We’ve recently been made aware of many heartbreaking stories surrounding the treatment of stray and abandoned dogs in our home country, South Korea. There has also been a growing concern for the dogs kept in captivity for the dog meat trade- an outdated practice that has often led the animals to be tortured and killed in a brutal, inhumane fashion.
 
As dog owners ourselves, these stories have troubled us deeply, and we thought this was a perfect opportunity to raise awareness and contribute towards saving innocent lives who deserve to have a chance to be loved companions, like our ones.
 
Every year, approx. 100,000 dogs are abandoned in the country, many injured, sick or disabled. Most of the state-run shelters simply cannot cope with this ever-rising number, and with little government funding, many shelters struggle to take care of the dogs adequately. This ultimately leads only half of dogs admitted to these shelters making it out alive- the other half die due to illness or get put down.
 
Furthermore, more than 2 millions of dogs are slaughtered every year for human consumption. Whilst the number of people who consume the meat is in decline after a change in public perception, there is still a great deal of people who are against banning this practice, claiming it is part of Korea’s 'tradition’. The cruelty and ruthlessness involved in this industry is nothing more than an evil custom that most Koreans aren't proud of. And it's truly upsetting and unfair that in the one country, some dogs are lucky enough to be born as companion dogs, while others are bred in captivity for meat.
 
We will be running at the Dog Jog in Brighton, on behalf of a number of small Nonprofit Organisations that are battling this issue on ground and saving lives from the aforementioned places. Please help us in ensuring that they can continue to be at the forefront of caring for those poor lives without a voice, until the Korean government puts proper animal protection laws in place.