Animal Law

"When a man has pity on all living creatures then only is he noble." ~Buddha

Ban on slaughtering animals without justifiable grounds, effective April 27, 2023.

As of April 27, 2023, slaughtering animals without a legal basis has been prohibited by law (the Animal Protection Act). Finally, our long-awaited legal ban on killing dogs for consumption has been established. With the prohibition of dog slaughter, we hope that the eradication of dog meat consumption will soon become a reality.

However, just as the government did not enforce the ban on using dogs as food in the Food Sanitation Act, even with the revised Animal Protection Act, if administrative agencies, investigative agencies, and courts do not fulfill their proper roles in enforcing the revised laws, the reality for the protection of dogs and cats will remain the same.

A period of confusion will continue for a while, but even so, we have secured the prohibition regulations. Unlike the Food Sanitation Act, the Animal Protection Act has a clear legal purpose. Therefore, we must continue our efforts to ensure that the laws are enforced.

Legal basis (revised Animal Protection Act)

[Animal Protection Act] Article 10 (Prohibition of Cruelty to Animals, etc.)

① No one shall commit any of the following acts that kill or cause death to an animal:
(Subparagraphs 1 to 3 omitted) 4. Acts that cause the death of animals without justifiable grounds as prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, such as a direct threat to human life or body or prevention of damage to property.

[Enforcement Rules of the Animal Protection Act] Article 6 (Prohibition of Cruelty to Animals, etc.)

① “Justifiable cause prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs” in Article 10 (1) 4 of the Act refers to any of the following subparagraphs:
1. If there is no other way to prevent a direct threat to human life or body or damage to property
2. If one has received permission or license as prescribed by other laws
3. When it is necessary to carry out orders or disposals related to handling animals in accordance with other laws.

▷ This means that animals can no longer be arbitrarily killed unless there are special circumstances listed in the Enforcement Rules. Violating this rule can result in imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.

(Source: KAWA)

👉 The consumption of dog meat is practically prohibited, but the local governments are not actively enforcing the ban on dog slaughter for food.


Dog-meat Consumption is NOT LEGAL in South Korea! However, the majority of Koreans show a profound indifference to both the law and any moral principles by doing nothing at all to stop the dog-meat trade: dogs are being brutally tortured and eaten as if it were completely legal.

KARA Publishes Legal Information Booklet for the ending of dog meat consumption

Click HERE to learn more.
Click HERE for the narrative format of the below summary.

kara-dog-meat-law_korean

Source:KARA. A summary of the major disparity between the current law on farming dogs for the meat trade - to sale and slaughter for human consumption and what is currently practiced in S. Korea.

Source:KARA. A summary of the major disparity between the current law on farming dogs for the meat trade – to sale and slaughter for human consumption and what is currently practiced in S. Korea.

[1] According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s ‘Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals’ setting forth an internationally accepted standard for humane euthanasia, only the intravenous injection of euthanasia drugs such as Barbital Salt (Pentobarbital) is permitted for the euthanasia of dogs. Other permitted adjunctive methods, outside of intravenous injection of Barbital Salt, are poisoning with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, and gunshot. However, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and gunshot are ordinarily not recommended as euthanasia method. (AVMA Guidelines for the euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition, P. 99 Appendix I – Methods of euthanasia and chemicals) https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Documents/euthanasia.pdf

[2] The fact that dogs are not considered livestock according to the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act doesn’t mean that the slaughter of dogs and distribution and sale of dog meat are protected from legal restrictions. It means that the legal restrictions should be applied and if the regulations under the governing law are violated, violators must be penalized. According to the law, dog slaughter is unauthorized because it is conducted at slaughterhouses that are not permitted, and therefore the maximum penalty under the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act must be applied.

👉 Animal Protection Act
👉 Livestock Industry Act
👉 Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act
👉 Water Quality and Ecosystem Conservation Act
👉 Food Sanitation Act
👉 Control of Livestock and Fish Feed Act
👉 Wastes Control Act
👉 Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases
👉 Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta
👉 Farmland Act
👉 Building Act
👉 Groundwater Act
👉 Sewerage Act
👉 Civil Petitions Treatment Act
👉 Urban Planning Information (You can check the address of dog farms and slaughterhouses for Zoning District and Designation status.)

Seoul Metropolitan City Official Announcement No.94

서울특별시 고시 제94호

영업행위금지대상 및 지역변경고시
Change announcement for prohibition of certain type of businesses and the district

시민에게 혐오감을 주고 도시미관을 저해하는 영업행위를 제한함으로써 국제도시로서의 품위유지와 면모를 갖추기 위하여 식품위생법 제 22조, 동법시행령 제 9조 제 1항 및 동법 시행규칙 제 24조의 규정에 의하여 1983.7.21 고시한 영업행위 금지대상 및 금지지역 (서울 특별시 고시 제 372호)을 다음과 같이 변경 고시한다.
In order to take on an appearance and maintain dignity as an international city through restricting the businesses that cause citizens to become repulsed and hamper the aesthetics of the city, July 21, 1983 announcement for the prohibition of certain type of businesses and the district (Seoul Metropolitan City Official Announcement No. 372) in accordance with the provisions of the Food Sanitation Act Article 22, Food Sanitation Act Enforcement Ordinance Article 9 Item 1 and Food Sanitation Act Enforcement Rule Article 24, will change as follows.

1984. 2. 21
February 21, 1984

서울특별시장
Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan City

가. 금지대상 영업
a. Prohibited Businesses
– 뱀탕, 보신탕, 개소주, 토룡탕, 용봉탕, 굼벵이탕 등 혐오감을 주는 영업
Businesses that sells “Repugnant Foods” which includes Snake Soup, Dog Meat Soup, Dog Soju(Dog Elixir), Earthworm Soup, Terrapin Soup, Cicada Larva Soup, etc.

나. 금지지역 : 서울특별시 전지역
b. Prohibited district: Entire region of the Seoul Metropolitan City

다. 영업금지 시기 : `84. 4. 30부터
c. Business Prohibition Effective: Beginning April 30, 1984

Seoul Metropolitan City Official Announcement No.94 (2/21/1984) bans the sale of dog meat as “repugnant food” but there is absolutely no enforcement!

Current Situation of Korea’s Dog Meat Industry

By Korea Animal Rights Advocates
https://koreandogs.org/info/

Dog Meat In Korea: A Socio-Legal Challenge

By Rakhyun E. Kim
http://www.animallaw.info/journals/jo_pdf/lralvol14_2_201.pdf

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