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It’s official! Jeonju is going “Dog Meat Free”.

Nami Kim (SaveKoreanDogs.org) has shared the uplifting news that her team held a further meeting with Jeonju’s Mayor Kim Seung-Su, and they have now received his official confirmation that Jeonju is going to be a “Dog Meat Free” city. And, action has already begun with a draft in place for a “Dog Meat Free” animal welfare master plan.

Jeonju will become the second “Dog Meat Free City” in South Korea, following in the steps of Bucheon, which, under the progressive leadership of Mayor Kim Man-Soo, last year began the process of shutting down its dog meat industry. Jeonju’s transition into a “Dog Meat Free” city, Nami feels, will be a much quicker process than that of Bucheon; we certainly hope so.

It was by no means an easy decision for Mayor Kim to make; he will have to face tough and potentially violent resistance from many of his constituents – those involved in the dog meat industry and those dog meat consumers. But Mayor Kim has shown that he is brave and patriotic to his country by making this right decision, one that will not only protect the animals from cruel treatment, but will further progress South Korea. We salute you, Mayor Kim!

We previously held campaigns calling for action from Jeonju’s Sister cities and Friendship cities, to speak out against Jeonju’s dog meat industry: Hawaii, San Diego, and Florence, Italy. And now we are extremely happy to be able to update all of our supporters who took action on these petitions, by sharing this wonderful news with them.

As a “Dog Meat Free City”, Jeonju is closer to becoming a world class and ethical city, with no barriers to forming beneficial and strategic partnerships with other cities around the world.

Mayor Kim, we love you and support you, from all across the world. We also want to send a big ‘thank you’ to all of the following people in: Mayor Kim’s staff, SaveKoreanDogs.org, and Action for Animals, for making this momentous event happen. And, many thanks to Jess Avilla Gilroy for volunteering with SaveKoreanDogs.org and attending this important meeting to show support.

Please help SaveKoreanDogs.org continue their important work of ending the dog meat trade in South Korea. Please donate today. Thank you for caring and for your generosity!!

Sharing from SaveKoreanDogs.org’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/SaveKoreanDogs/posts/1153239674826091

https://www.facebook.com/SaveKoreanDogs/videos/1153347241482001/

https://www.facebook.com/SaveKoreanDogs/photos/p.1153791258104266/1153791258104266/?type=3&theater
July 20, 2018 – “We went over the list of dog meat restaurants and how we can bring the meat down near the city. The city official Mr.Yang is in charge. Two are already shut down.”

Jeonju going dog meat free 072018 (6a)

Jeonju going dog meat free 072018 (4a)

Jeonju going dog meat free 072018 (10a)Photo: This campaign stickers will be on every bus stops.

Jeonju going dog meat free 072018 (11)
Jeonju is going “Dog Meat Free”.

Photos: Campaign stickers on city vehicles.

Jeonju Animal Welfare Master Plan

English translation

July 18, 2018
Jeonju Eco-friendly Agriculture Dept.
Manager: Shin Yong-Nam Tel. 063-281-2819
Team Leader: Yang Young-Kyu Tel. 063-281-5326
Person in charge: Choi Nam-Sun Tel. 063-281-5327

Establishment of a Companion Animal Park, Abandoned Animals Protection Centers, Etc.
The Draft to Make Jeonju an “Animal Friendly City” is Complete!

• On July 17, the City of Jeonju held the final briefing session of “Jeonju Animal Welfare Master Plan Establishment Research and Service” at the Jeonbuk National University.
• Based on the investigation of Jeonju’s current animal welfare condition, an animal welfare policy was established that includes construction of companion animal parks.
• The draft is a roadmap of both medium and long-term visions and goals for the animal welfare policy, projects by different areas, establishment of implementation strategy, etc.

With a desire to become recognized as the most humane city, Jeonju will be adopting animal welfare policies that protect animals, bestowing on them the right to enjoy a happy life by creating companion animal parks, abandoned animals protection centers, etc.

