This coming February, the Dog Meat Ban passed by South Korea’s Parliament in 2024 officially goes into effect, ending the 3-year wind-down period. The good news is that, as of May 2026, more than two-thirds of the registered slaughterhouses, farms, and meat markets had closed or transitioned to a new business ahead of schedule. This follows declining demand for dog meat and a major cultural shift among Koreans, especially younger generations.

Many difficulties remain, as dogs on operating farms have not yet been rescued. Once the ban takes effect, their future is uncertain. Of nearly 394,000 dogs recorded on farms that had closed by December 2025, only about 1,100 were adopted or transferred to public shelters. Roughly 97% were sent for slaughter or distribution, while about 9,400 were transferred to other farms. This means shelters and rescues operating on the ground in Korea still have a lot of work to do. Many dogs will still need shelter, medical care, and adoption placement moving forward, but mass dog farming is now in sight of an end.

As Korean pet ownership continues to trend upward, hopefully many of the remaining dogs can be placed in loving homes and find a new lease on life.

Warmest Holiday Wishes.

Kyenan Kum
IAKA Founder 

Hug Me Shelter

Dogs rescued last year:
11 Adoptions (8 in US and 3 In Korea)
11 spayed
13 neutered

Cats rescued last year:
8 Adoptions
2 spayed
2 neutered

Currently, about 40 dogs are housed at Hug Me Shelter. All are spayed or neutered, except two currently receiving heartworm treatment. Hug Me Shelter also has 10 dogs in its training facility kennels. All dogs and cats Hug Me Shelter puts up for adoption are spayed or neutered beforehand; they cannot be adopted out otherwise.

Hug Me currently has two 8-week-old kittens (part of a larger litter, along with their mother) with pending adoptions. The cat organization that helped place them has agreed to see to their spay/neuter operation when they are old enough. As for the rest of the family, one of Hug Me Shelter’s board members has already spayed her, and the remaining kittens will be spayed/neutered as soon as they reach the appropriate age. 

 
Please help Hug Me Shelter with your donation:

Website:
Hugmeshelter.org

Rebel Rescue South Korea

In 2026, Rebel Rescue took in 36 dogs and 56 cats. They placed 42 dogs and 50 cats in forever homes. They also remain actively involved in local trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs, with support from the local government of Pyeongtaek. This helps them to head off future overpopulation issues.

Rebel Rescue is facing mounting vet bills and requests for help with animals not currently in their care. This year, they have treated numerous feline cases of severe stomatitis, which is associated with feline calicivirus. Many of the cats require full-mouth dental extractions to relieve the pain, and the procedures are incredibly expensive. As a rescue funded entirely through donations and supported by volunteers, Rebel Rescue’s greatest challenge is balancing constant requests for help with its responsibility to the animals already in its care.

Despite these challenges, they’re working hard to build a more sustainable organization, emphasizing quality of care rather than simply increasing the number of animals they rescue. 

Please help donate to Rebel Rescue South Korea (RRSK)

Website:
https://rebelrescuesk.com

Hotch

In 2021, Hotch and his brother were brought to Rebel Rescue from the Asan City Shelter. With his adorable underbite, he quickly became a volunteer favorite. Unfortunately, he never showed particularly well in the shelter, spinning in his kennel and jumping at the doors to tell people to back off. Potential adopters struggled to see the wonderful dog beneath. But this year, the right person finally came along. His adopter visited every weekend for an entire month, patiently getting to know him and allowing him to build trust and, after more than five years of waiting, Hotch finally went home!

Spencer

Hotch’s brother, Spencer, is still waiting for his happy ending. Spencer also came to Rebel Rescue in July 2021 at just one year old. Today, he’s six and he’s spent nearly his entire life growing up in the shelter. What makes Spencer’s story especially heartbreaking is that he’s genuinely a loving dog. He gets along well with other dogs, enjoys affection, and has so much love to give.

Just like his brother, Spencer doesn’t always make the best first impression in a quick shelter visit but spend some time getting to know him, and you’ll discover a dog who is absolutely worth the effort. He’s safe, he’s loved, and he has volunteers who care deeply about him. But at the end of the day, he still goes back to his kennel. He deserves to know what it’s like to have a home of his own, a family who loves him, and a life beyond the shelter walls.

Seeing Hotch finally go home after all these years has given us so much hope for Spencer!

Charm

Another memorable rescue was Charm, a little chihuahua mix whose story even made it into The Korea Herald! 

Charm was found running through traffic in Seoul and was rescued by a local influencer. After her story gained attention online, a woman in Texas organized a fundraiser to help get her out of the municipal shelter. Rebel Rescue volunteers stepped in, and brought her into their care. They soon discovered she was pregnant and she gave birth to one tiny puppy, Prince! 

It’s one of those rescue stories that reminds us how people from completely different places can come together to help one animal. The Korea Herald followed her journey and featured Rebel Rescue volunteers in an article. Charm, and her puppy, Prince, were both adopted by lovely families!