The tattooed reality star once known for The Only Way Is Essex drama, Pete Wicks, has shared the deeply personal, harrowing secret mission that completely shattered his old identity and redefined his purpose. It wasn’t fame or fortune that changed him; it was the silent, desperate cries of over 170 dogs destined for a brutal end on a South Korean meat farm.
In a powerful, emotional account, Pete Wicks opens up about the humanitarian project that became the biggest turning point of his life. He wasn’t just observing; he was on the ground, witnessing cruelty that he admits “breaks you and changes you forever.”
The Silence and the Cages: Confronting Unthinkable Cruelty
Pete Wicks, who has always maintained a public persona of toughness, teamed up with Humane Society International (HSI) for a covert, life-changing mission: to permanently shut down a commercial dog meat farm in South Korea. The mission was not just about rescue; it was about tearing down a brutal, hidden market practice.
“Nothing can prepare you for that sight,” Pete admitted, recalling his first steps onto the farm. “It was row after row of wire cages, filled with dogs who had never touched grass, never felt kindness. And the smell… the fear was palpable.”
The most profound moment for the reality star was the lack of sound. These dogs, raised solely for consumption in abysmal conditions, had been silenced by terror.
“It was there, surrounded by cages and silence, that I said I truly ‘heard the dogs cry.’” Pete explained. “It wasn’t barking; it was a deeper sound—a sound of despair and survival. You look into their eyes, and you realize they’re terrified, but they still have hope. It breaks you.”
The scale of the operation was staggering. The mission successfully rescued over 170 dogs, spanning various breeds—from tiny, trembling Jindo mixes to larger mastiffs—all of whom were destined for slaughter. Their escape represented a second chance at life, preparing them for a long journey to new, loving homes across the UK, the US, and Canada.
From ‘Bad Boy’ to Advocate: A New Purpose is Born
Pete’s journey from TOWIE‘s ‘Bad Boy’ to a passionate animal welfare advocate is one of the most remarkable transformations in British television. For years, he was defined by dramatic relationships and fiery confrontations. But the rescue mission provided a painful, necessary realignment of his moral compass.
“You can’t go back to normal after that,” he shared. “When you’ve held a dog that’s never known kindness, that’s never had a friendly hand, you understand what truly matters in this life—and what definitely doesn’t.”
The experience immediately informed his subsequent career choices. Pete hasn’t just talked the talk; he’s walked the walk, dedicating himself to various canine rescue initiatives. His high-profile work with Dogs Trust, chronicled in his own popular docu-series, is a direct result of that moment of clarity on the farm in South Korea. He uses his celebrity platform not for self-promotion, but as a megaphone for the voiceless.
“I used to think success was about TV, money, attention,” Pete reflected honestly. “But hearing those dogs cry—and realizing I could actually help, truly help—that was real success. That was the moment I found something worth fighting for.”
The Unseen Wounds: The Long Road to Healing
The dogs rescued were not just physically saved; they needed extensive psychological rehabilitation. Many were too terrified to be touched, having never known human warmth. Pete’s mission extended beyond the farm gate; it was about ensuring every one of those 170 souls found peace.
He emphasizes the continuous effort required by organizations like HSI to not only shut down individual farms but to provide sustainable livelihoods for the farmers themselves, helping them transition into more humane lines of work. This holistic approach ensures the cruelty does not simply move to another location.
Today, Pete Wicks is no longer just known for reality TV. He is known for compassion, for his relentless dedication to creatures great and small, and for proving that purpose can emerge from the unlikeliest of places. He didn’t just save 170 dogs; he saved himself, finding a new way to live and showing the world the powerful, transformative nature of empathy.