S.Korea dog meat festival bites the dust

[unreal.livejournal.com]

A South Korean dog meat festival has been cancelled following growls of protest from animal rights activists, one of the would-be organisers said Tuesday.

The Korea Dog Farmers' Association had scheduled for Friday a festival aimed at promoting traditional dog meat consumption, said Ann Yong-Geun, an adviser to the association.

"We couldn't possibly go on with the plan due to endless phone calls of complaint... now there are few willing to rent us a place for the event," Ann, a professor of nutrition at Chung Cheong University, told AFP.


The association had said the festival, to be held in a traditional open-air market in the city of Seongnam just south of Seoul, would showcase various canine delicacies including barbecued dog, sausages and steamed paws.

The event at the market, well known for selling dogs for meat, would also have featured products such as cosmetics and spirits with canine ingredients.

Ann said the festival would have displayed video clips and pictures of farms raising dogs under sanitary conditions, contrary to public perceptions.

He said there are about 600 farms raising dogs for meat in South Korea, where their meat has long been eaten and dog soup, or Boshintang, is a summer delicacy.

But growing numbers of Koreans oppose the practice and consider it an international embarrassment.

The planned festival stirred fury from South Korean animal rights groups and many Internet users.

"This is making our country an international laughing stock, and making the whole world mistakenly believe that all South Koreans eat dogs," said Park So-Youn, head of Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth.

The group led online campaigns to force cancellation of the festival.

"Canines are the animals emotionally closest to humans. You can't just publicly celebrate killing and eating them," Park said.

Source: AFP
I'm glad it's canceled.

Comments

[kimishim.livejournal.com]

This makes me feel happy :) I don't know how anyone can eat a dog, it's just like eating a human in my eyes

Wait

[aya-sama3000.livejournal.com]

People actually eat dog? O_O
i thought it was just a really bad and ignorant stereotype...

Well I'm glad its canceled...poor doggies :(

Re: Wait

[kiminikaeru.livejournal.com]

no, it's pretty common in some asian countries.

[ghost-whisper.livejournal.com]

What makes the festival distasteful is the emotional bond you have with the animal. Dogs, Cats, Horses too, I'm sure for many people are anathema to eat, despite not being vegetarians, because that's a member of the *family* for some. I abhor the thought of eating something like cat/dog - my cat is my *baby* - that'd be like being a cannibal and murdering a member of my family to boot.

However, as personally incredibly distasteful as I find the idea of a dog meat festival, I find the idea of an animal rights activist protesting it embarrassing. Unless they plan on protesting *every* festival that has eating some sort of meat as a key component, and trying to force the whole world to be vegetarian.
Dogs don't have an intrinsic rights more than cows or pigs (despite being cuter, etc), so a protest by rights activists is just being pushy. It pisses me off that a rights activist would go in there for a dog meat festival, because to my mind that smacks of either:
a) trying to force the world to convert to vegetarianism beliefs (if you'd protest any meat festival), or
b) being a hypocrite and demonstrating that you *actually* only care about the cute and fuzzy animals.

As SK people have more dogs/cats/whatever as pets, festivals of 'pet' animal meat naturally die out - they don't need help like that.

[lady-theta.livejournal.com]

This so much. I'm vegetarian and I found this a bit excessive.

[831panda831.livejournal.com]

I think this is a touchy subject because it has to do with culture , unless eating dog meat doesn't have anything to do with korean culture. Personally , I know people who have eaten dog but its not like they eat it every week.
Yet, I'm glad it was cancelled so ...

[puffy-wuffy.livejournal.com]

Eating dog meat happens in a lot of cultures. I suppose such things will have to go more underground in areas where people have dogs as pets.

Hey, even the French used to eat cats.

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

I feel like there are some countries that will always eat strange things, I would never in my life eat dog, horse, monkey, or anything that I would consider a pet but I'm tolerant of people that do, because it's their culture and they don't consider them pets but food. I'm sure there are people that dislike me because I eat venison (deer meat) on a regular basis, but it's part of my culture, as my family is Native American and northern European. I've grown up with it all my life.

[kyra-chann.livejournal.com]

... venison is delicious ;_; ....

