AFTER THE FIRE: SEVEN SURVIVORS FROM ANDONG

Content warning: This post includes images and descriptions of animal suffering.
Last month, a wildfire tore through a dog meat farm in Andong, South Korea. Over 700 dogs died. Only seven survived.
Last week, Gina, KK9R Director and Vicky, our Rescue Manager, traveled to South Korea to see the aftermath firsthand. They visited Mapo-gu Emergency Hospital in Seoul, where one of the survivors—a female Tosa named Guwon—is being treated for second-degree burns across her face and body. She was found beside the remains of the dogs who didn’t make it. Her condition is serious. So is what it represents.
This wasn’t just a fire. It was the result of an industry that still cages dogs in silence, even as the country moves to shut it down. Farms like this one still exist. Dogs like Guwon are still inside.
What happened in Andong isn’t isolated—and the only reason any of these seven dogs made it out is because people refused to look away.

The response to this tragedy has been led by people on the ground who refused to give up.
Guwon—and the six other surviving Tosas—are alive today thanks to:
The tireless efforts of our Korean team (@kk9r.kr)
The on-the-ground coordination and care provided by Lucy’s Friends
And the ongoing support and compassion from Humane World for Animals (formerly HSI)
Next month, all seven dogs will be flown to the U.S. to begin the next phase of their recovery.

These dogs are going to need time, structure, medical care, and patient fosters. They’ve experienced severe trauma. We don’t expect quick fixes, but we’re ready to walk them through it—step by step.
We’re preparing now to welcome them and give them a safe space to start over. We’ll be sharing updates as they arrive.

If you’ve been following this story and wondering how to contribute—this is the moment.
• Support their recovery with a donation
• Open your home as a foster
• Share their story to help push the industry further into the light

These seven dogs made it out. Most didn’t.
We’re carrying their memory forward—through the ones who survived.