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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. (Published by KARA)

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This is narrative format of KARA (Korea Animal Rights Advocates)‘s Legal Information Booklet for the ending of dog meat consumption. Click HERE for more info about the KARA’s Legal Information Booklet for the ending of dog meat consumption.

Breeding

Illegal act: Unauthorized processing of food waste fed to dogs in the meat trade
Applicable laws: WASTES CONTROL ACT Article 15-2, Article 25, Section 3.
Violations: Suppliers of food waste and transporters of food waste to dog meat farms are violating this regulation.
Penalties: WASTES CONTROL ACT Article 64, 65. A maximum of 5 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 50,000,000 Korean won ($45K USD).

Illegal act: Food waste fed to dogs in the dog meat trade
Applicable laws: CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK AND FISH FEED ACT Article 14, Section 1 & 2.
Violations: Unauthorized collection of food waste and the act of feeding it to dogs in the meat trade.
Penalties: CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK AND FISH FEED ACT Article 33. A maximum of 3 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of up to 30,000,000 Korean won ($27K USD).

Illegal act: Excrement and resulting environmental damage produced as a by-product of the illegal dog meat farm.
Applicable laws: ACT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LIVESTOCK EXCRETA Article 11.
Violations: The excrement produced at dog meat farms causes environmental damage to the immediate and surrounding area.
Penalties: ACT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND USE OF LIVESTOCK EXCRETA Article 49. A maximum of 2 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 20,000,000 Korean won ($18K USD).

Slaughter

Illegal act: The act of slaughtering of dogs for human consumption.
Applicable laws: ANIMAL PROTECTION ACT Article 8, Section 1, Clause 4.
Violations: The act of the slaughtering of a dog, without justifiable ground – such as out of necessity for veterinary treatment, or in circumstances of immediate threat, harm or damage to human life or property, is a violation.
Penalties: ANIMAL PROTECTION ACT Article 46. A maximum of 1 year of imprisonment, or a maximum fine of 10,000,000 Korean won ($9K USD).

Illegal act: The slaughter of dogs by electrocution
Applicable laws: ANIMAL PROTECTION ACT Article 8, Section 1, Clause 1.
Violations: Inflicting injury or death to any animal by the following means: battery by tools, exposure to drugs, exposure to extreme heat or fire, electrocution, and drowning is subject to legal punishment. Therefore, the routine slaughter of dogs by butchers and farmers by these methods violates the Act. Further, electrocution as a method of slaughter is internationally recognized as an inherently cruel method of slaughter and banned globally.[1]
Penalties: ANIMAL PROTECTION ACT Article 46. A maximum of 1 year of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 10,000,000 Korean won (USD $9K).

Illegal act: Slaughter of dogs from unauthorized slaughterhouse.
Applicable laws:LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS SANITARY CONTROL ACT Article7 Section 1.
Violations: The Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act states that dogs are officially recognized and classified as “animals” that are “prohibited from being slaughtered and distributed as food for human consumption.” Therefore, those vendors operating dog slaughterhouses are operating outside of the parameters of the law and in violation of the law.
Penalties: LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS SANITARY CONTROL ACT Article 45. A maximum of 10 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 100,000,000 Korean won ($90K USD). [2]

Illegal act: Slaughter of dogs for his/her own consumption.
Applicable laws: ANIMAL PROTECTION ACT Article 10
Violations: The Act intends to ensure that no animal is slaughtered in a cruel or revolting manner, and shall be free from unnecessary pain, fear, or stress during the process of slaughter. Therefore, the only humane way of slaughtering dogs would be by euthanasia (lethal injection). All currently practiced slaughter methods by butchers, farmers and traders exclude euthanasia as a method of slaughter. Therefore they are all in breach of this Act.
Penalties: There are currently no penalty provisions for violation of Article 10. However, slaughtering by a cruel method is covered under the Animal Protection Act, Article 8 – which states that violations would be subject to a maximum of 1 year of imprisonment or 10,000,000 Korean won ($9K USD) fine.

Applicable laws: LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS SANITARY CONTROL ACT Article7 Section 1 Clause 2
Violations: According to the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act, the slaughter of animals for their consumption is allowed only for the livestock animals that are publicly announced as classification of livestock in the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act and dogs are not classified here.
Penalties: LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS SANITARY CONTROL ACT Article 45. A maximum of 10 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 100,000,000 Korean won (USD $90K).

Sale

Illegal act: Display and sale of dog carcasses in traditional outdoor markets.
Applicable laws: FOOD SANITATION ACT Article 4, 5.
Violations: * Violation of laws banning the sale of harmful food due to the contamination from the unsanitary and illegal slaughter of the animal and display of the dog carcasses. For example, dog carcasses are routinely contaminated by microorganisms that cause human diseases and food poisoning, leading to severe and life-threatening health complications.

* There are also strict laws that ban the sale of meat from sick animals. Because there is no quality control or proper monitoring of slaughter practices in the dog meat trade, likely, these laws are routinely violated.
Penalties: FOOD SANITATION ACT Article 94. A maximum of 10 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 100,000,000 Korean won ($90K USD).

Illegal act: Dog meat restaurants’ sale of dog meat soup made with dog carcasses from an unknown source.
Applicable laws: FOOD SANITATION ACT Article 44 Section 1 Clause 1 (Effective 8/4/2016).
Violations: Uninspected livestock products must not be transported, stored, displayed, sold or used for manufacturing or processing of food for human consumption.
Penalties: FOOD SANITATION ACT Article 97. A maximum of 3 years of imprisonment or a maximum fine of 30,000,000 Korean won ($27K USD).