South Korea aims to outlaw the consumption of dog meat

A ban on the production, sale, and consumption of dog meat is being considered by South Korea.

Abolition of the contentious practice of consuming canine flesh is being considered by South Korean officials. Animal rights activists and international media have been quite critical of South Korea's long-established custom of eating dog meat, even though only a tiny percentage of the population still does so. Calls to outlaw it have now gained support from the country's younger demographics.

The government has stated its intention to pass a specific legislation prohibiting the breeding, slaughtering, distribution, and sale of dogs for food within the year, according to a briefing held earlier this month. Because of their special place in society as family pets, dogs will soon be exempt from the country's Livestock Act.

According to a 2022 report by KBS, the public broadcaster of South Korea, over half a million dogs were kept as pets and 1,600 eateries served dog meat. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said that there were 1,156 farms that raised dogs for meat as of February of last year, along with 34 slaughterhouses.

Crackdowns will begin in 2027 after a three-year grace period to give the industry time to shut down and restructure. Assistance with the transition will also be offered by the government.

The current efforts to outlaw dog meat are being spearheaded by the conservative People Power Party, which is in power in South Korea. The Democratic Party, its main opponent, has also stated its support for a ban. Since an election is scheduled for April 2024, it is quite improbable that the decision would be derailed by the result.

In 2023, 57% of 1,500 people surveyed by animal rights organization Korea Humane Society International (Korea HSI) and research firm NielsenIQ were in favour of the upcoming ban. In spite of admitting to have eaten dogs in the past, over 86% of individuals questioned said they would not be eating the meat again. Those in their forties and fifties were also more likely to have a negative view of dog meat, and there was more agreement on the need of protecting the animals' welfare.

An industrial group showed their disapproval of the ban proposal by staging a demonstration outside of Seoul's National Assembly building after the announcement. The Hankyoreh, a daily newspaper in South Korea, writes that the opponents of the bill said it would "strip people of their fundamental right to eat" and neglect to safeguard farmers.

 

Source: euronews.com