Operation 1M: 51 Dogs Rescued, 48 Spay/Neuters Completed
A little over 30 days ago, Team Korean K9 Rescue launched our 2026 Operation 1M mission
We didn’t have to look far to find dogs in desperate need.
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.
Operation 1M was born after the devastating Andong wildfires in 2025. While responding to burned and displaced animals, our team witnessed something equally heartbreaking: how many rural dogs were already living in unimaginable conditions. Dogs tied to 3-foot chains. Dogs confined to cages for life. Dogs forgotten.
This 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.
Yesterday, all 51 dogs were transported to our center.
They are now receiving:
• Medical exams and treatment
• Spay and neuter surgery
• Vaccinations and microchips
• Heartworm, flea, and tick prevention
• Nutritious food
• Warm, humane housing
During this field work, 8 dogs 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 are now recovering at our center before undergoing procedures.
In total, 48 dogs were successfully spayed and neutered during this campaign, thanks to our veterinary partners and the Gyeonggi Veterinary Association.
This work is not easy.
It requires cultural sensitivity. Repeated conversations. Patience. Respect for owners who are often elderly, overwhelmed, or lacking resources. Most refuse relinquishment, and we respect that while continuing to provide education and care where possible.
But sometimes, a door opens.
And when it does, lives change.
Operation 1M, made possible by SPCA International, is about education, partnership, and giving rural dogs something many have never known: safety, dignity, and a future.
Our next campaign is scheduled for April — and we are just getting started.
how you can support operation 1m
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.
Jindo journey is back for 2026
Starting March 1, 2026, we’re thrilled to announce that our Jindo Journey Training Stipend Program is officially returning.
After an incredible response in 2025, we’re bringing it back to help even more adopters build strong, confident relationships with their dogs through professional training support.
Thanks to a generous donor who believes deeply in long-term success for rescue dogs, eligible adopters can now receive a $300 training stipend toward an approved training package.
That’s two sessions fully covered.
who is eligible
The Jindo Journey stipend is available to:
• Adopters in NYC
• New Jersey*
• Long Island*
• Westchester*
(*subject to exact location and proximity to an approved trainer)
Jindo mixes over 25 lbs
Locally rescued dogs
**This stipend applies only to dogs adopted directly through Korean K9 Rescue (KK9R) and is not transferable to dogs adopted through other organizations.**
All stipends are granted at the discretion of the Korean K9 Rescue team.
why training matters
Jindo mixes are intelligent, loyal, and deeply bonded dogs. With structure and guidance, they truly thrive.
The Jindo Journey program helps adopters:
• Build confidence and communication
• Strengthen leash skills and recall
• Navigate transition periods
• Set up long-term success at home
In 2025, we watched so many adopters and dogs grow together through this program. It wasn’t just about sessions. It was about trust, stability, and setting both dog and human up for success.
We can’t wait to see even more happy endings in 2026.
important details
• $300 stipend applied toward an approved training package
• Paid directly to the assigned trainer
• Valid March 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026
• First come, first serve
• Available until funding runs out
• Cannot be applied retroactively to adoptions outside the eligibility timeframe
thank you to our generous donor
This program would not be possible without the generosity of a dedicated donor who believes in giving rescue dogs the best possible foundation for life.
Because of this support, we are able to invest not just in rescue, but in long-term success.
We’re deeply grateful.
Korean K9 Rescue reserves the right to modify, adjust, suspend, or rescind the Jindo Journey Training Stipend at any time and without prior notice based on the availability of funds, changes in program criteria, or other determining factors at our discretion.
The Jindo Journey Training Stipend is a one-time benefit available only to dogs adopted directly through Korean K9 Rescue. The stipend applies solely to eligible training initiated on or after March 1, 2026. Training expenses incurred prior to this date are not eligible for reimbursement.
This program is valid beginning March 1, 2026 and will remain available until allocated funds are depleted.
We are committed to using our resources responsibly to support as many dogs and adopters as possible and appreciate your understanding that program adjustments may be necessary to best serve our community’s needs.
Korean K9 Rescue Awarded $100,000 Grant to Expand Operation 1M in 2026
We’re proud to share that Korean K9 Rescue has been awarded a $100,000 Shelter Support Program grant from SPCA International to expand Operation 1M in South Korea in 2026.
Operation 1M was created to address a largely unseen crisis affecting rural dogs across South Korea — dogs living tethered on short chains, with little protection from the elements, limited veterinary care, and no access to preventive services. While these conditions are often overlooked, they represent one of the most widespread and preventable forms of long-term suffering.
Through Operation 1M, fixed chains are replaced with humane pulley-style long-line systems, durable and weatherproof doghouses are installed, and dogs receive free spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and essential medical care. The program focuses on prevention, sustainability, and accountability, ensuring that each intervention creates lasting change.
