Korea Tortures Cats and Dogs

This summer, South Korea will host the World Cup soccer games. Athletes from around the world as well as from the United States will be participating.

Every year, millions of dogs and cats in Korea are tortured before they are killed for their meat. Many Koreans believe that the more pain suffered by the dogs, the more effective is the aphrodisiacal quality. Consequently, dogs are routinely hung live by the neck, beaten with pipes and hammers, and blow torched to brown their skin. Cats are placed in a sack, beaten, and then thrown live into boiling water with ginger and dates and cooked until they form a paste known as cat juice or goyangi soju. Many of the dogs are bred by dog farmers, and the cats are caught in crude wire traps.

According to the Korea Animal Protection Society, which is located in South Korea and the International Aid for Korean Animals which is located in California, a law was passed in 1991 in Korea to protect dogs and cats from torture and slaughter. But, the laws banning these cruel practices are not being enforced.

I realize that the ways in which animals are treated vary from country to country. However, no country should allow animals to be tortured.

Please write to President George W. Bush at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500 or Email him at president@whitehouse.gov and request that he address your concerns about Korea's illegal dog and cat meat trade when he meets with President Kim in February.

Susan C. McDonough
President

New York State Humane AssociationHumane Review, Vol.XV, No.1, Summer 2001.