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7,600 dogs still held at South Korean meat farms — as animal groups race to save them

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About 7,600 dogs are still being held at South Korean meat farms nearly three years after the country passed a national ban on dog meat.

Now, animal-rights groups are racing to save the pooches before they can be slaughtered and served as food.

Around 468,000 canines were held in 1,537 dog meat farms when Seoul approved a ban on eating dogs following years of pressure at home and overseas, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs.

But dog 198 farms remain in operation, with the government vowing to comply with a full end to the industry by the Feb. 7, 2027 deadline, the Korea Times reported.

Two rescued dogs look out from a cage at a dog meat farm in South Korea. — About 7,600 dogs remain inside 198 meat farms inside South Korea. These pups were rescued in September by an animals rights group. AFP via Getty Images

Dogs look out from inside three white and blue crates lined up outdoors. — South Korea has shut down more than 1,000 dog meat farms ahead of next year’s national ban on the industry. AFP via Getty Images

“The end of dog meat consumption marks a crucial turning point that will elevate our society’s animal welfare standards to the next level,” said Lee Yong-jik, director general of the ministry’s Animal Welfare Policy Bureau.

The government is urging the remaining farms to close their business before the ban takes effect, with inspectors set to investigate all the locations in the last two months of the year.

Any farms that have been caught secretly increasing the number of dogs they have or failing to stop their canines from breeding will be subject to immediate shutdown, the ministry warned.

Once the ban goes into effect, anyone caught farming, slaughtering, or selling dog meat for human consumption inside South Korea will face up to two years in prison and a fine of more than $20,000.

Members of Humane World for Animals load dogs in crates onto a truck during the closure of a dog meat farm. — Members of the animal protection group “Humane World for Animals” rescue about 70 dogs from a shuttered meat farm in September. AFP via Getty Images

A brown dog looks out from a wire cage at a dog meat farm during a rescue operation in South Korea. — A dog looks out from a cage at inside a closed farm as animal rights activist rescue the canines bound for the US and Canada. AFP via Getty Images

Officials, however, acknowledged that about 7,600 dogs will need to be cared for after the ban takes effect, with the government calling on local municipalities to help out.

“We will closely monitor on-site operations to ensure the smooth closure of the remaining farms and make thorough preparations to address the issue of the remaining dogs after the ban takes effect,” Lee said.

As the dog farms continue to shut down, animal rights groups have been working to rescue the remaining dogs inside the facilities.

Last month, the Humane World for Animals groups said they saved more than 70 dogs from a closing meat farm in Gangjin, likely the group’s last large-scale rescue inside South Korea.

“These dogs are among the very last few to suffer in this dying industry and sending them to the USA and Canada to start new lives in loving families feels like the perfect closing chapter to our 10-year mission as South Korea embarks on a new relationship with dogs in which they are friends not food,” said Sangkyung Lee, the group’s Korea campaign manager.

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