With the support of this grant, Korean K9 Rescue intends to scale Operation 1M in 2026, working toward 500 rural sterilizations and the installation of 200 insulated shelters equipped with humane tether systems.
“This grant allows us to scale sustainable change and improve the lives of so many rural dogs suffering on short chains with no protection,” said Gina Kim-Sadiku, Executive Director of Korean K9 Rescue. “Operation 1M is not just about providing shelter — it’s about preventing suffering at its source through sterilization, education, and long-term community engagement.”
The urgency behind Operation 1M became clear following wildfire rescue operations in Andong earlier this year, when our teams encountered widespread neglect well beyond emergency zones. What began as a disaster response quickly revealed a deeper, systemic issue — one that required long-term intervention rather than temporary relief.
In 2025, Korean K9 Rescue sterilized more than 160 dogs and installed 75 doghouses through the early stages of Operation 1M. With this new funding, the program will continue to expand through field installations, spay and neuter clinics, and follow-up visits to ensure humane care is sustained over time.
“This is what real change looks like — one dog, one home, one meter at a time,” Kim-Sadiku added.
Founded in 2017, Korean K9 Rescue operates across South Korea to rescue dogs from the dog meat trade, puppy mills, high-kill shelters, and extreme neglect, while advancing humane reform through prevention and education.
We are deeply grateful to SPCA International for their partnership and belief in this work, and to our community for helping make Operation 1M possible. The work continues — and we’re just getting started.
Pyeongtaek Mommy and Son: From Years on the Streets to Safety
This was our last rescue mission of the year, and it happened on Christmas Day.
For years, two dogs survived on the streets of Pyeongtaek because two people refused to give up on them. Elise and Tom, Americans living nearby, fed them every single day. They watched over them through the seasons. And as time passed, they worried constantly as both dogs began to suffer.
The mother was living with a painful vaginal prolapse. Her son later injured his leg and could no longer bear weight. Both dogs were declining, and without intervention, their future was terrifyingly uncertain.
After reaching out everywhere for help, Elise and Tom contacted us.
This rescue was not just about saving two dogs. It was about honoring the people who cared for them quietly, patiently, and selflessly for years, and making sure their worry finally turned into relief.
Nova and noah
Named by their feeders and finders, Elise and Tom, these two have already been through more than any dog should.
Nova, the mom, appears to have been owned before. She is gentle, calm, and trusting. Just one day after rescue, she underwent successful surgery for a uterine prolapse and was safely spayed. She is healing well and finally comfortable.
Noah’s case was much harder. Our veterinarians believe he was hit by a car months ago, leaving his pelvis and hip badly damaged. He lived in constant pain and could not bear weight, and even gentle human contact hurt.
Our orthopedic vet performed an FHNO surgery to preserve his leg. There was extensive damage, but the most important goal was giving Noah a pain-free life. The surgery was successful, and we are hopeful he will continue to improve day by day and eventually bear full weight.
what comes next
Recovery will be long for both Nova and Noah.
They are now safe, cared for, and surrounded by love at our Bundang center. For the first time, they are being seen not as street dogs, but as lives that matter.
We are deeply grateful to Elise and Tom for never looking away, and to our incredible community for stepping up to support their care.
If you are able, please consider becoming a monthly donor. Monthly support is one of the most meaningful ways to help long-stay and special-needs dogs like Nova and Noah receive the care they need for as long as it takes.
The road ahead is long, but it will be worth it.
Christmas in Bundang: the dogs who stay
Every December, we share a glimpse into life at our rescue center and sanctuary in Bundang, South Korea.
This year, we did something different.
Christmas in Bundang: The Dogs Who Stay is not about transition or adoption journeys. It is about the dogs for whom Bundang is not a stepping stone, but a lifelong home. Our seniors. Our disabled dogs. Those who need ongoing medical care, behavioral support, or simply the safety of consistency for the rest of their lives.
For these dogs, Bundang is where mornings begin the same way every day. Where routines are familiar. Where caregivers know every preference, every fear, every quiet joy. It is where dignity is protected, and where love is not conditional on outcome.
This is their world.
The heart of bundang
Our Bundang Center is led by Ms. Kim Hyun-You, President of the KK9R Bundang Center, alongside an extraordinary team of caregivers and trainers who work around the clock. They are there 24/7, providing stability and compassion to dogs who have known profound neglect, trauma, or loss.
We could not do this work without them.
Bundang exists for dogs who may never leave. Dogs who are too old, too fragile, too sick, or too afraid to start over somewhere new. While many dogs pass through our care on their way to families, some stay forever. And that is not a failure of the system. It is the reason Bundang exists.
Terry
Terry is a Boston Terrier rescued from one of the worst illegal puppy mills in Busan. Years without medical care caused her to lose her sight. She is believed to be eight or nine years old.
