The Korean government says that the legalisation of dog meat could reduce the mistreatment of dogs. What are your views?
The proposed amendments to the Livestock Products Processing Law are intended to regulate the hygienic component of dog slaughter for food, not the humane component. This is not going to stop the abuse of dogs while they are raised and butchered for food. It may help to prevent some of the cruel activities in street markets – such as the beating of dogs in public. However, Korea’s Animal Protection Law already states that animal mistreatment shall be punished, and cruelty to dogs on the streets is currently covered under this law. If dogs are considered to be livestock, the number of dogs subjected to cruelty will increase drastically, as they will suffer from the same institutionalised abuse that cows, chickens and pigs currently face.
