The last dog slaughterhouse in Seoul has shut down thanks to years of relentless activism | Totally Vegan Buzz
The last dog slaughterhouse in Seoul has shut down thanks to years of relentless activism
Image: Humane Society International

Seoul’s once thriving dog meat trade has been officially resigned to the history books after the final slaughterhouses in the city agreed to stop killing animals on site. 

The South Korean capital’s Mayor Park Won-soon and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have been fighting to ban the practice for the past year as attitudes towards dog meat change across the country.

The announcement that the remaining shops will no longer kill animals in Seoul is a major victory for animal rights charity the Humane Society International/Korea, which has been active in South Korea since 2015 working with dog meat farmers to close farms, rescue dogs and drive change.

Dog meat consumption has declined rapidly in South Korea, particularly among younger generations. 

A survey by Gallup Korea in June 2018 found that 70% of South Koreans said they would not eat dog meat in future. 

The last dog slaughterhouse in Seoul has shut down thanks to years of relentless activism
Oscar and Pumpkin are shown locked in a cage at a dog meat farm in Yeoju, South Korea, on Sunday, August 11, 2019. The operation is part of HSIs efforts to fight the dog meat trade throughout Asia. In South Korea, the campaign includes working to raise awareness among Koreans about the plight of meat dogs being no different from the animals more and more of them are keeping as pets. Image: Humane Society International

In July this year HSI/Korea assisted in the closure of South Korea’s notorious Gupo dog meat market in Busan, following the closure the previous year of Taepyeong – the largest dog slaughterhouses in the country in Seongnam.

Nara Kim, dog meat campaign manager for Humane Society International/Korea said in a statement sent to Totally Vegan Buzz: “I am so happy to see Seoul’s last remaining dog meat shops end dog slaughter. Although these shops can still sell dog meat, it is nonetheless wonderful to see South Korea take one step further away from this dying industry that most Koreans want nothing to do with. 

“It gives me hope that South Korea’s future is dog meat-free. HSI/Korea will continue working with the government, and supporting farmers who no longer want to work in the dog meat trade, so that one day we will be able to celebrate the closure of South Korea’s final dog slaughterhouse.”

The last dog slaughterhouse in Seoul has shut down thanks to years of relentless activism
A mother dog and her puppies are shown locked in a cage at a dog meat farm in Yeoju, South Korea, on Sunday, August 11, 2019. The operation is part of HSIs efforts to fight the dog meat trade throughout Asia. In South Korea, the campaign includes working to raise awareness among Koreans about the plight of meat dogs being no different from the animals more and more of them are keeping as pets. Image: Humane Society International

The charity has so far closed 15 dog meat farms in South Korea, helping farmers to close down their dog meat farms and transition to alternative, humane livelihoods. 

Increasingly, dog farmers are keen to exit the controversial trade due to societal shame, family pressure and decreasing profits, HSI explained.

What is the best way to tackle the dog meat industry? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Published by Totally Vegan Buzz Team

The Totally Vegan Buzz Team are a gang of extremely entertaining writers who also happen to be vegan. Together, they bring you all the vegan infotainment you need - trends, news, quizzes and more. Leave them a comment! They love it when you guys say hi...

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