Moran Market is South Korea’s largest dog meat market. It supplies one third of all the dog meat consumed in the country, selling an estimated 80,000 dogs—dead or alive—each year.

Now, we welcome an incredible announcement: It’s shutting down.

According to The Korea Herald, all 22 dog meat vendors will start removing slaughter facilities and dog cages next week and will completely move them out by early May.

Seongnam City has agreed to provide financial support for them to refurbish their shops for new businesses—a model very similar to the one HSI has been using to transition dog meat farmers out of the trade.

Although we were not involved in this particular decision, it is clear proof that our model is succeeding and being considered and adopted by government officials as they work to strengthen South Korea’s commitment to safeguarding animals from cruelty. Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, quoting Mahatma Gandhi, told The Korea Herald: “Seongnam City will take the initiative to transform South Korea’s image since ‘the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’”

To date, HSI has closed five dog meat farms and rescued and transported 572 dogs to the United States and Canada to be placed in loving new homes. Our team has also been working to change the perception of “meat dogs” as being somehow different from “pet dogs.” Our many happy adoption stories demonstrate to South Korea—where companion animal ownership is rising rapidly—that this is not the case.

Our ultimate goal is a ban on the dog meat trade, and our strategy is to create the right political and societal circumstances to make this possible.

Today, we’re celebrating a remarkable step forward.