AFP, PYEONGTAEK, South Korea
Electric prods rested against the wall near rusty cages containing dog skulls in an abandoned canine slaughterhouse in a South Korean town.The deserted site in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, offered a glimpse into an industry rapidly disappearing as South Korea’s landmark dog meat ban enters into force next year.It also raises a question: What happened to the hundreds of thousands of dogs once bred for human consumption?
Dogs rescued from dog slaughter facilities poke their heads through a cage at an animal shelter run by Korea Animal Rights Advocates in Paju, South Korea, on Tuesday last week.
Historically regarded as a summer stamina booster — particularly among older and rural people — dog meat has steadily fallen out of favor as younger South Koreans embrace dogs as pets and public attitudes shift.In January 2024, the country passed a law banning the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for food. Once it takes effect in February next year, contraveners would risk prison sentences of up to three years.
As the ban looms, the industry is disappearing much faster than many expected.
