A dog rescued from the canine meat industry in South Korea in December|@HSIGlobal|X
In a win for animal welfare groups in South Korea, the Parliament unanimously passed a bill that will outlaw the centuries-old practice of raising, killing, and consuming dog meat in the country.
The law will take effect after a three-year grace period for some 1,100 farms that breed 570,000 dogs for meat. The government will also provide financial help to affected businesses.
The ban was decades in making
The controversial dog meat industry faced criticism for its slaughtering practices.
Over the years, younger generations of South Koreans have moved away from dog meat. Consequently, the country has seen a decline in consumption. In a 2022 survey, only 8% of the population said they ate dog meat.
Pet dog ownership has also skyrocketed in South Korea since the pandemic. Korean households owned more than 3 million canines in 2022, up from 1.3 million in 2018, per the government data.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who owns six dogs and eight cats with First Lady Kim Keon Hee, also advocated for the dog meat ban.
