87% of dog meat farms closed ahead of February ban
With the country’s ban on the dog meat trade slated to take effect on Feb. 7 next year, 87 percent of dog farms have been shut down, a pace faster than the government had anticipated, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Sunday. A total of 1,537 dog meat farms were registered nationwide when the government announced the ban in February 2024 and began accepting closure notices…
In preparation for the nationwide ban on dog meat trade set to commence on February 7, 87 percent of dog farms have already been shut down, surpassing the government's initial expectations, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The ministry reported that 1,537 dog meat farms were registered across the nation when the ban was announced in February 2024, inviting farm owners to submit closure notices.
As of September 21, 198 farms remained operational. By August 2024, the final month of a six-month window during which the government incentivized farm owners to apply for closure, 30 percent more farms had closed than anticipated. The ministry had estimated around 468,000 dogs were being kept in cages during that period. Currently, an estimated 7,600 dogs remain at the remaining operational farms.
The ministry is urging the remaining farm owners to cease operations before the ban takes effect next year. Working alongside local governments, the ministry plans to carry out a focused inspection campaign from November to December to verify the closure of remaining farms.
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- 87% of dog meat farms closed ahead of February ban koreatimes.co.kr
