bodies.
The dogs received extensive veterinary care in South Korea before being flown to our care and rehabilitation center in Maryland. After the dogs recover physically and mentally, they will go to shelter and rescue partners to find adoptive homes.
Related stories
Jean Chung/Humane World for Animals
Follow along with a Humane World video producer as she helps shut down a dog meat farm in South Korea and rescue 67 dogs from horrific conditions.
Courtesy of Joni Conley
Mir, a 130-pound Tosa, was one of nearly 150 dogs rescued in October 2019 from a South Korean dog meat farm—the 17th closed by Humane World. Now, with his loving family, Mir revels in a different kind of farm life.
Jean Chung/For HSI
Staffers and former dog meat farmers reflect on the decade-long fight to end dog slaughter.
