Dozens of dogs have been rescued from a dog-meat farm in South Korea in what animal welfare group Humane World for Animals says is its final such operation ahead of the country’s ban on the dog-meat industry in February 2027.
Members of Humane World for Animals Korea carried out the rescue at a dog-meat farm in Gangjin County, South Korea, as the country moves closer to ending a practice that has been the subject of growing animal welfare concerns and public debate.
The operation comes less than five months before South Korea’s ban on the breeding, slaughtering, distributing and selling of dogs for human consumption takes full effect in February 2027. The legislation, passed in 2024, provides a three-year transition period for businesses involved in the industry to shut down or change operations.
For the rescued dogs, the operation offered a route away from the conditions of the farm and towards rehabilitation and possible adoption. Humane World for Animals has been involved in a series of rescues as South Korea works through the final phase of its transition away from the dog-meat trade.
Wendy Higgins, director of international media at Humane World for Animals, described the development as an example other countries could learn from as they consider the future of their own dog- and cat-meat industries.
“We are hoping that other countries where the dog and cat meat trade still exists can really learn a lesson from the fact that South Korea has phased out a really substantial dog meat industry in about three years,” Higgins said.
The rescue comes against the backdrop of a rapid decline in South Korea’s dog-meat industry. Government figures indicate that a large proportion of registered dog farms have already closed during the transition period, although animal welfare organisations continue to raise concerns about the fate of dogs from farms that have shut down.
The rescued animals are expected to undergo veterinary examinations and rehabilitation before being moved into arrangements for adoption. Their rescue also highlights the practical challenges involved in closing an industry that once involved farms, slaughterhouses, restaurants and other businesses across the country.
For Humane World for Animals, the Gangjin operation marks the end of a chapter of large-scale rescues in South Korea as the country approaches the final stage of its ban. With February 2027 approaching, the focus is now shifting from rescuing dogs from individual farms to ensuring that the country’s new law is fully implemented and that the transition leaves no animals behind.
