Blog

Campaign updated on 3/28/2022.

Cuenca, Spain Mayor Darío Dolz: Tell Sister City, Paju, South Korea, that you are opposed to 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.

Paju Mayor Choi Jong-Hwan

Paju became a Sister City to Cuenca, Spain, in 2008.

In Paju, there are countless 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: Dog auction house operating on “Blind Spot”,.. Even on military-owned land?, KBS News, 9/15/2019. (‘단속 사각지대’ 개 경매장 활개…軍 소유 땅에서까지? / KBS뉴스)

A Search Engine reveals the sickening scale of Paju’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 Paju.

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 present in the vicinity of Paju 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 Cuenca mayor and the city council members:

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📧 CC (Carbon Copy) the Paju city council, Gyeonggi-do Assembly, and South Korean National Assembly members:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
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• 📬 Send letter (Use the below-suggested message or petition):

  Ayuntamiento de Cuenca
  Plaza Mayor 1, 16001, Cuenca
  Spain

  📬 Send a copy of your letter to the Paju Mayor:

  Mayor Choi Jong-Hwan
  Paju City Hall
  50 Sicheong-ro, Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province, Postal Code 10932
  South Korea

  📬 Paju address in Korean:

  최종환 파주시장님
  파주시청
  (우 10932) 경기도 파주시 시청로 50
  South Korea

📝 Suggested message

Subject: Cuenca Mayor Darío Dolz: Tell Sister City, Paju, South Korea, that you are opposed to the torture and consumption of dogs and cats.

Dear Mayor Darío Dolz and the Cuenca City 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
Paju dog auction house operating on “Blind Spot”,.. Even on military-owned land?, KBS News, 9/15/2019: https://youtu.be/C6svoHlN2WM
https://koreandogs.org/kara-paju-dog-auction-house/
South Korea – Unbelievable Truth (Companion Animals for Consumption): https://koreandogs.org/companion-animals-for-consumption/.

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

In Paju, 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 filthy, feces encrusted raised wire cages in utter misery, only to be slaughtered in the most horrific ways. They are killed by electrocution, hammer strikes to their head and necks, being hung, being 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 Paju, 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. In addition, 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 Paju.

Would you please urge Paju Mayor Choi Jong-Hwan to close down all those illegal dog farms and slaughterhouses, markets, truckers, and restaurants that serve these animal products? An online petition calling for your support in ending the horrendous Paju’s dog and cat meat cruelty is in progress: https://chng.it/s8GzsDrg.

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

Sincerely,

Suggested message in Spanish

Alcalde de Cuenca Darío Dolz: Comunique a la ciudad hermanada Pajú (Corea del Sur) que se opone a la tortura y el consumo de perros y gatos.

Estimado alcalde Darío Dolz y los concejales de Cuenca:

Les pedimos que por favor vean los videos de la industria de la carne de perro en Corea del Sur:
Impactante crueldad de la industria de la carne de perro de Corea del Sur, Parte 1 de 2: https://youtu.be/_ZVQjgGb4RQ
Parte 2 de 2: https://vimeo.com/754160791
La casa de subastas de perros de Paju opera gracias a un vacío legal, ¿incluso en terrenos de propiedad militar?, KBS News, 15/9/2019: https://youtu.be/C6svoHlN2WM
https://koreandogs.org/kara-paju-dog-auction-house/
Corea del Sur – La increíble verdad (Animales de compañía para el consumo): https://koreandogs.org/companion-animals-for-consumption/.

¿Creen que Cuenca debería estar hermanada con alguna ciudad que permita que los perros y gatos sean torturados y comidos por las personas?

En Pajú, hay numerosas granjas de perros, mataderos de perros, restaurantes de carne de perro, y los llamados “Centros de Salud” donde sirven sopa hecha de carne de perro como un elixir. Los perros sufren toda su vida en jaulas de alambre sucias e incrustadas de heces, en la más absoluta miseria, para ser sacrificados de las formas más horripilantes. Los matan electrocutándolos, dándoles martillazos en la cabeza y el cuello, colgándolos, matándolos a golpes, degollándolos, quemándolos vivos con un soplete o arrojándolos a una cuba de agua hirviendo mientras están vivos. En muchos lugares de Pajú, los perros son asesinados a la vista de otros perros aterrorizados y enjaulados que tiemblan de terror. Estos pobres perros suelen ser quemados vivos en sus jaulas, sin poder escapar. Además, las queridas mascotas de la gente suelen ser robadas y vendidas a estos negocios, donde corren el mismo horrible destino. Los perros y cachorros muertos por enfermedades se tiran como si fueran basura, y a menudo se les deja frente a las jaulas para que se pudran mientras las madres de los perros observan y lloran desesperadas a sus bebés muertos.

Las búsquedas en Internet en Corea dan como resultado docenas de “Centros de Salud” que suelen vender elixires elaborados de perros y gatos (soju de perros y soju de gatos) y restaurantes de carne de perro en Pajú.

¿Podrían instar al alcalde de Pajú, Choi Jong-Hwan, a que cierre todas esas granjas y mataderos ilegales de perros, mercados, transportes y restaurantes que sirven estos productos animales? Se está llevando a cabo una petición en línea solicitando su apoyo para acabar con la horrenda crueldad de la carne de perro y gato de Pajú: https://chng.it/s8GzsDrg.

En nombre de todos los animales que sufren una crueldad inimaginable en la industria de la carne de perro y de gato, le damos las gracias y esperamos su respuesta.

Sinceramente,

• ☎️ Call the Cuenca Mayor’s office: +011 34 969 176 100 (calling from the United States)

  Suggested phone message

  Hello, I’m calling to speak to someone in the Mayor’s Office to ask for their help on an important issue regarding your Sister city, Paju, 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, which is why I am calling on their behalf. And, I believe that your city 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 Paju 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 Paju 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 that 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!
  .@pajusi .@ggholic .@Jaemyung_Lee .@aytocuenca #Cuenca #Spain Tell Sister City #Paju #SouthKorea that you are opposed to the torture/consumption of #Dogs #Cats #Dogmeat #Catmeat https://chng.it/s8GzsDrg😿https://koreandogs.org/kara-paju-dog-auction-house/🙏https://koreandogs.org/Sister-city-paju-Cuenca

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