Animal welfare campaigners have lifted the lid on a dog auction house in South Korea.
Lady Freethinker infiltrated the dog farm in the Asian country and found loads of pooches locked up in small cages before they're sold for their meat.
An investigator went undercover at the Nakwon Auction House, in the city of Namyangju, which is likely the largest remaining dog meat auction in the country.
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The auction house is advertised as a 'dog breeding facility', however Lady Freethinker has labelled it an 'auction house of horrors'.
There were more than 200 dogs found at the market and up to three or four were seen crammed inside a small metal crate or cage together.
Nina Jackel, founder and president of Lady Freethinker, said in a statement: "It's shocking to see these large-scale dog meat auctions still taking place.
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Dogs suffer immensely in inhumane conditions as they're raised for meat and when they're slaughtered. The majority of Koreans do not eat dog meat, and we urge the South Korean government to end this cruel and outdated trade for good."
The dogs are sold off during the summer months in a period that's known as boknal - which are the three hottest days of the year.
The meat from the dogs is said to produce a 'cooling effect' on the body, according to Lady Freethinker, and that's why some South Koreans eat it. It's worth noting the meat doesn't do anything in the way of reducing someone's temperature.
Lady Freethinker added: "The crowd of buyers were purchasing both smaller dogs for consumption and larger breeding dogs, fated to birth the next generation of innocent pups tormented and slaughtered for the cruel meat trade.
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"South Korea remains the only country in the world with large-scale, commercial dog meat farms. The trade exists in a legal gray area, but is not explicitly outlawed. Consumer demand is on the decline, however, as younger generations view dogs as family members, not food."
Campaigners have been working for years to get the practice outlawed in the country, however there are still some strong traditional views towards it.
Despite a 2018 survey revealed a whopping 70 per cent of South Koreans wouldn't eat dog meat in the future, the government won't outlaw the practice of breeding dogs for their meat.
Featured Image Credit: Lady Freethinker