[seobyo.livejournal.com]

...what's the difference of eating dog meat and eating beef, pork, venison, etc.
i have seen so many double standards
i mean i personally wouldn't eat dog meat, but i wouldn't look down upon it as if it's some terrible, horrible thing

sigh

[chibi-rei.livejournal.com]

Same. Personally I would like to avoid eating dog meat. However, I think people are confusing these dogs with the kind that are pets. It's not like they pull them out of pet stores or people's houses. Like cows, these dogs are raised to... well be eaten.

Again I'm not in favor of it. I just agree it's a double standard.

[itskimbitches.livejournal.com]

people should eat watever animal they want(non endanger please n no humans lolz)

[xmare-imbrium.livejournal.com]

why? yummy humans~

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

... that's too bad for Korea.

Koreans have always ate some things with the belief that they earn the "life force" of what they're eating. To give up this aspect of the culture is to lose a cultural identity.

Perhaps instead of canceling the fest altogether they can address the aspects that are considered inhumane, like poor farm conditions.

I can't accept that just beucase dogs are "close" to humans that we shouldn't eat them. If that is the case, then no one should eat pigs.

Pigs are also highly intelligent and biologically much closer to people, yet we eat tons and tons of pork every day.

Not that I'm saying that just because someone else stole a car that it's ok for me to steal a car too, but this is culture we're talking about here. There's already a whole lot that's been lost and forgotten in terms of Korean culture, so I think it's important to remember and celebrate every aspect of it, even if some of it seems "wrong" to westerners.

[hitsujiga.livejournal.com]

humans are also highly intelligent. there have been/still are(?) cultures with cannibalism. shouldn't we have accepted those cultures as well? some people think just because we are the most intelligent mammals it's ok for us to eat animal meat but not human one. but in the end it's "just meat" as well for some cultures. just because we are close to our family doesn't mean they have to be.
i know my idea is far fetched but in the end that is what people nowadays believe. and it's also kind of hypocrite in my eyes to just assume animals are lower creatures and can be used in the name of cultural beliefs that initially were made by humans. we evolved into highly intelligent mammals _because_ we gave up on some of our ancient beliefs...and i think the attachment of humans to their pets is showing, that people slowly start to realize they can "use" animals for their well-being without eating them. regional customs and beliefs aside the world is becoming more globalized and i believe the korean animal rights activists show, that not all koreans believe in the culture of 'eating dog meat'. that doesn't mean they forget where they are coming from or are giving up their whole culture.

i'm not trying to lecture you, because i am aware of my own hypocrisy eating pork and chicken myself, but i just think the recent fight against eating animals/wearing fur etc. should not only be seen in the light of disregarding cultural beliefs but also as a sign of humans trying to evolve into better beings.

[shiddex.livejournal.com]

cosmetics and spirits with canine ingredients.

wow... Q_Q

[avieyal.livejournal.com]

Then again, cosmetics have been made with pretty odd animal byproducts like fish scales and sheep placenta. Still can't get over the sheep placenta. They put it right on the front of the bottle label too. Sheep placenta. how is that I don't even. huh.

(OT: congrats on your icon's new alien girlfriend lol He's so cute at everything I just can't even see him as a fierce thing, even his dates are cute XD)

[avieyal.livejournal.com]

On one hand, I'm glad that less South Koreans eat dog meat, but on the other, I don't know if its really a great thing that the festival was canceled because it seems that dog meat eaters are really trying to find a middle ground for dog meat consumption (more sanitary farming conditions etc) to keep a part of their culture from becoming the source of "international embarrassment", so maybe that festival could've been a step forward instead.

I think those animal rights activists should call for sanitary and humane conditions for the farmed dogs first. As more and more people keep them and love them as family members, the practice will naturally die out.

The more worrying thing is that I've heard rumors that pets were being kidnapped and sold to dog meat shops, even pedigrees of well known breeds. I hope THAT isn't still happening. If it is the dog farming should be made easier/more accessible so that dognapping will stop.

appropriate icon is appropriate

[proleptical.livejournal.com]

yay meat eaters pointing fingers at other meat eaters and accusing them of cruelty! my favorite kind of posts. :D

i forget the slaughter of cows and pigs and chickens is somehow less barbaric just because!

[shisukachan.livejournal.com]

I can see how some people see it as distastful since many view dogs and other animals as pets who are a part of their families.

