Who Let the Dogs Out? Dog Meat Auction House Shuts Down

One of the largest dog meat auction houses in South Korea closed its doors following an undercover investigation and a widely-signed petition, to the delight of animal advocates.

“We applaud Mayor Cho Kwang-han for his decisive action, which sends a strong international message that dog meat farming must become a thing of the past,” says Nina Jackel, Founder and President of Lady Freethinker, the animal rights nonprofit which went undercover in the summer of 2020 at the Nakwon Auction House.

The petition launched by Lady Freethinker received 46,000 signatures encouraging Mayor Cho to shut down the illegal auction house where more than 200 dogs were held in 60 metal crates and cages. Since then, the dogs have all been released. Dog meat farming remains legal in South Korea, but each year, fewer and fewer people eat dogs.