Jeonju expects that by 2025 these policies will reduce to no more than 1,000 the number of abandoned animal (such as dogs and cats) which last year numbered about 1,880; raise the adoption rate of abandoned animals to 66.7%; and increase to 90% the number of animals reunited with families.

The final briefing session of the “Jeonju Animal Welfare Master Plan Establishment Research and Service,” which creates a strategic roadmap for the provision of care for animals sharing their lives with Jeonju citizens, was held on July 17 at the Jeonbuk National University’s Jinsudang Hall.

With the vision of “Animal Friendly Jeonju”, since December of 2017, Lead Researcher Professor Im Chae-Woong of Jeonbuk National University’s Industry and Academic Cooperation Institute, has been conducting an investigation of current animal welfare conditions in Jeonju. Based on his research that includes comparative analysis of countries with advanced animal welfare policies and our current local policies, the basic direction of the animal welfare policy and its projects were announced.

To make Jeonju a city friendly to animals such as companion animals, abandoned animals, stray cats, and exhibition animals/laboratory animals, and to encourage civic participation, 19 projects in five fields were recommended.

First, they suggested construction of one companion animal park each in Wansan-gu and Deokjin-ju districts, as well as strengthening the policy to secure effectiveness of the animal registration system and increase the registration of abandoned animals.

Also included is support for new industry regulations as well as financial support for the spaying/neutering of companion animals belonging to low income and disadvantaged individuals.

With regard to abandoned animals, it was recommended that, as quickly as possible, plans be crafted to include the establishment of animal care centers that would protect animals, improve the animal registration system to prevent animal abandonment, develop a system of rescue and protection, create a temporary care system such as foster homes, and expand animal adoption procedures.

Additional projects contained in the animal protection master plan included stray cats and laboratory animals; establishment of a citizen volunteer network; the operation of stray cats feeding stations; welfare standards for zoo animals; advising prohibition of animal experiments in primary, middle, and high schools; expansion of the animal protection advisor system; and increased participation by citizens in a public-private partnership governance for animal welfare (“daulmadang”).

As the number of people living with companion animals increases, so has the number of cases of animal welfare violations. This rise in the poor treatment of companion animals is what led the city to contract with Jeonbuk National University Industry and University Cooperation Team to begin their investigations and make recommendations to improve animal welfare.

The city plans to review the proposed animal welfare master plan with relevant city departments, gathering opinions from public-private partnership governances for animal welfare and animal protection groups, and fine tuning the master plan to complete the draft for Jeonju’s animal welfare.

A Jeonju city official stated, “Based on the results of this research, conducted at a time when the ownership of companion animals is steadily increasing, we intend to quickly move forward with projects that are feasible in the short term, and work in close cooperation with the relevant city departments to implement mid-to-long-term projects that will improve the welfare of companion animals and can be empathized by the people who care for them.”

  1. Sofia Jensen
    Sofia JensenJuly 30,18

    Really great

  2. Tricia Rizzi
    Tricia RizziJuly 30,18

    YES! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND MOMENTUM!

  3. Brenda Baker
    Brenda BakerJuly 30,18

    To everyone in the city of Jeonju a very big thank you. You are showing the way by becoming a dog meat free city and putting animal welfare plans in place. You are amazing, I hope others will now follow your lead. Thank you again

    • rose guarini
      rose guariniJuly 30,18

      thank you for doing this speaking for the animals ,and having a dog and cat meat city free city and putting these beautifull animals welfare plan in place you are amazing and caring to help save them all.god- bless you

  4. Jean-Michel LEBLOND
    Jean-Michel LEBLONDJuly 30,18

    une merveilleuse nouvelle.Bavo

  5. Neville Wells
    Neville WellsJuly 30,18

    Excellent news.Well done. Hope your success in stopping DCMT in your city will spread to the rest of South Korea and beyond. Are stray dogs and also all cats protected by you in the same way ?

