Petition: https://chng.it/hr5nTjWf

Gapyeong, South Korea, Shut down illegal dog meat farms, slaughterhouses, markets, and restaurants.

Click here for more actions you can take:
http://koreandogs.org/Gapyeong/
http://koreandogs.org/petitions-korean-cities/

In Gapyeong, there are numerous dog farms, slaughterhouses, markets, and restaurants where the dogs, who have been tortured their entire lives, end up being slaughtered in the most inhumane ways, such as by electrocution, hanging or beating; and then thrown into boiling water – sometimes while they are still alive. In many places, dogs are being killed in full view of other terrified, caged dogs; and this takes place in public and broad daylight. In addition, many abandoned and stolen former pets end up in this industry and are subjected to the same cruelty.

There are plentiful evidence that the illegal dog meat industry exists in Gapyeong. Shown below are two search results on Naver (the most popular search engine in Korea) – the first one was for so-called “Health Centers,” which commonly sell dog elixirs and cat elixirs (also known as dog soju and cat soju); and the second one was for “dog meat restaurants”.

The searches resulted in dozens of Health Centers and dog meat restaurants in the vicinity of Gapyeong.

https://map.naver.com/?query=%EA%B2%BD%EA%B8%B0%EB%8F%84+%EA%B0%80%ED%8F%89%EA%B5%B0+%EA%B1%B4%EA%B0%95%EC%9B%90&type=SITE_1

https://map.naver.com/?query=%EA%B2%BD%EA%B8%B0%EB%8F%84+%EA%B0%80%ED%8F%89%EA%B5%B0+%EB%B3%B4%EC%8B%A0%ED%83%95&type=SITE_1

Even if half of these ‘Health’ Food Shops and restaurants serve dog and cat ‘ingredients’ in one form or another, just imagine how many dog/cat slaughterhouses must be present in and around Gapyeong to supply all of these outlets.

South Korea is the home to global companies, such as Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, LG, Daewoo, SK and POSCO, which is why it is so shocking that an estimated 2.5 million dogs are tortured and slaughtered every year within South Korea, because of the greed of dog eaters and the dog meat industry; while the majority of those Koreans, who don’t actually participate in this offensive trade, show a profound indifference by doing nothing at all to stop it.

We know how loyal and faithful our dogs across the world are; and we all ask a lot of them - they serve us in innumerable ways: farm work, war work, police and guard duties, search and rescue, help for the disabled, guiding and guardianship, and, of course, as our loving and trusting companions.

Dogs were first domesticated many thousands of years ago, and so much do they want to be part of our ‘human’ family that they have learned to understand our gestures and our language - the language of another species, which shows remarkable willingness and intelligence.

There are laws in South Korea against selling dogs and cats for human consumption yet these laws are routinely and blatantly ignored.

Dear Mayor Seo Tae-won and Gapyeong County Council members,

Please watch this documentary, “The Dog Meat Professionals: South Korea” https://youtu.be/cCdTceduKcY

We ask you to take immediate action to crack down on the illegal dog farms, slaughterhouses, markets and restaurants that serve dog meat in your county. We request that an official document be issued, mandating that the following existing Korean laws be enforced by its government officials, police and judges:

Breeding:

Unauthorized processing of food waste fed to dogs in the meat trade violates the Wastes Control Act, Article 15-2, Article 25, Section 3. Suppliers of food waste and transporters of food waste to dog meat farms are violating this regulation. (Penalty: imprisonment with labor for not more than five years or by a fine not exceeding 50 million won per Article 64 of the Waste Control Act. Imprisonment with labor for not more than three years or by a fine not exceeding 30 million won per Article 65 of the Waste Management Act.)

The unauthorized collection of food waste and feeding it to dogs violates the Control of Livestock and Fish Feed Act, Article 14, Sections 1 & 2. (Penalty: imprisonment with labor for not more than three years or a fine not exceeding 30 million won per Article 33 of the Control of Livestock and Fish Feed Act.)

