Fwd: Koreans speak against dog meat

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http://www.geocities.com/yoons_choi//Koreansoppose.html

 

A statement against dog meat

from Korea Vegetarian Union, Korea Vegetarian Group Union

and Korea Association for Animal Protection

 

Dogs are mankind's best friends.

 

The dog is a companion animal. Dogs love and trust humans just as

human babies love and trust their mothers. They are friendly animals

with a remarkable ability to communicate feelings with humans.

Consequently, these devoted and loving creatures are dear to a great

many people's hearts and treated like family members in many

households in Korea and around the world. To eat these animals is

clearly an act of betraying their trust in us and cannot be

justified. Dogs are also the close companions of many children.

Therefore, to eat dogs is an act of encouraging animosity among

children and young people.

 

Culture is a product of the times and situation. People have eaten

dogs in extreme situations such as times of war and famine. In some

areas of the world, this practice has survived due to ignorance.

Eating dogs however can never be a respectful tradition or value that

is worth inheriting. Many people talk of cultural relativism. However

what we all really need is ethical universality. Culture only shows

facts. Ethics, rather than culture, provides value judgements.

 

In Korea, eating dogs is still a serious problem. In fact it is

getting worse everyday. Some politicians even advocate the

legalisation of dog meat so that they can eat it without any stigma

attached to it. This is shameful behaviour, which goes against the

trend of compassion toward all animals in modern times. Never in

human history, have dogs been classified as livestock. Animal lovers

are grievously concerned with this dog meat legalisation movement, as

legalising dog meat will lead to a great deal of increased animal

abuse and even greater suffering for all animals. Legalising dog meat

contradicts the universal human value of compassion for animals.

 

Animal protection groups in Korea realises how dog meat is

fundamentally related to all animal abuse in Korea. We believe we

desperately need voluntary and active opposition against dog meat

within Korea. We do not believe in using any animal for consumption.

We clearly oppose using animals for entertainment, fur, scientific

experiments, or food. However, the problem of eating dogs is the very

source of disregarding the interests of all animals. It also causes

great pain and suffering to many Koreans who love animals. It is time

to rid Korea of this social evil.