fbpx
Hero img

Celebrating Gotcha Day

Celebrating Gotcha Day

Why Gotcha Day Matters: Celebrating New Beginnings for Rescue Dogs

Gotcha Day! Have you heard of it? Do you know what it is? If you aren’t familiar, here’s everything you need to know.

Gotcha Day is the anniversary of when a pet is officially adopted and joins their forever home. It’s a special celebration that acknowledges the day a rescue pet finds a loving family, marking the beginning of their new life away from past hardships. For many adopters, Gotcha Day is as meaningful as a pet’s birthday—if not more so—because it represents a fresh start and a moment of love, commitment, and care.

Rumi’s First Day

This day is especially significant for adopted pets because it honors the journey they’ve been on and the transformation they experience. It’s a celebration not only of finding a home but also of the resilience and trust that rescue pets show as they settle into new environments and open their hearts to their new families.

In our family, we celebrated Gotcha Day on Nov 6th, the day we brought home our foster (fail), and soon to be adopted pup, Rumi. We had been looking to adopt for a year or so, watching the different dogs come and go through the rescue. Low and behold, a random foster would become the dog we were looking for, the newest member of our family. He had the temperament and personality we were looking for, in a small package that could easily travel with us to visit family. 

Travel Day with Rumi!

Rumi was part of the largest Korean puppy mill shutdown in history, where over 1400 dogs were rescued from horrendous conditions. Just seeing the photos and videos, reading and hearing the first hand accounts of what was going on just made you sick to your stomach. 

Celebrating Gotcha Day with Rumi feels like honoring a little miracle. His journey—from a heart-wrenching start in a Korean puppy mill to a cozy spot on our couch—reminds us of the resilience and love these dogs bring into our lives. When we look at Rumi now, it’s hard to imagine the pain he endured, yet he’s blossomed into the kind of dog who plays, snuggles, and trusts wholeheartedly. This is what Gotcha Day is all about: recognizing the courage it takes for a rescue dog to leave the past behind and embrace a new beginning.

Korean K9 Rescue does incredible work, saving dogs like Rumi from unthinkable conditions, and Gotcha Day is a way to honor not only our dogs but also the efforts of those who made their journey to a forever home possible. For our family, it’s a reminder of the importance of second chances and how one rescued dog can completely change your world. Celebrating Rumi’s Gotcha Day feels like celebrating his strength, his heart, and the joy he brings into our lives every day.

How are you celebrating your Gotcha Day?

Happy Rumi

If you’re inspired by Rumi’s story, consider opening your home to a rescue dog in need. Organizations like Korean K9 Rescue work tirelessly to give these animals a new chance at life, and you could be the forever family they’re waiting for. By adopting, you’re not only transforming the life of a dog but also creating memories that will fill your heart in ways you never imagined. Reach out to your local rescue, volunteer, foster, or adopt—and join the journey of making Gotcha Days possible for more deserving dogs.

Hero img

Korean K9 Rescue’s Fight Against the Dog Meat Trade

puppies in the puppy mill

Korean K9 Rescue’s Fight Against the Dog Meat Trade

Ending the Dog Meat Trade: How Korean K9 Rescue is Saving Lives and Creating Change

Each year, thousands of dogs across Asia find themselves trapped in the harrowing cycle of the dog meat trade. These dogs endure unimaginable suffering in slaughterhouses, confined to small cages, and denied primary care. Yet, thanks to a growing movement for animal rights, organizations like Korean K9 Rescue are paving a path to freedom and new beginnings for many of these animals.