Excrement and resulting environmental damage produced as a by-product of the illegal dog meat farm violates the Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta. The excrement produced at dog meat farms causes environmental damage to the immediate and surrounding area. (Penalty: imprisonment with labor for not more than two years or by a fine not exceeding 20 million won per Article 49 of the Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta.)

Slaughter:

Slaughtering dogs for human consumption violates the Animal Protection Act Article 8, Section 1. Killing an animal by hanging it by the neck or by using any other cruel methods; killing an animal on the street or any other places open to the public or killing an animal with animals of the same kind present at the scene; killing an animal by failing to feed or water it on purpose; killing an animal without any justifiable grounds is clear violation of the Animal Protection Act.

The slaughter of dogs by electrocution violates the Animal Protection Act, Article 8, Section 1, Clause 1. Inflicting an injury to animals by physical or chemical means, such as tools or drugs, is subject to legal punishment. Therefore, the routine slaughter of dogs by butchers and farmers by these methods violates the Act. (Penalty: imprisonment with labor for not more than three years or by a fine not exceeding 30 million won per Article 46 of the Animal Protection Act.) Further, electrocution as a method of slaughter is internationally recognized as an inherently cruel method of slaughter and banned globally. In Korea, the Supreme Court in 2020 convicted a case of slaughtering a dog using an electric iron skewer.

The slaughter of dogs from an unauthorized slaughterhouse violates the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act, Article 7 Section 1. The Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act states that dogs are officially recognized and classified as “animals” that are “prohibited from being slaughtered and distributed as food for human consumption.” Therefore, those vendors operating dog slaughterhouses are operating outside of the parameters of the law and in violation of the law. (Penalty: imprisonment with labor for not more than 10 years or a fine not exceeding 100 million won per Article 45 of the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act.)

The slaughter of dogs for consumption violates the Animal Protection Act, Article 10. The Act intends to ensure that no animal is slaughtered in a cruel or revolting manner and shall be free from unnecessary pain, fear, or stress during the slaughter process. Therefore, the only humane way of slaughtering dogs would be by euthanasia (lethal injection). All currently practiced methods of slaughter by butchers, farmers, and traders exclude euthanasia as a method of slaughter. Therefore, they are all in breach of this Act. This is also a violation of the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act Article 7 Section 1 Clause 2. According to the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act, the slaughter of animals for their consumption is allowed only for the livestock animals publicly announced as livestock classification in the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act, and dogs are not classified here.

Distribution & Sale:

The display and sale of dog carcasses in traditional outdoor markets violate the Food Sanitation Act, Article 4, 5. Violation of laws banning the sale of harmful food due to the contamination from the unsanitary and illegal slaughter of the animal and display of the dog carcass. For example, dog carcasses are routinely contaminated by microorganisms that cause human diseases and food poisoning, leading to severe and life-threatening health complications. There are also strict laws that ban the sale of meat from sick animals. Because there is no quality control or proper monitoring of slaughter practices in the dog meat trade, likely, these laws are routinely violated.

Dog meat restaurants’ sale of dog meat soup made with dog carcasses from an unknown source violates the Food Sanitation Act Article 44 Section 1 Clause 1. Uninspected livestock products must not be transported, stored, displayed, sold, or used to manufacture or process food for human consumption.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety must crack down on and punish businesses that sell dog carcasses and that process, cook, and sell products that use dog carcasses as raw materials.

Please refer to the legal information regarding dog meat consumption in South Korea published by KARA (Korea Animal Rights Advocates): https://www.ekara.org/activity/against/read/7537 https://koreandogs.org/kara-publishes-legal-information-booklet-ending-dog-meat-consumption/

Dog meat consumption is a catastrophe brought about by the government’s inaction. Here are reasons why dog meat consumption is illegal.
Breeding: https://www.ekara.org/activity/against/read/16556
Slaughter: https://www.ekara.org/activity/against/read/19677
Distribution & Sales: https://ekara.org/activity/against/read/19754

The United States House of Representatives has formally passed H.Res. 401, which “Calls for an end to the dog and cat meat industry and urges all nations to outlaw the dog and cat meat trade.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/401

International coverage of the brutal dog and cat meat trade in South Korea has stained your county’s image. The time to end this tragedy is now. The favor of your reply is requested.

