Nine years ago, Judy walked out of a cage and into her future. Born on a dog meat farm in December 2015, she survived what no dog should ever face and was saved by our courageous South Korean partners at Jindo Love Rescue. At their rescue center, Judy learned to trust and play for the first time, and she even met her first love, a handsome husky named Falken. Their friendship was the spark of a new life. Our Communications Director, Fleur Dawes, tells Judy’s story:

I met Judy while visiting South Korea on behalf of In Defense of Animals to see Jindo Love Rescue’s facilities, including the training school where the most traumatized dogs slowly regain confidence. When it was time to fly home, I escorted four rescued dogs to the U.S. I was worried for them traveling in cargo, but I needn’t have been. They were unloaded safely, as so many dogs have been before and since through our partnership.

I drove south from SFO to Bakersfield to deliver the dogs to their new families. One guardian met us right at the airport. Then it was just me and Judy, and I became her foster. Everyone wanted to meet this unusual, brilliant dog. We shared her story, posted on In Defense of Animals’ social media, and emailed supporters. A lovely couple adopted her, but after a week, they called in tears: Judy had chased a cat, and it was more than they could handle. When she returned, she gave us the first wag we’d ever seen. My husband and I looked at each other and knew that Judy was already home. Becoming her guardians remains one of the best decisions of our lives.

Since then, Judy has made friends everywhere she goes and has quite the “type” — confident, big-hearted dogs who match her bold spirit. She’s danced on beaches from California to Portugal. We first discovered her love of the ocean at Stinson Beach, where she dug and spun with pure joy. Her rescuers later told us she’s from Busan, a city famous for its sandy shores. She never knew those beaches as a puppy, but she is a seaside girl at heart.

Judy has traveled the world: Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, and the U.K. 

We’re fitter, happier, and more connected to our community because of her. It’s well known that dogs enrich our well-being; we feel it every day. She even carried our rings down the aisle as our ring bearer.

Of course, guardianship isn’t always easy. There are veterinary bills, travel planning, and the everyday responsibilities that come with caring for a beloved family member. But the rewards are immeasurable: companionship, laughter, adventure, and a daily reminder that love can overcome the darkest beginnings.

Today, South Korea stands at the threshold of a new era. In January 2024, the National Assembly passed a landmark law to end the dog meat industry after a three-year transition, and full enforcement begins in 2027. Violations will carry prison terms and fines, with government support helping farmers transition and rehome dogs. It’s a hard-won victory driven by brave advocates in Korea and around the world.

Yet this moment is bittersweet. The government estimates that nearly half a million dogs remain on farms as the country prepares for the final phase-out. Each one is a Judy: unique, irreplaceable, and worthy of a full, joyful life.

Thanks to our partnership with Jindo Love Rescue, over 1,200 dogs have already been rescued since 2017, leaving cages behind for couches, beaches, and families. Judy is one of them. Together, we are proving that change is possible and that every single adoption is a life saved.

How You Can Help — Right Now

• Adopt one or two South Korean rescue dogs and give them the loving family they deserve.
  
  
• Foster — even short-term care saves lives and opens space for the next rescue.
  
  
• Sponsor a dog’s care if adoption or fostering isn’t possible.
  
  
• Donate to fuel flights, veterinary care, and transitions off farms.
  
  
• Sign and share our alerts. Your voice moves decision-makers and opens doors for dogs who need a lifeline.

If you can’t give financially today, your signature and shares on our alerts are incredibly powerful. We are deeply grateful for everything you do to defend dogs like Judy.

Why This Matters for All of Us

Caging a living being and robbing them of freedom, joy, and even their body is wrong, no matter the species. Cultures that consume dog meat are not fundamentally different from ours; the truth is hard but simple: there is no ethical difference that justifies loving some animals and killing others. Real compassion asks us to widen our circle and to adopt, foster, sponsor, or choose plant-based meals that spare lives. Every step we take helps people and other animals.

Judy’s story is a promise kept: that rescue leads to recovery, recovery leads to joy, and joy leads to more rescue. Let’s finish what we started. With your help, we can bring the last dogs home.