87% of dog farms shut down ahead of meat ban, 7,600 dogs remain

With a full ban on dog meat consumption set to take effect in February next year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Sunday that 1,339 of the country's 1,537 registered dog farms — 87 percent — had shut down as of Sept. 21. The figure exceeds the ministry's original cumulative closure target of 1,030 farms by about 30 percent.

The ministry attributed the faster-than-expected pace of closures to tiered financial support for early shutdowns and special summer inspections.

The number of dogs being raised has also dropped sharply. When farms submitted their closure plans in August 2024, they reported a combined 468,000 dogs. That figure has since fallen to approximately 7,600.

The ministry plans to conduct winter special inspections of all dog farms from next month through December to check whether closed farms have resumed breeding and to monitor the closure progress of those still operating. It will also develop protection and management measures — taking into account breed, size, age and sociability — for dogs left behind when owners relinquish ownership. The measures follow the Act on the Ending of Dog Meat Consumption, which will fully prohibit the breeding, reproduction, slaughter, distribution and sale of dogs for food starting Feb. 7 next year.

"We will ensure that the remaining farms complete their closures without disruption and will thoroughly prepare for the issue of leftover dogs that may arise after the ban takes effect," said Lee Yong-jik, director general for animal welfare policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.