[In Korean]

가평군은 불법 개농장, 도축장, 시장, 보신탕집을 폐쇄하라!

전자청원: 가평군은 불법 개농장, 도축장, 시장, 보신탕집을 폐쇄하라!
https://www.change.org/p/gapyeong-mayor-kim-seong-gi-gapyeong-south-korea-shut-down-the-illegal-dog-meat-farms-slaughterhouses-and-markets

서태원 가평군수님과 가평군의회 의원님들께 청원합니다.

우선 “대한의 육견인들 (https://youtu.be/cCdTceduKcY) 과 “한국 댕댕이 잔혹사 : 개는 죄가 없다 (https://youtu.be/qIFAI9uyx64) 라는 다큐멘터리를 참고로 봐주시기 바랍니다.

가평군은 개고기를 다루는 불법 개농장, 도살장, 시장, 보신탕집, 건강원을 단속하는 즉각적 조치를 취하기를 촉구합니다. 또한 한국정부, 경찰청, 사법기관이 아래와 같은 기존 한국법 시행을 요구하는 공식문서를 발급할 것을 요청합니다.

사육:

– 개의 사육단계에서 식용견 사료용으로 음식쓰레기를 무단처리하는 것은 폐기물 관리법 제 15조의 2, 제 25조 3항 위반입니다. 음식물쓰레기 배출자와 운반자들은 이 의무규정을 위반하고 개농장주에게 음식쓰레기를 제공하고 있습니다. (처벌: 폐기물관리법 제 64조 의거 5년 이하의 징역 또는 5천만원 이하 벌금. 폐기물관리법 제 65조 의거 3년이하의 징역이나 3천만원 이하의 벌금.)

– 무단으로 음식쓰레기를 수집/운반하여 개에게 급여하는것은 사료관리법 제 14조 1항 및 2항의 위반입니다. (처벌: 사료관리법 제 33조 의거 3년 이하의 징역 또는 3천만원 이하 벌금.)

– 불법으로 난립된 개농장에서 배출되는 분뇨로 인한 환경위해는가축분뇨의 관리 및 이용에 관한 법률(가축분뇨법)의 위반입니다. 개농장의 배설물은 인근 지역 환경 피해를 유발합니다. (처벌: 가축분뇨법 제 49조 가축분뇨의 처리 의무를 위반한 경우 2년 이하 징역 또는 2천 만원 이하 벌금.)

도살:

– 식용하기 위한 개도살은 동물보호법 제 8조 1항의 위반입니다. 개도살은 목을 매다는 등의 잔인한 방법으로 죽음에 이르게 하는 행위, 노상 등 공개된 장소에서 죽이거나 같은 종류의 다른 동물이 보는 앞에서 죽음에 이르게 하는 행위, 고의로 사료 또는 물을 주지 아니하는 행위로 인하여 동물을 죽음에 이르게 하는 행위, 수의학적 처치의 필요, 동물로 인한 사람의 생명ㆍ신체ㆍ재산의 피해 등 정당한 사유 없이 죽음에 이르게 하는 행위로 명백한 법 위반 행위입니다.

– 전기감전방법으로 개를 도살하는 행위는 동물보호법 제 8조 2항 1호의 위반입니다. 도구ㆍ약물 등 물리적ㆍ화학적 방법을 사용하여 상해를 입히는 행위마저 법적 처벌의 대상인 만큼 당연히 상기 방법에 의한 도살 행위는 위법입니다. (처벌: 동물보호법 제 46조 의거 3년 이하 징역 또는 3천만원 이하 벌금)
전기도살은 국제적으로 잔인한 도살로 금지되어 있으며 국내에서도 2020년 대법원이 전기 쇠꼬챙이를 사용하여 개를 도살한 사건에 유죄판결을 내린바 있습니다.

