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Campaign updated 7/25/2022. Hwaseong email addresses updated on 8/30/2024.

King County, Washington: Tell Sister City, Hwaseong, South Korea, that you oppose the torture and consumption of dogs and cats.

If you want to help fight the grisly South Korean dog and cat meat trade and make a difference in South Korea, here are a few quick actions you can take that could save millions of dogs and cats each year.

Hwaseong became a Sister City to King County, Washington, in 1985.

In Hwaseong, there are numerous dog farms, slaughterhouses, markets, and dog meat restaurants where the dogs, who have been tortured their entire lives, end up being slaughtered in the most inhumane ways, such as by electrocution, hanging, or beating; and then thrown into boiling water – sometimes while they are still alive. In many places, dogs are killed in full view of other terrified, caged dogs; and this takes place in broad daylight. In addition, many abandoned and stolen former pets end up in this industry and are subject to the same cruelty.

Video: One of many dog farms in Hwaseong, South Korea. Watchdog shut down this dog farm in June 2022.

Photos: Dog farms in Hwaseong, South Korea.

A Search Engine reveals the sickening scale of Hwaseong’s dog meat demand.

Two searches on Naver (the most popular search engine in Korea) – one was for so-called “Health Centers,” which commonly sell dog elixirs and cat elixirs (also known as dog soju and cat soju), and the second one was for “dog meat restaurants” – resulted in many dozens of “Health Centers” and dog meat restaurants in the vicinity of Hwaseong.

Even if half of these “Health Centers” and restaurants serve dog and cat ‘ingredients’ in one form or another, imagine how many dog/cat slaughterhouses must be in the vicinity of Hwaseong to supply these outlets.

There are laws in South Korea against selling dogs and cats for consumption, yet these laws are blatantly ignored.

Call for Action

• 📧 Send emails to the King County executive and the council members:

  kcexec@kingcounty.gov; rod.dembowski@kingcounty.gov; Girmay.Zahilay@kingcounty.gov; sarah.perry@kingcounty.gov; jeanne.kohl-welles@kingcounty.gov; Dave.Upthegrove@kingcounty.gov; claudia.balducci@kingcounty.gov; Pete.vonReichbauer@kingcounty.gov; joe.mcdermott@kingcounty.gov; reagan.dunn@kingcounty.gov;

📧 CC (Carbon Copy) the Hwaseong City Council, Gyeonggi-do Assembly, and the South Korean National Assembly members.

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• 📬 Send letter (Use the below-suggested message or petition):

  King County Executive Dow Constantine
  King County Chinook Building
  401 5th Ave. Suite 800
  Seattle, WA 98104

  📬 Send a copy of your letter to the Hwaseong government:

  Mayor Jeong Myeong-Geun
  Hwaseong City Hall
  159 Sicheong-ro, Namyang-eup, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do
  Postal Code 18274
  South Korea

  Hwaseong City Council
  159 Sicheong-ro, Namyang-eup, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do
  Postal Code 18274
  South Korea

📝 Suggested message

King County: Tell Sister City, Hwaseong, South Korea, that you oppose the torture and consumption of dogs and cats.

Dear County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council members:

We ask you to please watch the videos of South Korea’s dog meat industry:
Shocking Cruelty of South Korea’s Dog Meat Industry, Part 1 of 2: https://youtu.be/_ZVQjgGb4RQ
Part 2 of 2: https://vimeo.com/754160791
Forest fire in Uljin burns dogs imprisoned in dog meat farms: https://youtu.be/mh1lEGt2gjU
https://youtu.be/GLLeI_XFNPg
Imprisoning dogs in raised wire cages in South Korea’s dog meat farms is extreme cruelty: https://youtu.be/D9Hw4u1XKo4.

Do you think King County should be a Sister county to any city that allows dogs and cats to be tortured and eaten by people?

Hwaseong is one of the largest dog meat suppliers and consumption cities in South Korea. In Hwaseong, there are numerous dog farms, dog slaughterhouses, dog meat restaurants, and so-called “Health Centers” where they serve soup made of dog meat as an elixir. Dogs suffer their entire lives in utter misery in filthy, feces-encrusted raised wire cages, only to be slaughtered in the most horrific ways. They are killed by electrocution, hammer strikes to their head and necks, being hung, beaten to death, having their throats slit, being burned alive with a blowtorch, or thrown into a vat of boiling water while still alive. In many places in Hwaseong, dogs are killed in full view of other terrified, caged dogs who tremble with terror. These poor dogs are often burned alive in their cages, unable to escape. They are fed rotten garbage full of chili peppers not fit for any animals to eat, and they are never given water! Also, people’s beloved pets are often stolen and sold to these businesses, where they meet the same horrific fate. Dogs and puppies who died of diseases are tossed away like garbage, often left in front of cages to rot while the mother dogs watch and cry out in despair for their dead babies.

The Korean internet searches resulted in dozens of “Health Centers” that commonly sell dog/cat elixirs (dog soju and cat soju) and dog meat restaurants in Hwaseong.

Would you please urge Hwaseong Mayor Jeong Myeong-Geun to close down all illegal dog farms, slaughterhouses, markets, truckers, and restaurants serving these animal products? An online petition calling for your support in ending the horrendous Hwaseong’s dog and cat meat cruelty is in progress: https://chng.it/hJqhC7Gr.

On behalf of all the animals suffering unimaginable cruelty in the dog and cat meat industry, we thank you and await your reply.

Sincerely,

Name, City, Country

• ☎️ Call the King County Executive Office:

  Main phone: 206-263-9600, Fax: 206-296-0194

  Suggested phone message

  Hello, I’m calling to speak to someone in the County Executive’s Office to ask for their help on an important issue regarding your Sister city, Hwaseong, in South Korea.

  If I could explain: dog-meat consumption is currently being practiced in that city, even though it is illegal under South Korean Law – but the laws are not enforced. The dog and cat meat trades involve extreme and widespread animal cruelty, and the animals suffer unimaginable pain and distress. They cannot speak for themselves, so I am calling on their behalf. And, I believe that your county would wish to be made aware of this issue, as you would not want to be affiliated with a city where illegal and immoral torture is being carried out on any animal, and particularly not on ones that are loyal, trusting creatures, which look up to us humans as their guardians.

  These illegal trades are being allowed to continue by Hwaseong and Korean authorities – even though there is growing opposition from pet owners across South Korea and worldwide.

  So, I am asking you to please speak with your counterparts in Hwaseong to urge them to enforce their laws, not ignore them, show compassion to their companion animals, and respect their citizens by bringing these trades to an end.

  I know South Korea has many beautiful, admirable, and noble practices and customs worth preserving, but this is not one of them.

  Thank you for your time and understanding.

• Send a Twitter message!
  .@ggholic .@dy_future .@kcnews Tell Sister City #Hwaseong #SouthKorea, you oppose torture/consumption of #Dogs #Cats #Dogmeat #Catmeat https://chng.it/hJqhC7Gr 😿 https://koreandogs.org/Hwaseong-dog-farms/ 😭🙏https://koreandogs.org/sister-city-hwaseong-king-county

No matter where you live, PLEASE SHARE these actions with your friends, especially those who live in King County! 🙏