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dogs waiting to be slaughtered for food
Credits: Animals In Print.org
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"There's A Dog In The Stew!"
As an Examiner Reporter I have chosen the subject of Animal
Welfare, this subject concerns the inhumane treatment of animals by
humans. I am writing ths article and future columns in order to educate
our public. In Cleveland many citizens are unaware of the global
violence that affects all animals. I am going to begin to share these
situations in hopes of educating and inspiring the peoples of our city
to become more proactive and empathetic as an abusive world affects each
of us daily and is relevant as such situations indirectly involve all
of us. We are always part of the problem or part of the solution. Linda
Beane~
Today, in violation of the Korean Animals Protection Act, two million
dogs are raised or trapped for human consumption. Approximately 30% of
these dogs are or were family pets, sharing their lives with humans
they loved and trusted.
Many people have the impression that dog consumption is a traditional
Korean food, this is anything but true. Up until the last 600 years
Koreans were mostly Buddhist and living under the Koryo dynasty. The
people were encouraged to eat a meat free diets.
When this dynasty came to an end a new country was formed, Korea.
Though taking its name from the now defunct dynasty a new belief system
and lifestyle began. In the last few hundred years there was a few
people that did eat dog though it is was never a cultural habit.
About 50 years ago poverty was severe in South Korea. At this time
the extremely impoverished people, did begin to consume dogs. This was
not a normal eating habit.
Twenty-five years ago a new trend began to take shape the dog meat industry began to flourish. How did this happen?
Certainly not because of hunger, but due to a false belief system
that by consuming the meat of a TORTURED DOG a man may increase his
sexual virility. This caused dog flesh to became especially popular and
a status symbol among the wealthy. Believing the adrenaline in the
tissues of the tortured, slain canine would somehow exert profound
effects upon their manhood their demand for this meat grew.
This belief has provided great financial opportunities for dog meat
dealers. With millions of dollars to be made, illegal dog farms
abound. The government looks the other way while these innocent,
trusting creatures are brutalized.
Dogs are usually raised on illegal, rural dog farms, but any dog is
actually fair game. Stray and abandoned dogs don't last long in Korea.
The dogs are kept in squalor, they are crammed in wire cages too small
for even one dog to be comfortable. The situation is unbearable for
these trusting animals. They become dehydrated from lack of proper food
and water. They are forced to live in their own wastes and have no
protection from extreme weather.
These dogs are exceptionally vulnerable to diseases, especially
distemper and are quickly sold to markets or consumers before they
appear ill. Because of this, the usual age of slaughter is between
eighth months and a one year.
When the dogs are of age they are transported to large open markets.
The Hyundai, with its spaciousness, is a favorite vehicle of
transportation, accommodating the large cages crammed with dogs. The
dogs can be seen piled on top of one another as they travel toward their
doom.
They usually go to one of the three largest market places, The
Chilsung Market in Taegu City, the Gupo Market in Pusan City, and the
Moran Market in Sungnam City. Dogs are also sold in other smaller market
places throughout Korea. They can also be found behind restaurants,
alive and crammed into small cages, waiting their turn to be tortured
and slaughtered.
In the larger markets the dogs are transferred from the vehicles to
large cages that can hold up to 800 terrified and confused animals.
Most of the dogs in the market place closely resemble each other as they
are descendants of generations of interbreeding. Through all of this
many of the dogs, once family pets, remain docile and hopeful, wagging
their tales when approached by humans.
The market place is a cramped area filled with dogs. Cars are parked
in random fashion and people can be seen walking about selecting their
dog.
Once a person makes his selection the dog is dragged by a noose
around its neck from its cage and purposely tortured until it is allowed
to die.
The dog, chosen for sale and slaughter, may be hung, beaten with
pipes or hammers and strangled repeatedly. During this atrocity, the
dogs my be heard yelping, screaming and howling in agony as they
struggle against their captors.
When the dog is assumed dead, it is shocked with an "electric stick".
Remember, difficult as this is to read, this form of violent killing,
according to the Koreans, is necessary to both tenderize the flesh and
improve its aphrodisiacal properties. The more the dog suffers, the
more flavorful and beneficial the meat is thought to be, the more
adrenaline. The Korean consumer demands this form of slaughter less the
meats affect are nil.
The dog is then taken inside a building where it is placed inside a
vat of boiling water. Finally it is removed and butchered according to
the buyers discretion.
There, now, is the tragic story of a dogs' plight in Korea, but what about the cats?
The cat fares no better in South Korea. They are not considered good
pets and the few people that do attempt to have a cat in their home
find it difficult. There is virtually no cat food or kitty litter to
be had. There are very few vets that treat cats. Cats are thought to
be a filthy, dangerous to a Korean's health, and a threat to their well
being.
Cats are best served by Koreans as an elixir usually called Liquid Cat or "cat juice."
To accommodate the customers, the dealer will place cats in a large
sack and in what seems to be the tradition, beat them to death. This is
done either with a blunt object or just slamming the sack upon the
ground, preferably a concrete surface.
The cats, some still alive, are then placed in large pots of boiling
water, dates, ginger and chestnuts are added and the final liquefied
results are believed to cure rheumatism and neuralgia.
Source: Animals' Voice, Volume 7, Number 2 Laura Moretti
Source: Jon Bearscove
Source: Kyenan Kum
Source: anonymous Korean citizens
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