Major Achievements and Changes Led by KAWA

• 2000

  

  Following the defeat of the dog meat legalization bill in 1999, KAWA joined this emerging citizen movement to organize lasting opposition. Since its founding KAWA has steadfastly worked to raise public awareness to end dog meat consumption. This included conducting field surveys of dog farms and slaughterhouses, publishing reports on antibiotic use in farmed dogs, and organizing large-scale citizen rallies. These efforts contributed directly to the enactment of the Special Act to End Dog Meat Consumption.

• 2001 ~ 2010

  

  KAWA expanded social efforts to rescue abandoned or abused animals and help them find new families and lives. In the early 2000s, the term “adoption” faced social pushback when applied to animals, but KAWA normalized its use, which is now universally accepted in Korea. In 2001, KAWA successfully encouraged KBS News to promote animal adoption, marking the first mainstream media promotion of animal adoption.

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  In 2005, together with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), KAWA held Korea’s first “Companion Animal International Conference,” gathering experts domestically and internationally to discuss animal welfare. This event promoted widespread media use of the term “companion animal” replacing “pet,” helping shift public perception.

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  KAWA was the first animal organization in Korea to undertake farm animal welfare investigations starting in 2005 with pigs, followed by collaboration on the 2007 two-part KBS Environmental Special on pigs and chickens. These investigations raised public awareness of factory farming’s harms and suffering, leading major corporations like Pulmuone to commit to distributing 100% cage-free eggs by 2028—demonstrating ongoing leadership in farm animal welfare.

• 2011 ~ 2020

  

  In 2009, KAWA adopted the slogan “From survival shelters to welfare shelters” and improved the standards of care for shelter animals. In 2013, KAWA opened the On Center for dogs, and later for cats in 2022, enabling species-specific and welfare-focused care facilities. These centers serve as models demonstrating that advanced, welfare-oriented shelters are possible and needed in Korean society.

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  KAWA also led the successful confiscation and release of four Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins illegally kept for performance shows, shouldering costs when no other body would. Following this, seven dolphins were released in 2013, 2015, and 2017 through coordinated efforts involving Seoul Grand Park. This momentum helped pave the way for the 2022 legislation banning dolphin shows.

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  Since 2013, KAWA has been active in tackling bear farming, participating in public-private consultative bodies that led to bear neutering programs and an ongoing campaign to end bear farming. In 2020, KAWA rescued 22 bears and relocated them to a wildlife sanctuary managed by TWAS in the U.S., while continuing legislative and negotiation efforts leading to the Wildlife Act amendment which will end bear farming in Korea by December 31, 2025

• 2021 and Beyond

  

  The 2021 case involving retired racehorse “Mariage” raised awareness of retired racehorses’ welfare issues in Korean society. KAWA has pursued related studies, including an equestrian industry survey, and continues policy efforts including breeding limits and traceability systems to build a comprehensive horse welfare framework.

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  In 2023, KAWA established the Animal Academy at Sungkonghoe University, and in 2024 supported launching Korea’s first master’s degree program on “Animal Rights and Society Studies.” The creation of the Korean Institute for Animal Welfare Research further strengthens academic and policy foundations aimed at firmly establishing animal rights and welfare as social priorities.