A shuttered dog meat farm in the heart of Seoul marks progress, but with hundreds still operating, the fight to end this cruelty is far from over.

In Gangnam, Seoul, less than a mile from towering luxury high-rises, a grim reality persisted—until now. Hidden in the shadows of one of the city’s redevelopment districts, a dog meat farm continued to operate, a stark contrast to the modern skyline surrounding it.

But this week, alongside our local rescue partners, we shut it down for good.

Eleven dogs—who had known nothing but suffering—are now safe. These dogs endured freezing temperatures, starvation, and the constant fear of slaughter. But now, this land will never be used for dog meat farming again. Thanks to rezoning and redevelopment, this farm is gone.

But the question remains: Could this be Seoul’s last?

A Dying Industry That Won’t Let Go

While this farm has closed, hundreds more still exist across South Korea, especially in rural areas. The nationwide dog meat ban is set to take full effect in 2027, but the industry isn’t letting go without a fight. Instead of phasing out, dog meat farmers are holding onto their remaining dogs, leveraging them for government subsidies in a failing trade.

These dogs are no longer just livestock—they’ve become negotiation pawns. For years, farmers have demanded financial compensation for shutting down their businesses. And now, as the end nears, they are stalling for even bigger payouts, keeping dogs trapped in a system that should have ended long ago.

If we don’t act now, we could see a last-minute crisis—a mass abandonment of dogs as farms rush to close before the deadline.