South Korea begins regulating dogs as livestock under new pollution law

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2008:

 

 

South Korea begins regulating dogs as livestock under new pollution law

 

SEOUL--The South Korean Minis-try of Food, Agriculture,

Forestry and Fish-eries in mid-August 2008 announced that it will

start regulating dogs as livestock for the purpose of enforcing a

newly revised Livestock Night Soil Disposal Act, effective on

September 28.

The South Korean dog meat industry has long sought to add

dogs to the list of designated meat animals, to overturn the

unenforced 1991 law that was promoted to the world as a ban on

selling dog meat, but only prohibits the public sale of " disgusting

foods. "

Dog meat advocates typically argue that it is necessary to

recognize dogs as a meat animal in order to introduce hygienic

inspection of dog meat markets and restaurants. Federal legislation

or regulatory amendments to identify dogs as a meat animal was in

April 2008 formally requested of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture,

Forestry and Fisheries by the city council of Seoul, the South

Korean capital city, and by the government of Gyeonggi Province,

which includes Seoul.

" Dog farms have been a major source of pollution, " an

unnamed environment ministry official told Korea Times reporter Kim

Tae-jong. " We have received a lot of complaints from local residents

in areas where dogs are raised.' "

Wrote Kim Tae-jong, " The revised Livestock Night Soil

Disposal Act requires dog farmers with facilities of 60 square meters

to have proper waste disposal facilities and report them to local

authorities by September 27. Violators can face a maximum penalty of

a one-year jail term or 10 million won fine, " worth about $10,000

U.S.

" Given the serious pollution issues, we cannot simply oppose

the move to regulate the night soil from dog farms,' " Coexistence of

Animal Rights on Earth director Jun Kyung-ok told Kim Tae-jong. " But

we will keep an eye on how it will affect other issues, such as

recognition of dog meat as food or legalization of the dog meat

trade. "

" Do not trust the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry

and Fisheries, " cautioned Korea Animal Protection Society founder

Sunnan Kum.

Kim Tae-jong of the Korea Times was told by the ministry that

about 720,000 South Korean farms raise 2.3 million dogs per year for

slaughter. The numbers are easily questioned, since according to

current ministry statistics, the total number of farms of any type

in South Korea is about 720,000, and the total number of humans

living on farms is 2.3 million.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

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Fax: 360-579-2575

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Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

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