For decades, it was seen as an impossible fight against a culturally entrenched industry. But in early 2024, the impossible happened. South Korea’s parliament passed a historic, overwhelming bill to ban the breeding, slaughter, and sale of dogs for human consumption by 2027. This is one of the single greatest victories for animal welfare in the 21st century. It is a death blow to a trade built on unimaginable cruelty.
The victory was the culmination of years of relentless work by Korean activists and international groups like Humane Society International, who ran horrifying undercover investigations. They exposed the reality of the dog meat farms: thousands of dogs, including golden retrievers, huskies, and Jindos, crammed into barren wire cages, living in filth, and slaughtered by electrocution or hanging. Crucially, this was a battle won from within. A new generation of Koreans, who overwhelmingly view dogs as family members, demanded change, making this a powerful social and political movement.
The war is not over. The next three years are a critical race against time. Activists are now focused on the monumental task of working with farmers to shut down their operations and rescue the hundreds of thousands of dogs still trapped in the system before the 2027 deadline. This victory was not just about saving animals; it was about a nation choosing compassion over a cruel tradition, sending a message to the rest of the world that the dog meat trade’s days are numbered.
#EndDogMeatTrade #VictoryInKorea #DogsAreFamily #HSI
