Dear organizers, First of all I would like to thank you for doing this
important job. I am from South Korea and living in the
Netherlands now. I
want to add some comments to one of your legal actions,
which is 'Stop
the dog meat trade in Korea'. Do you think banning
dog meat in Korea will help the situation of those animals?
Do you think showing horrible pictures of those animal's
suffering will change people's opinions about animal's
rights? I am afraid those pictures make viewers hate
all Korean people because I saw a lot of comments on
the internet with racial hate toward Koreans. Only less
than 10% of all Koreans are eating dogs according to
the research (3 millions out of 47 millions). Korean's
diet is mainly vegetable not meat. Korea's geological
condition is not so suitable for farming huge number
of animals (70% of country is mountains).
So far it may sound that I am defending Korean's custom
of dog eating but that is not a reason for writing this
letter. I truly think banning dog meat trade will not
help the situation of those animals in Korea. I am afraid
it will increase even more black markets of dog trade
and brutal killing of those animals. Strong punishment
or strict law can't solve this. Whether or not you can
or should eat dog meat is a fundamental
question about human diet.
I myself, who has never eaten dog or cat meat, am against
eating those animals in an emotional way.
However I don't believe those Koreans, who
see dogs and cats as food, will listen to
others (especially westerners) who have
also two morals in their way of living.
For example, Western people are eating much
more meat in daily life than Korean people
and a lot of western people think having
pets is the best way of loving animals.
Most Korean people truly agree that brutal
killing of dogs and cats should stop. Even
though law has forbid it since early 1990,
it sometimes happens still illegally. However
it takes time. Some Koreans think the way
of butchering dogs by hanging and beating
to death makes the meat more tender and
tastier. I advice people to persuade the
Korean government to do a better job on
stopping this illegal and brutal butchery.
In most cases, dogs (not pets) are raised
in farms and killed by electrocution just
as cows and pigs. This is more civilized
than some French people who make 'foie gras',
using pipes
to force food into the throats of geese
to make their livers bigger and tastier.
Another issue that I would like to mention here is
that many people in Korea are starting to think they
need pets in order to show their love for animals because
of the influence of western life style. Korean people
were not familiar with the idea of having pets in their
history.
But now, the pet industry is dramatically increasing
in South Korea. Having a pet is not the right way of loving animals.
I think it is human selfishness using other species
as their companions. I myself have a cat at home, which
I bought from a animal shelter but sometimes I feel
guilty that a lot of animals are being killed in order
to feed my pet.
Coming back to the issue about 'stop the dog meat trade
in Korea', I want you to consider what the main purpose
is of this legal action and what the consequences are
of supporting other organizations of animals rights
that are not helping animal's situations the best way.
Showing too much violent images of animal suffering
makes people contempt other nations and it increases
the gap between cultures. Those organizations should
more focus on educating about fundamental meaning of
animal rights like your organization is doing. That
is why I am writing this to you.
I hope my opinion can be heard and is helpful for your organization. (name and address known to Animal Freedom)
"Food dogs" are not pets and they have no names. They
are bred in farms, just like pigs, beefs, lambs, chicken
and other animals. They are probably bred in cages, which
may be cruel but is common in farms anywhere in the world.
They are put down "humanely" just like any other animal
used for food, usually by slitting the throat and beeding
the animal until it passes out. This
series of photos shows the process involved in
preparing a dog for dinner, from slautering to cutting-up,
eviscerating, be-boning, sausage-making, cooking
and of course eating!
This is in response to the William Saletan article "Wok
the Dog" on Slade
by Bruce Krider.
I am saddened by his indifferent attitude about dogs.
Whether they are "man's best friend" or
not they deserve enough recognition for their nature
to be spared as a meal. Maybe it takes having had a
dog as a family pet to see some of these things.
Dogs exhibit some of the best ideals and characteristics
humans aspire to but often fail. Let's talk about "self-sacrifice
and loyalty". As an example, my dog, Bella, a
five year old German Shepperd, would, unequivocably
and instantly I am totally confident sacrifice her
own life in defense of anyone in the family or even
in defense of those she knows as friends not giving
a thought to her own welfare. How many humans would
do that?
Dogs are sentient creatures. They have emotions and
feelings. They are not like snails or reptiles or even
cows…. Anyone who has had a dog can tell you that.
They display great happiness when you come home. Even
if everyone else is annoyed at me or if I have had
a terribly trying day, there is Bella, waging her tail
and barking to greet me, as if to say "Geez, I'm
really glad to see you. You make me happy." Those
of you with dog pets know this. Similarly, their feelings
are hurt when they are scolded. Crows, horses and pigs
don't do that. Dogs respond with unfettered unconditional
affection when it is shown to them. And, yes, they
experience, high anxiety and fear when some Korean,
Cambodian, Vietnamese or Chinese is bashing their head
in, skinning them alive or boiling them.
I am not for a minute dismissing the inhumane treatment
of all animals but on behalf of the dog, the species
that works with man in police work, the military, hospitals
and medicine, companion care, and as rescuers of humans,
I do not understand how people can literally be so
satanic to them. In the U.S., people get prison terms
for what the Asians do to dogs. We obviously value
them as a nation and as do most Europeans.
Unfortunately, I agree with a Korean writer who says
that our attitude and criticism alone won't help change
behavior. I think the only way to solve this is to
continue to bring light to the subject and work with
companies internationally to avoid working with those
countries that permit or endorse heinous behavior and
cruelty. We must get to the corporate conscience of
leading companies.
Melanie Joy writes about carnism. Carnism is the invisible belief system, or ideology, that conditions people to eat certain animals. Carnism is essentially the opposite of veganism; "carn" means "flesh" or "of the flesh" and "ism" denotes a belief system. Most people view eating animals as a given, rather than a choice; in meat-eating cultures around the world people typically don't think about why they find the flesh of some animals disgusting and the flesh of other animals appetizing, or why they eat any animals at all. But when eating animals is not a necessity for survival, as is the case in much of the world today, it is a choice - and choices always stem from beliefs. Introduction to Carnism (bol.com). Some we love, some we hate, some we eat (bol.com).