South Korea’s attitude towards the dog meat trade have been shifting dramatically. In January 2024, the South Korean government passed a landmark bill that will entirely outlaw the breeding, slaughter, and selling of dogs for meat by 2027. With nearly 82% of South Koreans supporting this ban, the government responded with legislation protecting dogs and providing farmers with resources to transition to alternative livelihoods. However, the law’s full effect is still a few years away, meaning that many dogs remain in harm’s way. Dog meat farmers are taking in more dogs than ever, and the collection of dogs is surging, so the farmers can collect more government incentives ahead of the ban and transition period. That means for organizations like Korean K9 Rescue, the work to find and shut down slaughterhouses and puppy mills remains ongoing and urgent.

puppy mill rescue

Just this past October 17th, our team successfully shut down two slaughterhouses and a puppy mill in Busan with our partners, marking a victory for animal welfare and our mission. Next door to the slaughterhouses, a dog meat restaurant also closed its doors. Each rescue highlights the immense need for on-the-ground intervention in the years leading up to 2027, as many facilities operate secretly. With each successful shutdown, these dogs receive immediate safety relief. They are given a chance to experience love and companionship, sometimes for the first time, at our rescue and rehabilitation center in Bundang, South Korea. Here, the dogs recover in a loving environment and learn that kindness from humans does exist from our hard-working team.

The recent South Korean legislation is a significant victory, akin to the UK’s “Lucy’s Law,” which restricts third-party sales of puppies and kittens to combat unethical breeding practices. However, until the law fully takes effect, Korean K9 Rescue will continue its mission, seeking out facilities and rescuing dogs who still face the reality of the meat trade. Our work to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome dogs is a commitment we take to heart, transforming frightened survivors into cherished family members.

slaughterhouse survivor

How You Can Help

At Korean K9 Rescue, we’re always looking for ways to increase our impact, but we can’t do it alone. If you’re inspired by our mission, there are many ways to join the fight against the dog meat trade and help us save lives. We’re actively seeking fosters and adopters who can offer safe, loving homes for our rescued dogs. Volunteers are also essential to our work, helping with events, transports, and daily care. And, of course, donations are vital to sustain our rescue efforts, support medical care, and enable future shutdowns of inhumane facilities.

protesting illegal puppy mills and slaughterhouses

Together, we can make a difference for these dogs and bring hope to even more lives. Thank you for being part of this mission! To learn more about how you can help, visit us here.

Hero img

Surviving the Heat: The Heartbreaking Rescue of Busan’s Forgotten Dogs

Surviving the Heat: The Heartbreaking Rescue of Busan’s Forgotten Dogs

Fighting for Freedom: Rescuing Dogs from the Brink of Despair in Busan’s Worst Conditions

Rescuing animals from puppy mills and slaughterhouses is never easy, but this latest mission has left an unforgettable mark on all of us. What our team at Korean K9 Rescue (KK9R) witnessed on October 17th in Busan will stay with us for a long time—the sights, sounds, and smells were truly heartbreaking. The sheer scale of suffering was overwhelming, as 575 dogs were trapped in horrific conditions across two slaughterhouses and a puppy mill. These innocent souls had endured unimaginable cruelty for far too long.

Some of the dogs were hiding in dark, filthy corners, trying to escape the chaos around them. Others roamed freely through debris and rotting wood, living among the remains of those who didn’t make it. The air was heavy with a sense of neglect, and the atmosphere was filled with the quiet echoes of their hardship.

This summer was one of the hottest on record in Korea, with temperatures soaring to unbearable levels. It’s a miracle these dogs survived under such extreme conditions, trapped in cages with little to no ventilation, food, or water. Many were severely malnourished, dehydrated, and traumatized—barely clinging to life in the only way they knew how—by retreating into themselves and waiting for an end.

This was the toughest and most grueling rescue we’ve faced all year. Our team spent 18 exhausting hours on-site, pulling 65 dogs—and even a few cats—from rooftops, piles of debris, and locked cages. It felt like a race against time, and every moment mattered. The remaining dogs were split between 20 other Lucy’s Law groups, who worked tirelessly to help save as many lives as possible.

Despite the heartbreak of what we saw, there is hope. These survivors are finally safe and will get the chance to experience the love and care they deserve. But our work is far from over. The road to recovery for these dogs is long, and they need extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and treatment to overcome the trauma they’ve endured. We are urgently close to reaching our fundraising goal, but we still need your help to get there. Without the necessary funds, we won’t be able to provide the critical support these dogs need to heal and thrive.

Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. With your continued support, we can ensure that these survivors never have to endure such unimaginable suffering again. Please, help us give them the future they deserve.