Summary
South Korea has banned the sale of dog meat for consumption, giving farmers until February 2027 to close their operations. Farmers face difficulties as they have many dogs that are not easy to sell, and there is no clear plan to manage or rehome around 500,000 dogs affected by the ban.
Key Facts
- South Korea banned the sale of dog meat for consumption, with the law taking full effect by February 2027.
- The ban affects many farmers who have relied on dog meat trade for their livelihoods.
- There are around 500,000 dogs currently on meat farms, with no clear plan for rehoming them.
- Farmers face challenges selling dogs due to stigma and the large size of breeds preferred by meat farms.
- Authorities say local governments will take care of surrendered dogs by placing them in shelters, but rehoming is difficult.
- The dog meat industry and related groups have expressed concern about the lack of support for transition and enforcement of the ban.
