If you thought that dog meat was bad, try eating it raw. In a move many animal rights activists are applauding as a step towards ending the “brutal” industry of dog consumption in Seoul, South Korea’s capital city will ban restaurants from serving dishes made with dogs this month. The crackdown on eateries that serve menus heavy on canine cuisine comes amid mounting public pressure for compassion toward animals.
The “korean dogs” is a country where eating dog meat is not illegal, but it could soon be banned in Seoul. The move may end the brutal industry and save many lives.
The capital of South Korea may make it illegal to eat dogs. (Photo courtesy of HSI/Jean Chung)
The mayor of Seoul is under mounting pressure to prohibit the consumption of dog meat in the city.
In South Korea, consumption of the controversial meal is declining, but a ban in the capital might be a big step in putting a stop to the practice.
A member of the municipal council has suggested a city-wide measure to make eating the meat illegal and to “foster a dog-friendly society.”
According to reports, the law will be voted on next month, with activists hoping that if it succeeds, it would lead to a countrywide ban.
‘The idea of thinking of dogs as part of the family has already become a global trend,’ says Councillor Yang Min-gyu, who represents the governing Democratic Party.
In Korea, the topic is divisive, with many of those who continue to consume the meat being older and poorer.
Supporters argue that dogs should not be treated any differently from other animals consumed in the nation, and others think that eating dog meat soup would increase stamina and help the body cool down during the hot summer months.
For millennia, dogs have been consumed in South Korea (Picture: Jean Chung)
However, detractors refer to the dog meat industry’s “brutality” and “cruelty.”
‘This proposed measure sends a forceful message to the national government just as its own task committee meets to consider a statewide dog meat ban,’ said Nara Kim, a dog meat campaign manager for Humane Society International/Korea.
‘We believe that a ban in Seoul would open the way for the barbaric dog meat business to be phased out throughout the country, in keeping with public opinion and national and global trends.’
‘We support Seoul city’s proposed measure requiring the mayor to establish a strategy to ban dog meat eating, as well as its express acknowledgement that all dogs are treasured family members who must be safeguarded from the intrinsically cruel dog meat business,’ Nara stated.
‘As the number of people who own pets in South Korea grows, so does our responsibility to safeguard them from cruelty and exploitation.’
Several crates of rescued canines were recovered from a farm (Picture: Jean Chung)
More than six million pet dogs are said to be living in Korean households today.
According to a 2020 opinion study commissioned by the group, roughly 84 percent of South Koreans do not or will not consume dogs, and about 60 percent favor a ban on the trade.
According to study conducted by Nielson Company Korea in 2020, Seoul is estimated to have roughly 440 dog meat eateries.
The national government said in November 2021 that it will form a task team to examine banning dog meat. It is possible that suggestions will be made in April.
At a farm near Hongseong, dogs are kept in cages (Picture: Jean Chung)
President Moon Jae-in recommended that the moment is opportune to explore a ban, prompting the joint declaration by government departments.
In South Korea, where dogs have been eaten for decades, an Animal Protection Law now exists, but it only prohibits the brutal murder of dogs and cats, not the consumption of dogs.
The Humane Society claims to have rescued over 2,500 canines from dog meat farms in South Korea and permanently shuttered 17 of them in collaboration with farmers who wish to exit the ‘dying’ business.
However, it is estimated that up to 1.5 million chickens are produced on hundreds of farms throughout the nation each year and sold to butchers to be electrocuted.
Although dog meat is prohibited in some other Asian nations and several Chinese towns, an estimated 30 million dogs are murdered for meat each year throughout the continent.
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