  6. Michael Friedmann
    Michael FriedmannJuly 30,18

    Thank You Jeonju !!!

  7. Christine Utzinger
    Christine UtzingerJuly 30,18

    Thank you so much for this brave and human descion!Best wishes from Germany!

  8. Karen Nienkamp
    Karen NienkampJuly 30,18

    Thank you so much for this wonderful decision and subsequent plans for the animals of Jeonju! May all of South Korea’s cities follow in Jeonju’s footsteps!

  9. Marnie Shaw
    Marnie ShawJuly 30,18

    Thank you from CALGARY, Alberta, Canada

  10. Cynthia Bertoncini
    Cynthia BertonciniJuly 30,18

    Thank you so so much mayor Kim!! This is fantastic news. Thank you to all of you who worked so hard for this. Just amazing!!!!

  11. Marie Pugh
    Marie PughJuly 30,18

    Mayor Kim you have followed your convictions what a brave man.. Please hold your nerve and don’t give in to resistance.. You are leading the way for others to follow you

  12. Carol Vincent
    Carol VincentJuly 31,18

    Thank you to everyone who stopped this!!

  13. Ume
    UmeJuly 31,18

    Thank you all for the hard work and persistence! And of course Mayor Kim for your wise decision!

  14. Libby S.
    Libby S.July 31,18

    Mayor Kim, Words cannot express the joy I feel in reading this article! Thank you for demonstrating such leadership and vision, and for teaching kindness and mercy for those poor dogs and cats so viciously treated in the meat industry. Thank you to all that helped make this happen!!

  15. Hilary Graham
    Hilary GrahamJuly 31,18

    Many many thanks to “South Korean Dogs “for negotiating instead of merely asking for money to shut meat farms down just for the farms to start up again!
    Negotiating really IS the only way!
    Truly inspiring!!!!!

  16. Carol DeGeir
    Carol DeGeirJuly 31,18

    Words can’t express how glad I am for these animals thank you to all concerned.

  17. Becky Cassera
    Becky CasseraJuly 31,18

    Mayor Kim, thank you for taking a stand and doing the right thing, regardless of what others think. You are a true leader! Thank you for spending the time with my hero, Nami Kim and her team to listen and make a difference. Much love to you all.

  18. Niharika Joseph
    Niharika JosephAugust 3,18

    Thanks to all of you who fought against this crime. Thanks for being voice of unspeakable. Thanks for fighting them and on behalf of them. Well done , great job.. Really Really very appreciable.. May God Bless you all with long and prosperous life ahead.

  19. Leila Lappin
    Leila LappinAugust 5,18

    I thank all the city officials who are bravely embracing compassion. I hope this will be a model and a lesson for the governments of China and Vietnam to follow! I Thank Nami Kim, the brave and compassionate woman, and her supporters, who haven been tirelessly campaigning for the dogs of Korea. Thank you all

  20. Denise Inkel
    Denise InkelAugust 29,18

    Thank you for your courage, going against the current is not easy but you are an example to follow. Do not give up please!

  21. Peggy
    PeggySeptember 3,18

    So so great to hear hopefully everyone I’ll follow suit

  22. Jenny Harris
    Jenny HarrisSeptember 11,18

    A truly caring individual… thank you!!

  23. Sarah Carter
    Sarah CarterSeptember 13,18

    That is wonderful news! Thank you so much!

  24. Nadine Zimmer
    Nadine ZimmerSeptember 18,18

    Thank you, Mayor Kim, and everyone else involved in making this happen! This is a joyeous day!

  25. Lynda Marquardt
    Lynda MarquardtSeptember 18,18

    This is a great step, Mayor Kim. You are an example that many could follow and I hope that they do.

  26. Roux
    RouxJanuary 8,19

    Thank you with all my heart

  27. Marikka Purola
    Marikka PurolaMarch 13,19

    Than You SO much for Your caring!!!

  28. Michaela Treffil
    Michaela TreffilJuly 5,19

    Go vegan!

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