S.Korea/'Livestock Products Processing Act': Listing dogs as livestock

[Guest guest]

S.Korea/'Livestock Products Processing Act': Listing dogs as livestock

 

Letter to the Korean President: 'This will not only harm your

country, it will also hurt all the people in the world who care about

animal rights and civilized development'

 

TO: Korean President Lee Myung-bak

webmaster

Cheongwadae: 1 Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.

Cheongwadae hotline: +82 2 730-5800

 

 

Dear President Lee Myung-bak,

 

Greetings, and first of all congratulations on becoming the new

president of Korea! While people all around the world have been

paying close attention to the political and economic reforms you are

promoting and to your political performance and achievements, we have

heard a worrying, shocking piece of news - on the 24th of March this

year Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a " Dog Meat Hygiene

Management Policy " , which lists dogs as " Livestock " !

 

And it is also expected that, that after Korea's parliamentary

elections end in April, and after holding a related hearing in May, a

proposal will be made immediately to the Central Government to amend

the " Livestock Products Processing Act " , officially legislating that

dog meat be listed as a livestock product. Therefore, animal

protection groups from your country gathered in front of Seoul City

Hall on March 25th and 26th to protest.

 

Korea's hi-tech and electronic products are sold throughout the

world, and the so called " Korean Wave " , which includes all kinds of

entertainment, food and tourism industries, has also greatly

increased the interest of people all across Asia, helping

characterize Korea as a country of great culture and creativity.

 

However, many people in Asia and the rest of the world see dogs as

companions, and if you do indeed legislate that dogs are to be listed

as " livestock " , this will made Korea the first country in the world

to legalize dog meat consumption, and will made you the first

national leader in the history of civilization to list dogs

as " animals for consumption " !

 

This will not only harm your country, it will also hurt all the

people in the world who care about animal rights and civilized

development. Our perception of the status and value of Korean culture

and creativity, and of all Korean products, tourism and entertainment

programs will suffer a great negative impact, and this may even lead

to an " Anti-Korean Wave " !

 

Dogs are simply dogs, and no matter whether in biological theory or

in real life, they are not divided into pet dogs, companion dogs and

edible dogs.

 

Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand have all already

legally banned the consumption of dog meat. Although there are still

a few countries and people in Asia who still consume dog meat, their

living standards are, on average, far lover than those of Korea, and

until now there has never been a country which has, through national

law, legalized the act of eating dog meat!

 

People have raised dogs and cats as companions for at least twelve

thousand years and in the last 20 or 30 years, " anthrozoology " has

gradually brought about a consensus: companion animals bring

psychological and physical benefits to humans. They can give humans

intimacy and support, alleviate the negative health impacts of

stress, and also provide protection against some illnesses.

 

Modern day Criminal Sociology is also drawing the conclusion that

there is a high degree of correlation between cruelty to animals and

domestic violence and child abuse.

 

Once dogs become animals that can be freely butchered for their meat,

there will be unimaginable negative social and educational impacts on

public psychology.

 

In the course of civilization, humans always reflect upon the many

cruelties of nature. Amongst the issues of environmental

protection, " meat " has already been labeled a high carbon food, and

livestock farming is a major source of greenhouse gases.

 

In order to create a more humane society, and for the sake of the

sustainability of human civilization, we as co-citizens of this

planet hope with all sincerity that your government will under no

circumstances make this mistaken decision, causing humanity take a

step backwards on the road to civilized development, and at the same

time impacting on Korea's foreign trade development.

 

In addition, we hope that your government can, as soon as possible,

prohibit the consumption of dog meat, in order to enhance animal

welfare in Korea.

 

Chan

Hong Kong

http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=32933 & lang=en