Operation 1M: Rural Korea, in partnership with SPCA International

We didn’t have to look far to find dogs in desperate need.

Operation 1M was born out of the 2025 Andong wildfires. While responding to burned and displaced animals, our team witnessed something equally heartbreaking: how many rural dogs were already living in unimaginable conditions before the fires ever started. Dogs tied to 3-foot chains. Dogs confined to cages for life. Dogs forgotten.

This quarter, made possible through our partnership with SPCA International, we took action across three regions in South Korea.

Across Gyeonggi, Andong, and Chungju, our team completed the following:

• 167 spay/neuter surgeries
• 29 weatherproof dog houses installed, each with pulley-line systems and co-branded KK9 and SPCA International signage
• Full veterinary care for every dog, including deworming, heartworm testing, vaccinations, and microchipping

Total Q1 program expenses came in at $31,617, with KK9 operating funds covering costs beyond the initial grant installment.

In one rural neighborhood alone, we found 51 dogs living on short chains or confined to tiny cages, with little shelter, no medical care, and generations of uncontrolled breeding. Mothers, fathers, and puppies were suffering together.

In February, we met an elderly couple trying to care for 16 caged dogs, many suffering from severe skin disease. After multiple visits, patient conversations, and trust building, they agreed to let us help.

All 51 dogs were transported to our center. 48 were successfully spayed and neutered. 8 were relinquished into our direct care, including a small white dog suffering from severe neglect and untreated medical issues, and a mother with her puppies from a nearby farm. Three dogs were too sick for immediate surgery and recovered at our center before undergoing procedures.

This work is not easy. It requires cultural sensitivity, repeated conversations, patience, and deep respect for owners who are often elderly, overwhelmed, or lacking resources. Most refuse relinquishment, and we respect that, continuing to provide education and care where possible.

But sometimes, a door opens.

Operation 1M is about more than surgeries and dog houses. It is about education, partnership, and giving rural dogs something many have never known: safety, dignity, and a future.

The spay and neuter surgeries, medical treatment, transportation, housing, and rehabilitation of these dogs are only possible because of our community.

If you believe no dog should spend their life on a chain or in a cage, please consider supporting Operation 1M through our current fundraiser.

Every donation helps us:

• Provide emergency medical care
• Fund spay and neuter campaigns
• Offer humane shelter and rehabilitation
• Continue education efforts in rural communities

Together, we will keep going until no dog has to live this way.

💚 Donate today and help change the next life.