Dinner dogs rescued
Campaign to save thousands of dogs from illegal meat
trade
More than half of school children living in the Philippines have
been served their own pet dog for dinner, according to a shocking
survey by an animal charity.
The Animal Kingdom Foundation, which is based in the
Philippines, is working to abolish the illegal dog meat trade in
the country.
Charles Wartenberg from the charity said:
"These children are brought up to believe it is acceptable to
eat their pet dogs and we have to stop to this. Our aim is to
eliminate this despicable trade completely throughout the
Philippines."
The charity is working with the UK-based Dogs Trust to help
Filipino police to arrest dog meat traders and to save dogs that
are destined for dinner plates.
Thousands of dogs in the Philippines are being eaten by people.
Often the dogs are kept in appalling conditions before they are
killed.
David Newall from the Dogs Trust said that they have seen a rise
in the number of raids and dogs rescued.
"This is only a small step and we need to continue raising
awareness of this abhorrent trade; we believe one of the keys to
making a difference is education in schools," he said. "The
Filipino pet owners of tomorrow need to grow up viewing dogs as
companion animals and not profitable black market meat."
The Animal Kingdom Foundation works hard to rescue dogs, which
they look after in a sanctuary. But the charity needs more support,
funds and volunteers to help them cope with the rise in the number
of animals they are looking after.
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Dinner dogs rescued
Canine cuisine row dogs South Korea, though few people
there indulge in the tradition
When then -South Korean president Roh Tae-woo visited the UK two
decades ago, cheeky British tabloids warned the Queen to lock up
her beloved pet corgis.
Roh's country had recently emerged from a brutal authoritarian
era and opened up its capital Seoul to the world when hosting the
1988 Olympics. But the increased exposure of the country's custom
of eating dog fuelled negative headlines and Koreans were summarily
branded as cruel savages.
Nowadays, however, it unlikely that any typical young person in
South Korea has ever eaten the product, or intends to.
In 2010 it was estimated that less than 10% of the population
indulged in dog-centred dishes such as soups, stews and grilled
variations.
It is widely considered that older Korean men are the principal
consumers of the meat, which is usually sourced from one particular
breed. They believe it boosts their virility and boosts stamina,
particularly during the hot and humid summer months.
International condemnation of the practice surfaces
intermittently. Before the 1988 Olympics, the Korean government
moved to curb restaurants serving dog meat in order to placate
protest once the country was under the full glare of the
international media.
Today, the legalities covering the consumption of dog exist in
something of a grey area.
"It is technically illegal to process dogs like livestock and
use dog meat as any kind of food product," said campaign group
Korea Animal Rights Advocates. "However, it is not illegal to breed
or raise or slaughter dogs for dog meat."
The anti-dog-meat lobby has traditionally found fuel for its
outrage in the methods used to slaughter the dogs. Custom dictates
that the meat tastes better when the dogs experience extreme fear
prior to death. This has meant dogs being hung up, electrocuted and
beaten before slaughter. This, though, has been officially
banned.
Some Koreans point out it is not the only country in which dog
is a part of the food scene. In 2010, China's official Xinhua news
agency reported how authorities were attempting to outlaw dog
eating across the country, andVietnam boasts a number of dishes
that include dog meat.
Even prominent Korea-based foreigners have professed a liking
for dog. Robert Koehler, the editor of a Seoul magazine and one of
the country's most well-known bloggers, told The Korea Times how he
was partial to boshintang, a common dog-meat-based soup.
In the estimated 6000-plus restaurants serving dog-based
cuisine, there is little hint of mirth over the situation. The
proponents argue dog eating is a tradition going back 3000
years.
Ahn Yong-geun, a nutritionist at Chungcheong University who has
become known as Dr Dogmeat, argues that western medicine cannot
prove or disprove the lauded nutritional properties of the
meat.
Join us live on Glow TV on Friday 15 June at 11am for an
animal special Daily What Newsround. We will have a round up of
our recent stories, an interactive quiz and an interview with an
animal expert from the SSPCA who is hoping to bring along some very
special guests...
Lesson ideas and
suggestions
Join the Daily What News Facebook group
*NEW*
Watch us on the Daily What Newsround live on Glow
TV