However, in recent years, people have turned away from eating dog meat, particularly amid a growing trend to keep the animals as pets. As a result, three of the country's largest dog meat markets have closed down. Animal rights groups, who have long called for a stop to the dog meat trade, welcomed Mr Moon's comments. Discussion around the topic is set to intensify in the run up to the presidential election, which is scheduled to take place next year.
Several candidates have already raised the possibility of banning dog meat. The practice is something of a taboo among younger generations and pressure from animal rights activists has been mounting. Moon is a known dog lover and has several canines at the presidential compound, including one he rescued after taking office.
Dog meat is often cheaper than beef or chicken, making it more accessible. In China, interest in dog meat may be waning, Robinson notes, as more and more people start keeping the animals as pets.
Still, about 10 million dogs are consumed in the country each year, especially during cold winter months, when the meat is believed to warm the body. According to Robinson, the issue of dog meat in South Korea also came into focus during the Seoul Summer Olympics of Animals Asia worked with local governments in China, for example, to show that dogs being sold for meat are now often sourced illegally, because Robinson says there are no large-scale dog meat farms in China today.
Robinson also says the Chinese government is increasingly convinced of the argument that the cross-province transfer of dogs can be a vector for bacterial and disease transmission. Garnering many headlines around the world, the festival is known for slaughtering thousands of dogs each year. In , the city of Yulin was rumored to be considering banning the festival from selling dog meat , after international criticism.
But dog-meat vendors put pressure on the government and no ban went through , with the festival happening as usual. Millions of people have signed petitions calling for the end of the annual event. The festival also has its defenders on economic and cultural grounds, however, making it a flashpoint in the international debate over dog meat. All rights reserved. Is dog meat legal in South Korea? Is dog meat legal in other countries?
Does it only happen in Asia? Share Tweet Email. Why it's so hard to treat pain in infants. This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city Caracals have learned to hunt around the urban edges of Cape Town, though the predator faces many threats, such as getting hit by cars.
Researchers examined levels of the stress hormone cortisol in dog hair samples, including from 63 dogs rescued from farms by Humane Society International. Cortisol is released into the bloodstream by the adrenal glands when the body perceives stress. The inevitable drop in sales is leading more dog farmers to look for a way out, and right now HSI runs the only scheme in the country working in partnership with dog farmers to help them start a new life. But we hope in time the Korean government will adopt this type of approach to phase out the dog meat industry for good.
Farmer Il-Hwan Kim says in the last 10 years business has been really bad. I might start work in construction, because I used to work in scaffolding and there are opportunities there.
Download b-roll video and photos of the rescue here. Mizoram, India — Mizoram, India has taken the first step towards ending its dog meat trade, by amending the law Across Asia, millions of dogs and cats are brutally killed for meat.
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