(KR) Seoul Moves to Classify Dogs As Livestock

[Guest guest]

(KR) Seoul Categorizing Dogs as Livestock

By Kim Tae-jong

Staff Reporter

Korea Times

03-24-2008

 

Seoul will propose to the central government that dogs should be categorized as

livestock in order to properly regulate the trade of dog meat and strengthen

sanitation inspections.

 

The proposal aims to solve the ironic situation where many Koreans enjoy eating

dog meat despite the absence of regulations on the sale of dog meat amid

ambiguous categorization of the animal, a city official from the Seoul

Metropolitan Government (SMG) said.

 

" The real problem is, we cannot regulate the sanitation process of how dog meat

is served due to the lack of regulations, " the official said. " We will have a

series of public hearings to discuss the issue as it's a necessary step. "

 

Under the current law, dogs are categorized in the same group as donkeys,

rabbits, horses and deer, not as livestock such as beef and chicken.

 

The categorization allows for the mass breeding and butchering of dogs and

serving of their meat at restaurants, but does not let the authorities apply

regulations for livestock to the trade of dog meat.

 

According to the Korea Food and Drug Administration, dog meat is also

categorized as a natural product because it is not included in livestock. It

means that unlike ordinary stock products such as beef or chicken, dog meat does

not undergo sanitation inspections.

 

For now, the authorities can only take a legal action against those who butcher

dogs in a brutal way or cause pollution to the environment during the slaughter

process, according to the Law on Animal Protection and the Law on Pollution,

respectively.

 

There were previous attempts to categorize dogs as livestock, but they were

scrapped due to strong criticism from animal rights groups inside and outside of

the country.

 

In 2001, 20 lawmakers proposed a bill to revise the Law on Stock Product

Process, aimed at setting up proper regulations on dog meat. But the bill was

scrapped without being properly dealt after meeting criticism from animal rights

groups and dog lovers.

 

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/03/113_21247.html

.............................

Dog Meat to Be Subject to Livestock Rules

Digital Chosunilbo

Mar.24,2008

 

The Seoul metropolitan government will ask the central government to include

dogs in the legal definition of livestock, in a bid to ensure hygienic butchery

and processing of what some Koreans regard as a delicacy. A Seoul official said

there are 528 canine meat restaurants in Seoul, temporarily rising to 600 in the

summer, when people traditionally eat dog stew as a health booster. Therefore,

including dogs in livestock is necessary to protect public health.

 

The current livestock processing law covers domestic animals such as cows,

horses, lambs and sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, deer, rabbits, turkeys, geese,

quails, pheasants and donkeys. Butchers and processors of these animals have to

undergo regular sanitary inspections by local governments and the Ministry for

Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Not so for canine meat. The Seoul

metropolitan government plans to persuade opponents with the argument that

including dogs in legal livestock will help in fact help restrict cruel and

un-hygienic butchery of dogs.

 

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200803/200803240015.html

.............................

Seoul Moves to Classify Dogs As Livestock

Seoul Times

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

 

Seoul City Administration recently decided to put dogs into the category of

livestock. And for that it said it would recommend it to the central govermnent

for the official approval, a local daily Chosun Ilbo reported on March 24, 2008.

 

The move was designed to take care of dog meat in a hygenic way in slaughtering

and processing the meat of " human's best friends. "

 

A Seoul city official was quoted as sayig " there are 528 dog meat restaurants in

Seoul alone, and the number of dog meat restaurants increases to 600 on Dog Days

during the summer. "

 

He said that there is a strong need for classfing dog meat into the livestock

category in order to protect citizens' health.

 

Currently, Livestock Processing Law stipulates that only 13 species of cow,

horse, lamb (or goat), pig, chicken, duck, deer, rabbit, turkey, goose, quail,

pheasant, and donkey.

 

Restaurants dealing with the meat of those 13 species are subject to regular

hygenic inspections from the local government.

 

But, dog meat restaurants are not required to undergo any inspections.

 

Seoul City will hold several public hearings to hear the opinion of the citizens

regarding the issue, according to the official.

 

The Seoul City's decision is likely to incur strong protests from both local and

international animal rights activists.

 

He said that dogs are hung live and beaten to death while on fire in some cases.

 

So, he said the the city would try to persuade animal rights activists with the

argument that the new classification would be beneficial to the rights of the

dog.

 

Dog meat is the fourth most popular meat in South Korea. The top three are pork,

beef, and chicken.

 

Some 2 million dogs are consumed annually by the local people, according to an

unofficial statistic.

 

http://www.theseoultimes.com/

==========================================

Dog, Pet or Meat in Seoul?

 

A placard hangs from a dog, saying " My name is Chunja and please do not eat me. "

 

A number of local animal rights activists gathered in front of Seoul City

Administration's Annex Building in Seosomun-dong, Seoul in protest against the

city's move to classify dogs as livestock on March 25, 2008.

 

Seoul city argues that if dogs are classified as livestock, slaughtering dogs

and processing dog meat can be managed more hygenically.

 

But the city's move touched off a flurry of strong protests from lovers of

animals both from local and international animal rights activists.

 

Photo Courtesy of YNA

 

http://theseoultimes.com/ST/photo_gallery/Photo_News/images/intro/20080325-00100\

..jpg

.............................

-Korea Animals Protection Society:

 

http://www.koreananimals.or.kr/

 

-International Aid For Korean Animals:

 

http://www.koreananimals.org/index.htm