Free Korean Dogs' 6th Annual Freedom Walk: A Successful Fundraiser for Rescues

On September 21st and October 5th our community gathered in Vancouver and Toronto respectively for our 6th annual Freedom Walk event, where we were once again in awe of the power of our community raising an incredible (nearly) $27,000 this year. With a slower than usual start, we ended with a bang as donations doubled in the final 2 weeks leading up to our Toronto event. Joined by over 250 attendees, the day was celebrated we celebrated reuniting community members, meeting our on-site vendors, and of course, supporting our cause in solidarity.

It was a bittersweet moment for our team as this would be the last Freedom Walk attended by our Founder and Executive Director, EK Park, before permanently relocating to South Korea where she will devote her time working hands on with our dog meat rescues. Although many of the rescues from our 2018 Dangjin and 2022 Siheung dog meat farm shutdowns have gone on to find their forever homes, 97 remain in Korea where we pay for their shelter, care, and needs. Combined with a few others from collaborative rescues, there are currently over 100 dogs in our care.

The Beneficiaries of The Event

It often seems like the never-ending story of our endeavor to support our dog meat trade rescues. We always say shutting down a dog meat farm is the easy part, and the subsequent operations are where the hard work begins. The reality is that many survivors from dog meat farms often need a lifetime of rehabilitation and may never be candidates for adoption or adapt to life as a companion animal.

Where others would opt for euthanasia, we uphold their right to life and allow them to live their lives on their terms in sanctuary under our “no dog left behind” mandate. Although we went into the endeavor with a full understanding of this lifetime commitment, we in truth expected many more of our dogs to be further along in their rehabilitation journey due to their young age and healthy state at the time of their rescue. Nonetheless, we will continue to withhold our promise to them.

It is our hope that the funds raised from this year’s Freedom Walk will contribute to the seed funding needed to establish a permanent sanctuary for our dogs. Combined with EK’s boots on the ground, this will allow us to have more control over their care and environment, including day to day operations and the ability to spend quality time watching their growth and development.

Moving Forward

Operations in Canada will remain the same, and maintain the same excellence of quality in our programs and operations. Our team will continue to facilitate adoptions for dogs in need and to lend our voice to raise education and awareness in our mission to create a kinder world for our furry friends. 2025 will mark 10 years of operations for Free Korean Dogs, which will be a huge milestone for the entire organization.

In a world that can be filled with so much beauty and harmony, but also tragedy and darkness, many people demand improvement, but few make the effort to seek it themselves. We applaud EK’s selfless devotion to her beliefs and praise her bravery in her relentless quest for change. The world is a better place because of people like her, and we are better people for having crossed paths with her.

Special Thank Yous

With that, we would like to thank all those who made this year’s event such a memorable one.

Thank You Event Coordinators

A big thank you to the people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes which our events would not have been possible without. We are so fortunate to have the help and support of an amazing team who can pull anything off! It’s a pleasure and a privilege to work with the following devoted people who put together such an amazing event. You’ve certainly made the event a memorable one, and continue to raise the bar every year:

Joanna K. (Vancouver)
David W. (Vancouver)
Carmen S. (Vancouver)
Jin N. (Vancouver)
Cody L (Vancouver)
Kevin K (Vancouver)
Albert T (Vancouver)
Derek L. (Toronto)
Diane E. (Toronto)
Raymond B. (Toronto)
Kathy N. (Toronto)
Steve D. (Toronto)
Han C. (Toronto)
Yeseulyi “Suri” K. (Toronto)
Ellie (Toronto)

Thank You Sponsors

An enormous thank you to our sponsors. As dog advocates, we champion products that prioritize the health and well-being of our furry friends. Thank you for not only maintaining your values but leading with those ethical principles in your commitment to put our pets first before all else. We would like to thank the following sponsors for continuing to lend their utmost support without hesitation.

Vancouver & Toronto

Vancouver

Toronto

Thank You Vendors

A special thank you to vendors who put the cherry on top of our day. All of our vendors are independent, small businesses right here in our local communities. They are the heart of our neighborhoods, spine of our local economies, and the spirits of our local communities. Free Korean Dogs feels extremely grateful to have their friendship and support, and hope you will continue to support them and other small businesses whereever possible.

Vancouver

Toronto

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to everyone who shared and donated towards our campaign. Our work is sustained by the generosity of our donors, and our success in making a difference in dogs’ lives are a direct result of your kindness. As cliché as it may sound, every effort matters, and there is no such thing as a small deed. Small acts of kindness add up to create big impacts, which is precisely what led us to this year’s success. Thank you for putting your faith in us, and belief in our cause. Your care and generosity allow us to continue doing what we love and believe in, and we promise to continue giving 110% of our efforts and look forward to making a bigger and better impact. We’re excited to see where the future takes us!