But, I think people need to keep in mind that in some cultures it's acceptable. I'm vietnamese and I know that in Vietnam, we do eat dog meat as it's considered to be meat representing good fortune. It's not an everyday ingredient and it doesn't mean we don't like dogs or anything. My aunt and uncle and cousins have dogs as pets whom they love.

[renew.livejournal.com]

Every single person I talked to about boshintang said they thought it was disgusting. Our instructor even said only "gross old men" eat dog.

[enchantark.livejournal.com]

So..?

[eishastan.livejournal.com]

Happy it got canceled, also happy that more and more Koreans are against it!!

[aj-123.livejournal.com]

"barbecued dog, sausages and steamed paws."

I threw up in my mouth a little.

[pistolkrystle.livejournal.com]

barbecued ribs, sausages, and gelatin
how does this sound?

[xkeirafanx.livejournal.com]

While I in general wouldn't eat cats, dogs or similar because they are pets, I don't really feel in the place to judge people that do, because I eat chicken and pig. I can politely decline if I get offered pet considered animals. I think if you are breeding to eat the animal later and you do breed them well I have no complaints. But I wouldn't eat whale meat, because the more whales killed to eat, the faster they die out and I am strongly against that.

Meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans should respect each other. You don't want to eat animals, fine. You want to, fine too. Just don't make a whole animal species vanish from the surface of earth.

[synnesai.livejournal.com]

I think before we start protesting for the rights of animals we should start on humans.

And people have been eating dogs, cats, horses, deer, anything, for YEARS and YEARS. It's nature. It's only since we start giving the animals a name and a "face" that this happens.

Really, let people eat what they eat; sometimes it is all they have (though is is clearly not the case).

But to each their own.

[yeongwonnie.livejournal.com]

well this is so subjective
we can't condamn something that is related to culture
I know I'll NEVER eat dog or cat meat but I eat beef & chicken
who am I to judge those who eat dog or cat because that's their culture?
maybe if I was born there I'd eat them too
and maybe not, because it's about a personal belief & choice too (not only culture)
for example in my country some people eat rabbit & horse which I'm sure I'll never do

however I do understand & totally agree with those protesting to at least treat these animals more "humanly"

[pistolkrystle.livejournal.com]

omona you make me laugh:
you people are crying about the dogs while shoving your face full of cheeseburgers....
Same people crying about how their poor oppars are being treated like slaves by their companies contracts, while half the shit in your house is made in some other country by a person in a sweatshop... u people are retarded.

and no I don't eat dog, because its not practical. They probably taste all gamy and stringy.

[lainmyownworld.livejournal.com]

i feel stupid saying ewww nuuuu dont eat cute doggies, when i eat other animals.

but that said, i will never eat dog

[puppet-princess.livejournal.com]

The fact is people eat what is available and affordable. If you were starving and the only thing edible around was rats... a rat burger would eventually stop sounding so disgusting. Every culture has, at least at some point, eaten a whole lot of something we would find disgusting now. Haggis and trite weren't some brilliant culinary idea. They were foods thought up by poor, hungry people who did not want to waste. In modern days, these things are cultural, but eaten a hell of a lot less.

I think American's have a much harder time understanding that any animal is food because... well when we have made beef, pork, and chicken so plentiful, cheap, and available why would we need or want to eat other animals? I've meet people who wont even try buffalo. Even though it's pretty much beef, but better for you. Buffaloes aren't even that cute. So it's just a "not a cow, can't eat that" sort of mentality.

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for them, I find buffalo meat a lot tastier than cow.

[kiwilovekiwi.livejournal.com]

Meat is meat. As long as it's not illegal or human, I don't see why not. I'm more concerned with how the animals was raised and killed.

[adjuihcuzuejrim.livejournal.com]

First, I want to say, that anyone can eat anything in my opinion. hah

However, I'm willed to understand vegans, vegetarians, or people who just think that dogs are emotionally closest to humans.

I can't help but pity those farmers who want to keep this tradition alive, but are fought by activists.
And the worst is that these activists don't seem to fight for 'dog rightS' or whatever primarily but because THEY ARE EMBARRASSED OF WHAT OTHER NATIONS THINK OF THEM.

[a-life-defiant.livejournal.com]

HUZZAH for the cancellation. Lassie = FRIEND not food.