The life of Aurora, a three-year-old survivor of South Korea’s waning dog meat trade, was changed forever when she touched down at San Francisco International Airport after a 5,000-mile journey to meet her new family.
The adoption, one of two that arrived at SFO that day, was facilitated by Jindo Love Rescue, based in Korea, and In Defense of Animals in the United States. The international partnership has saved over 1,200 dogs, relocating them to homes in the United States and Canada since 2017.
After years of debate, South Korea banned the consumption of dog meat in 2024. But the industry was given a grace period to close down by 2027. About half a million dogs remain in slaughterhouses.
“Aurora was raised to be butchered, but instead she is now a beloved family member,” said Fleur Dawes, communications director at In Defense of Animals.
Aurora was one of 26 dogs rescued from a dog meat farm in Miryang, a city in South Gyeongsang Province, in April 2023. She turned out to be pregnant with four puppies and gave birth soon afterward, but while the puppies were adopted relatively quickly, Aurora was overlooked until now.
Aurora now has a new family in San Francisco’s Japantown with Natasha, her boyfriend, and Solo, a Husky.
“I was aware of the recent ban in Korea, but had I not known about Jindo Love Rescue, I wouldn’t have known that slaughterhouses were still operating. I’m also really excited for what this will do for both dogs,” Natasha told The Voice. “One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to go forward with adoption is that my dog really needs another dog. I feel like the support from another dog will be so beneficial for both Aurora and for Solo.”
“I have been following Aurora’s journey, so it was a real honor to be there to greet her on her arrival in San Francisco and talk with Natasha,” Michael Angelo Torres, chair of San Francisco’s Animal Control and Welfare Commission and Bay Area Campaigner for In Defense of Animals, told The Voice. “It was incredibly moving to see them meet, and I look forward to updates about Aurora’s wonderful new life in San Francisco.”
“Aurora was raised to be butchered, but instead she is now a beloved family member,” said Fleur Dawes, Communications Director at In Defense of Animals. “With South Korea’s historic dog meat ban phasing in, half a million dogs are still trapped on farms. We are working urgently to save as many as possible before the 2030 deadline.”
“We had no idea Aurora was pregnant when we saved her,” said Patti Kim, president of Jindo Love Rescue. “She nurtured her puppies until they were adopted, then waited patiently herself for two long years. We are overjoyed that Aurora is finally home. She is a gentle, shy soul who deserves nothing but love and happiness.”
To find out more about adopting a dog meat survivor visit In Defense of Animals.