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“Dog meat was eaten from the time of our ancestors, so there is no need to argue whether it’s legal or illegal…because it’s just food.” stated one ignorant South Korean during the ‘celebration’ of Boknal.

How many of these people celebrating their “healthy diet” of dog meat realize that they could be eating meat from a formerly pet dog? Shockingly, it has been uncovered that some so-called “Health Centers” source their dog meat from farms that slaughter pet breeds by smashing their heads in with a hammer, or using an industrial blowtorch to kill them.

Where do these slaughterhouses get these former pets from? Another investigation has found that some city shelters are not operating in the interests of their rescued animals. In the City of Dongducheon, dogs in their shelter “disappeared,” with some animals being traced to dog-meat farms or “adopted” out to breeding farms with similarly inhumane conditions. Animals were also found in this shelter with severe physical or parasitic infections that were left untreated – and the animals were even released to “new owners” without a vetting process – owners who were found to be equally negligent.

Many shelters are kept in deplorable condition, with excrement and animal carcasses being left within the animals’ living spaces.

Figures compiled over the last few years also show that, across the country, there is an alarming rise in the number of animals dying of “natural causes” within these city shelters. Government shelters do not seem to be testing for disease, nor do they employ essential medical treatment. And, now that more and more local government departments have begun to implement a “no-kill” policy (in other words, the animals are not being euthanized), it appears that the percentage of animals allegedly dying from illness or accident has risen significantly.

In short, these are not shelters; some people running them care nothing for the animals but use them to line their pockets as part of a money-making racket, which goes unchallenged in many places.

This has to be stopped. Any animal that needs a “Shelter” must not be neglected or passed on for abuse or worse.

What are the Korean Government or local government officials doing about this? Why are they so neglectful of their duties towards animals in their care?

We want answers, and we want to see change.

Korea Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) Campaign to cease the practice of allowing the unnecessary and slow, torturous deaths of the dogs at South Korea’s animal shelters.

Click HERE to learn more in Korean language.

Photos: Korea Animal Welfare Association (KAWA)’s Campaign to prevent the “Painful Death” at the South Korea’s Animal Shelters. [유기동물] 고통사 방지 활동 ① 유기동물 보호소 ‘자연사’의 비밀 https://www.animals.or.kr/campaign/friend/50638

Sources:

• [유기동물] 고통사 방지 활동 ① 유기동물 보호소 ‘자연사’의 비밀 https://www.animals.or.kr/campaign/friend/50638
• [보고서] 유기동물 고통사 방지 입법화 보고서 https://www.animals.or.kr/report/print/50555
• Natural Deaths of Abandoned Animals in Shelters on the Rise. http://koreabizwire.com/natural-deaths-of-abandoned-animals-in-shelters-on-the-rise/149940
• Dongducheon (Yeoncheon, S. Korea) Animal Shelter’s Bizarre Behavior https://koreandogs.org/dongducheon-yeoncheon-s-korea-animal-shelters-bizarre-behavior/
• South Korea’s Dog Meat Trade: Eating sick dogs and former pet dogs https://koreandogs.org/english-caption-eating-sick-dogs/
• Animal Shelter in Gumi, South Korea. https://www.facebook.com/CAREanimalKorea/posts/1002544783092710