On the afternoon of July 13, the Animal Rescue 119 Adoption Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, was stifling under a heatwave with temperatures hovering around 35°C (95°F).

The center, operated by the civic group Animal Rescue 119, which rescues lost and abandoned animals, is currently home to 30 stray dogs and cats.

For animals desperately waiting for new families, summer is a cruel season.

They face a series of exhausting days where even air conditioning cannot fully block out the heat.

Indeed, dogs could be seen lying still, panting with their tongues hanging out.

Lim Young-gi, head of Animal Rescue 119, expressed concern, saying, "In this weather, they don't even want to go out on their own. Because they cannot go for walks, they get stressed, which leads them to fight among themselves or just lie there listlessly."

However, the animals here are among the lucky ones.

Dogs facing slaughter ahead of Boknal (the hottest days of summer), dogs tied up without shade in the scorching heat, and stray dogs and cats wandering the streets in search of water and food are standing at a crossroads between life and death.

"Animals wandering during the summer face serious survival issues," Lim said. "This period is especially dangerous as many animals die from diseases exacerbated by the heat and infections from pests like mosquitoes and ticks."

Lim shared footage from a rescue mission at a so-called dog farm last summer, noting that the dogs in the sweltering heat were simply hoping to survive.

"Such dog farms still exist here and there," Lim said, adding, "It is fortunate, however, that dog meat consumption will be banned starting next year, so they are gradually disappearing."

In fact, the number of dog farms has decreased significantly.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of dog farms nationwide dropped from 1,537 in October 2024 to 333 in December 2025, a decrease of nearly 80 percent.

Starting February 7 of next year, the slaughter and breeding of dogs for human consumption will be completely prohibited under the Special Act on the Termination of Dog Meat Consumption.

While summer is a season of survival for dogs waiting for rescue ahead of Boknal, Bosintang (dog meat soup) restaurants are also contemplating their own survival in a different way ahead of the ban.

The Bosintang alley in Jongno, visited just two days before Chobok (the first of the three hottest days of summer), was quiet even during lunchtime.

While a nearby Dak-hanmari (whole chicken soup) restaurant was packed with customers, less than half of the 10 tables at the Bosintang restaurant were occupied.

The second floor was completely closed off due to a lack of customers.

Park (62), the owner of a Bosintang restaurant that has been in his family for four generations, looked distressed, saying that the business is losing money the more he operates it.

"Usually, we have many customers starting from early July, but now, even with Chobok just around the corner when we should have the most customers, this is the situation," he said. "Sales have dropped by 80 percent compared to three years ago."

He continued, "This is a family business that has been running for 100 years, so I cannot just stop. From next year, I will have to do business with only goat meat, but if that doesn't go well, I will have no choice but to close down," his voice trailing off.

Last summer, a bowl of Bosintang at this restaurant cost 18,000 won.

This year, the price has been raised by about 40 percent to 25,000 won.

This is due to supply chain disruptions as the dog meat industry declines, coupled with a decrease in demand.

A customer named Lee (59) met at the restaurant said that he also keeps a dog, but argued that banning it by law is not the solution.

"I come here to eat Bosintang almost every week," he said with a sigh. "It is a dish I have liked since I was young, so it is very disappointing (that it will be banned)."

He emphasized, "The price increase is not the problem; I eat it for my health. Even if it is banned by law, it will surely continue to be traded underground."

Unless they operate illegally, many in the Bosintang industry are expected to switch their business to goat meat.

According to a report released by the Korea Meat Import Association in 2025, 70.7 percent of respondents chose goat meat as an alternative ingredient if dog meat consumption is banned.

(Photo courtesy of Animal Rescue 119, Yonhap News)