– 무허가 도살장에서 개를 도살하는 행위는 축산물 위생관리법 제 7조 1항 위반입니다. 개는 축산물 위생관리법에서 규정한 ‘도살, 식육으로의 유통이 불가능’한 동물로서 허가받은 도살장이 존재할수가 없습니다. 따라서 개 도살장을 운영하는 공급업체는 법의 매개 변수를 벗어나 법을 위반하고 있는 것입니다. (처벌: 축산물 위생 관리법 제 45조 의거 10년 이하 징역 또는 1억원 이하 벌금.)

– 자가소비를 목적으로 개를 도살하는 행위는 동물보호법 제 10조와 축산물 위생관리법 제 7조 1항 2호의 위반입니다. 모든 동물은 잔인한 방법으로 도살되어서는 안되는데, 개도살의 경우 인도적인 방법은 약물주사 외에는 없으므로 현재 한국에서 자행되는 모든 식용 목적 개도살은 잔인한 도살에 해당합니다. 축산물 위생관리법의 ‘자가소비를 위한 도살 허용’은 고시로 정한 축산물 위생관리법상 가축에 한하며 개는 해당사항이 없습니다.

유통, 판매:

현행 식품위생법과 식약처의 해석에 의하면 ‘개고기’는 명백히 식품의 원료가 아닙니다.
– 재래시장에서 개의 지육을 전시/판매하는 행위는 식품위생법 제4, 5조의 위반입니다. 불결한 불법도축과 지육 전시과정에서의 오염으로 ‘위해식품 등의 판매금지’ 조항에 위배됩니다. 개의 지육이 병을 일으키는 미생물에 오염된 경우 인체의 건강을 해칠 우려가 있습니다. 또 유기견이나 개농장의 병든 개체가 도살돼 판매될 가능성을 배제하지 못하므로 ‘병든 동물의 고기 등의 판매금지’ 조항에 위배됩니다.

– 식품위생법 제44조에 1항 1호에 따르면 「축산물 위생관리법」 제12조에 따른 검사를 받지 아니한 축산물은 운반ㆍ보관ㆍ진열ㆍ판매하거나 식품의 제조ㆍ가공에 사용할 수 없습니다. 이를 위반시 식품위생법 제97조에 의거하여 3년 이하의 징역 또는 3천만원 이하의 벌금형에 처해집니다. ※ 축산물 위생관리법 제12조(축산물의 검사) ① 제21조제1항에 따른 도축업의 영업자는 작업장에서 처리하는 식육에 대하여 검사관의 검사를 받아야 한다.

식약처는 시중에서 판매되는 개 사체 및 지육은 물론, 이를 원료로 가공 조리 판매하는 모든 영업장을 집중 단속하고 허가 받지 않은 원료를 이용하여 판매하는 행위를 엄중히 단속하고 처벌해야 합니다.

동물권행동 카라의 개식용에 관한 법적 정보 “개식용 종식을 위한 법규 안내집이 발간되었습니다!”를 참조하십시오.
https://www.ekara.org/activity/against/read/7537

정부의 무위가 가져온 파국 ‘개식용’, 무법이 아닌 불법인 이유:
사육: https://www.ekara.org/activity/against/read/16556
도살: https://www.ekara.org/activity/against/read/19677
유통, 판매: https://ekara.org/activity/against/read/19754

미국 하원은 공식적으로 결의안 H.Res 401 “개와 고양이 식용산업을 종식시키고 모든 국가가 개와 고양이식용를 금지할 것을 촉구한다.”를 통과시켰습니다. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/401

가평군에서 자행되는 잔인한 개/고양이 식용산업에 대한 외신 보도가 가평군의 이미지를 크게 추락시키고 있습니다. 이 비극을 끝낼 때입니다! 가평군의 회신을 요청드립니다.