Despite everything, Terry is warm-hearted, affectionate, and trusting. She moves through the world with confidence guided not by vision, but by memory, scent, and love. She enjoys her meals, roams the center with her friends, gives endless kisses, and reminds us daily what resilience looks like.
Terry still has many years ahead of her. While Bundang will always be a safe home for her, we still hope her story reaches someone who can offer her a family of her own.
Taeyang
For eight years, Taeyang lived confined inside a small box on the side of a rural road.
When he was rescued in 2023, his body had weakened so severely that he could barely walk. He was already old, and he had endured more than anyone ever should.
Today, Taeyang is gentle, calm, and steady. He spends his days resting in warm corners, moving at his own pace, and offering a quiet presence to everyone around him. He holds no resentment toward people, only softness.
Taeyang is believed to be about ten years old and is the oldest dog at our Bundang center. He is not waiting for adoption. Bundang is his family, and it is where he will live out his remaining days in comfort and peace.
Orr
For nearly ten years, Orr lived tied outside the gates of the largest puppy mill in Korea, known as Mars. While 1,427 breeding dogs were trapped inside, Orr was left outdoors to guard the facility. Forgotten, even as the place itself became infamous.
Today, Orr is an elderly Jindo living safely at Bundang. He is calm, social, and deeply gentle. Indoors, he loves to rest and quietly ask for affection. Outdoors, he surprises everyone with bursts of joy and playful energy.
Despite his large, imposing presence, Orr is exceptionally kind, especially with people and small puppies. Under the care and training of Choi Joo Won, his life is now defined by peace instead of duty.
Bundang is home to dogs like Orr. Dogs who were used, neglected, or forgotten, and who deserve safety and respect for the rest of their lives.
olivia
Olivia was rescued in 2023 from an animal hoarding case in Gyeonggi Province. Around twenty animals were found living in severe neglect, suffering from skin disease caused by years of indiscriminate breeding. They were called “zombie dogs” when discovered. What they truly were were lives abandoned by humanity.
Olivia is seven years old. When she arrived at Bundang with her siblings, she was frightened, unsure, and lacked basic social skills. Healing took time. So did trust.
Today, Olivia is lively, expressive, and affectionate. She loves people, shows her emotions openly, and carries her soft, dandelion-like fur with confidence. While Olivia is now ready to meet a family of her own, some of her siblings are still healing and learning what safety feels like.
Bundang exists for dogs at every stage of this journey. For those preparing for a second life, and for those who need as much time as it takes.
dave
Dave the Beagle was rescued from the same illegal puppy mill as Terry. Years of neglect left him with heart disease, a tumor, and an anal prolapse. Through surgery, treatment, and time, Dave recovered far beyond what anyone expected.
Today, Dave lives at Bundang, which serves as both a rehabilitation center and a nursing home. It is where he feels safe and unhurried.
Estimated to be about ten years old, Dave is a senior dog with the heart of a puppy. He loves rolling onto his back against cushions, wandering quietly, watching people, and enjoying simple comforts. While he has not yet found a family of his own, we still hold hope that a miracle may be waiting for him.
shushu
Shushu has lived at our Bundang center for as long as we can remember.
She has cerebral atrophy, a neurological condition that affects balance, coordination, and mobility. She cannot stand on her own, but she is far from confined. With her custom-built wheelchair, Shushu moves freely through the center, choosing where to go, what to observe, and where to rest.
Since her rescue three years ago, Shushu has remained happy and healthy thanks to the dedication of our staff and volunteers. Like many dogs at Bundang, she may never be adopted. The people here are her family, and Bundang is her home.
sunny
Sunny is a ten-year-old senior rescued from the Andong wildfire disaster site. When she was found, she was in critical condition. Parasites had severely damaged her eyes, and despite extensive care, she lost her vision entirely.
Sunny arrived blind, sick, and elderly. And still, she chose life.
Today, Sunny navigates the world with confidence. She follows scents, recognizes familiar voices, and comes running when called, especially if food is involved. Under the care of her dedicated trainer, Choi Joo Won, Sunny continues to adapt and enjoy life in her own way.
Sunny’s story also inspired Liberation 1M, our initiative focused on improving conditions for rural and yard dogs through spay and neuter, deworming, and long-term systemic change. Because of her, 160 dogs in rural Andong have already received critical veterinary care.
how you can help
Our Bundang Center runs entirely on donations and monthly sponsorships.
The dogs who stay rely on us for lifelong care, medical treatment, rehabilitation, and daily dignity. If their stories moved you, please consider becoming a monthly sponsor or making a one-time donation to support their lives.
Standing with the dogs who stay means choosing compassion without conditions. It means honoring lives that the world once overlooked. And it means ensuring that Bundang remains a place of safety, peace, and love for as long as these dogs need it.
Thank you for standing with them.
