Stop the Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Korea
- van: International Alliance Against Animal Cruelty
- ontvanger: U.S. Congress
WHAT WOULD YOU THINK if I told you that South Korea hides a hideous "secret" which is that each year millions of cats and dogs are killed for food and that it is still common to eat dogs there. This is not done in a humane manner, but by torturing them to death by hanging, strangulation and beatings with such objects as bricks, rocks, heavy rod-like objects and electrocution. They do this for long periods of time in order to terrorize and intentionally cause great suffering to the animal, who dies a very slow and painful death. This brutal execution is done to dogs because, based on myths promoted by the dog meat industry, many South Koreans believe that the flesh from a dog who is tortured to death tastes better and has aphrodisiac qualities. Some South Koreans torture cats by hitting them on the head repeatedly with hammers, by placing them in sacks which are then pounded on the ground, or by other methods that produce a slow and painful death. Dead cats are cooked along with ginger, dates and chestnuts to make a brown paste or "Liquid Cat" which is foolishly thought by many South Koreans to be a remedy for rheumatism and joint problems. NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK if I told you that YOU can stop this?
If you are a rescuer, an animal advocate or activist, or just someone who cares about companion animals, you will surely want to do something to help change the fate of the millions of cats and dogs in South Korea who are hideously tortured and killed, out of greed, ignorance and superstition. And YOU can make a difference by reading this email and doing just one thing. The International Alliance Against Animal Cruelty, a coalition of animal welfare groups and individuals, is seizing upon an opportunity to bring world condemnation and American influence to bear, by asking the United States Congress to halt passage of the US Free Trade Agreement between South Korea and the United States.
With your help, passage of Bill # H. RES. 934, now in the hands of the Congressional Ways and Means Committee, can be delayed until South Korea agrees to enforce its own laws passed in 1984, which abolish dog and cat eating. And YOU can help save so many innocent animals just by contacting your Representative in Congress. If we are to do anything, we MUST do it NOW. We may not have such an opportunity again! Time is of the essence so please act today by calling your Representative. Tell him/her that you want passage of Bill # H. RES. 934 STOPPED, until South Korea agrees to end once and for all, the torture, the killing, the eating of dogs and cats.
Please follow up with an email and by asking all your colleagues and neighbors to join you by taking action to help end this atrocity; and please sign our Petition, link follows, which will be presented to the United States Congress. And, won't you please let us know if you were successful in making your voice heard. We would greatly appreciate hearing that you have contacted your Representative.
Thank you for your concern and compassion,
The Executive Board of the International Alliance Against Animal Cruelty,
P.O. Box 656712, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 718-744-PETS (7387)www.CompanionAnimalNetworkTV.org
PETITION TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
We the undersigned do hereby request that serious consideration be given to the political ramifications of the Free Trade Agreement with South Korea, based on their history of duplicity and corruption; we furthermore ask you NOT to ratify this treaty for the following reasons:
In an arrangement made under pressure brought by the International Fund for Animal Welfare ("IFAW") in 1984, South Korea passed a law abolishing dog meat eating. It was passed into law with the intention of misleading the international community, as the law has never been enforced. Similar to its northern neighbor, South Korea's selective adherence to laws and agreements may not bode well for any Free Trade Agreements.
Corruption in the South Korean government is rampant; former Prime Minister Roh Moo-Hyun (2003-2008) committed suicide on May 23, 2009 due to accusations of having taken $6 million in bribes from a businessman. Any agreement the US signs with South Korea is virtually guaranteed to be ignored and misappropriated by corrupt parties within the South Korean government, akin to the United Nations Oil for Food Program and most foreign aid to third world nations. The United States would thus be repeating the same mistakes, by pandering to a corrupt government for the sake of its votes at the United Nations.
South Korea has not demonstrated itself to be a true ally of the United States. For nine years it has failed to substantially support the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, that is, until now, when the US Free Trade Agreement is under consideration. Despite repeated pleas from the US to send soldiers for these wars, it had only sent 200 medics and engineers to Afghanistan and withdrew all of them two years ago, as soon as one South Korean citizen was taken hostage. On Oct. 30, 2009 South Korea announced that it would send troops to Afghanistan to "protect its civilian workers" which total just 130, who "will not take part in combat operations." Hardly the actions of a "true" ally, after 50,000 American lives were sacrificed against its enemies and billions of US dollars of tax payer monies were spent to protect South Korea for the past 60 years.
The world has changed in the past decade and the United States cannot afford to be economically subsidizing nations with Free Trade Agreements who are not true allies. Doing so at this time when US unemployment is high and our economy is faltering would be tantamount to committing economic suicide for the United States.
The preferential treatment of South Korea may instigate friction with other, more economically and militarily formidable, southeast Asian nations, at a time when our foreign policy is under duress. The United States should no longer take lightly any association with nations that utilize any form of torture.
Why the petition?
It is time to end the hideous torture and killing of cats and dogs for food. Every year in July and August up to 2 million family pets are first tortured and then killed with hammers, suffocation, blood-letting, hanging and in other horrific ways. Dogs and cats are crammed into cages like factory chickens, unable to stand, sit or turn; they are denied food and not given water in 100 degree heat. This is "animal control" in South Korea. Companion animals are intentionally tortured prior to being killed for food, due to a myth fabricated by the dog meat dealers that the secretion of adrenaline during slaughter results in the meat having medicinal benefits, particularly as relates to virility.
One American soldier who fought for South Korea's independence commented:
"This is not what my friends died to defend."
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