Animal activists and organizations around the world have been working tirelessly for years to put an end to the dog meat trade. The torturous and brutal practice of dog slaughter was brought to light with the emergence of the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China.
The realities of the dog meat trade are harsh, but impassioned animal lovers are finally being heard. From petitions that have circulated the internet and gained millions of signatures to rescue groups that are shutting down dog meat farms, thousands of dogs are being saved from this cruel fate every year.
This is why new laws and movements that ban this horrific practice are so encouraging. And now, more progress has been made: Moran Market, South Korea’s largest dog meat market, has banned the slaughter and butchering of dogs.
Twenty-two dog meat vendors, who also sell other goods, will be given financial support to compensate for not being able to sell the meat, as well as help them find another means of income.
An article by BBC states:
“Moran Market supplies one-third of the dog meat consumed in South Korea, and locals and welfare groups have long complained at the sight of dogs being slaughtered on the spot, often using brutal methods.”
Mayor Lee Jae-myung of Seongnam says that the ban is an effort to improve the reputation of the city and South Korea as a whole. According to BBC, he quoted Ghandi, saying:
“Seongnam City will take the initiative to transform South Korea’s image since ‘the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.'”
The Korean Animal Welfare Association is understandably pleased with the ban, but they’re skeptical as to whether it will be enforced.
“We will have to constantly monitor dog meat shops in the market to see if they really stop slaughtering dogs, and the city government will also need to keep pushing the idea to ultimately ban the sales of dog meat here,” association official Jang In-young said in the BBC story.
The article also states:
“[Dog meat] consumption has declined sharply in recent years, with the same period seeing a large rise in pet ownership.”
We’d bet anything that the number of animal lovers worldwide far outweighs those who treat animals cruelly. It’s exciting to know that our voices are being heard, and as the demand for dog meat decreases, so will the number of dog meat farms. We still have a ways to go, but we’re making progress. Activists will not stop until this practice is abolished altogether!
(h/t: BBC)
