Frequently Asked Questions
Sharing from People Defending Animals (PDA)
- Why is it ok to eat cattle, pigs, chicken and not ok to eat dogs?
- It’s ok as long as we separate the meat dogs and pet dogs?
- We can legalize dog meat and slaughter humanely?
- Do not interfere with individuals’ taste?
- Dog consumption is our traditional culture?
1. Why is it ok to eat cattle, pigs, chicken and not ok to eat dogs?
Currently, livestock animals such as cattle, pigs, chickens are being raised using factory farming methods. Factory farming fit the animals’ lives into the mold of the factory system completely ignoring what is natural to them causing physical and emotional stress and all kinds of diseases to animals while they are living. Therefore we should not increase the number of animals subjected to this treatment. These factory farming system causes problems for the environment and is a root cause of diseases such as foot and mouth diseases, avian flu, BSE. Switching from these and reducing meat consumption is already a current trend.
2. It’s ok as long as we separate the meat dogs and pet dogs?
Not only are dogs bred and raised on dog farms as meat but the abandoned pet dogs and homeless dogs get distributed as meat to dog meat restaurants all the time. And dogs born on farms can be pet dogs if someone adopts them as a pet. The theory that pet dogs and meat dogs are different is a psychological excuse by people who eat dogs to relieve themselves of guilt.
3. We can legalize dog meat and slaughter humanely?
Because livestock products contain a lot of hazardous bacteria, viruses, parasites, and harmful elements inadequate for consumption as food thorough sanitation management is required for each step of breeding, slaughtering, processing in accordance with a structured system. But the human has been incorporating and using it as food when the benefit is greater than the risk and as South Korean society will be burdened with the cost and time required for scientific research and policy to eliminate these hazardous elements, the discontinuation of dog meat should be examined as a more important project.
4. Do not interfere with individuals’ taste?
Food culture changes with time. We are asking elimination because it’s socially undesirable. Families with pet dogs are growing, recently animal abuse and cruelty are emerging as a social problem. Dog meat consumption which is a notable widespread abuse should be the first one to end.
5. Dog consumption is our traditional culture?
Value system changes. If it is abuse, it must be abolished. Unlike the years when there was a shortage of food, people were suffering from starvation and dogs were eaten unavoidably, obesity and diabetes are becoming social problems due to the abundance of food in today’s society. Continuation of blind belief in health improvement habits is anachronistic.
Dogs lived with humans for over thousands of years. Dogs are living by sharing rapports with human, contributing with various roles, providing us with services in various social fields in addition to the emotional benefits.
It is a sad reality that some people are still eating dogs when the dogs are more becoming recognized as a ‘part of family’ instead of ‘food” or ‘meat’. As long as dog meat consumption is accepted, companion animal protection and respect for life is only a fantasy. The perception of dogs as edible animals will dilute their protection value and their abandonment and abuse won’t be taken seriously.
How people treat companion animals that live with humans will affect society’s overall consciousness about respect for life. Building a kind society by first forming a positive relationship with the animals that are close to us is beneficial to us humans than anything.
Source: People Defending Animals http://cafe.daum.net/happyanimalcompanion
Click HERE for the FAQ in Korean 자주 묻는 질문
