The Aftermath of South Korea’s Dog Meat Ban: Rescues and Dilemmas

As South Korea enforces a nationwide ban on dog meat, concerns arise about the future of the dogs and livelihoods of farmers involved in the trade. Without clear solutions for the estimated half a million dogs currently on farms, both farmers and animal rights advocates grapple with challenges such as adoption and potential euthanasia, raising ethical questions around the new legislation.

When Reverend Joo Yeong-bong isn’t spreading his faith, he’s raising dogs for slaughter. However, his business is struggling, teetering on the brink of illegality. "Since last summer we've been trying to sell our dogs, but the traders just keep hesitating," says Mr. Joo, who’s now in a precarious situation under the new regulatory environment. In 2024, South Korea officially implemented a nationwide ban on dog meat sales, which has left farmers with until February 2027 to transition out of the industry.

This ban has sparked considerable distress among farmers like Mr. Joo, who note insufficient time to secure new employment or find suitable placements for their remaining dogs, an estimated half a million still in captivity. Even supporters of the legislation, such as animal rights advocates, have raised concerns regarding its enforcement and the plight of dogs rescued from slaughter, many of which face the possibility of euthanasia.

As the grace period nears its halfway point, dog farmers are overwhelmed. Chan-woo, a meat farmer with 600 dawgs to manage, fears he won’t be able to process them all within the imposed deadline, especially without significant aid in rehoming. He laments that while the new law was pushed by various advocacy groups, there is no coherent plan for the dogs left behind.

Lee Sangkyung, from Humane World for Animals Korea, argues there is still a significant void in addressing the welfare of dogs that remain. Although the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Mafra) has indicated intentions to take possession of abandoned dogs, rehoming challenges persist. Namely, many dogs bred for meat are larger breeds and have a stigmatization attached to them as many aspire to adopt smaller breeds suitable for apartment living.

The complexity of the situation continues to escalate as overcrowding in shelters rises, leading some dogs facing abandonment to the dire fate of euthanasia — a subject of deep-rooted concern. High-profile animal welfare leaders acknowledge the heartbreaking reality that while they strive to rescue many, some animals will inevitably be left behind.

Notably, the government has committed substantial funds towards enhancing animal shelters and assistance for farmers, yet measures to effectively transition dog meat farms into alternative livelihoods appear insufficient. Experts and authorities are calling for deeper discussions about how to manage the surplus of dogs: adoption initiatives and euthanasia considerations must be weighed thoughtfully.

Amid the tensions, some farmers are exploring new paths, sending dogs overseas to find new homes in places like Canada and the UK. Rescue teams are actively working to evacuate these animals, providing new beginnings for at least some. However, the sentiment surrounding the ban is mixed. Many farmers like Yang Jong-tae, who once bred dogs for meat, express discontent over how priorities shifted from livelihood to legislation.

Meanwhile, as societal attitudes evolve and consumption rates dwindle, a noticeable shift is evident in South Korean culture, where eating dog meat is becoming increasingly less accepted. Polling data from 2024 indicates that the percentage of those consuming dog meat has significantly decreased, closing a chapter on a time-honored yet controversial practice.

As many farmers foresee a bleak future—caught between governmental regulations and a rapidly changing societal landscape—hope for transitional support remains fleeting. With a looming deadline approaching, reverberating uncertainty underscores the lives of those once dependent on the dog meat industry, with fears that some may not survive the impending transformation.