Dear MEL Topic Readers,
South Korea banned dog meat. So what happens to the dogs?
Dog meat is consumed in several countries, including Vietnam,
Indonesia, Cambodia, China, and South Korea. However, it has become less common
in South Korea. According to a 2020 survey, over 80% of South Koreans had never
eaten dog meat, and a government poll in 2024 found only 8% of respondents had
eaten dog meat in the prior 12 months. So, in January 2024, the South Korean
government passed a law banning the sale and production of dog meat, which will
become effective in 2027 after a three-year grace period. If dog breeders
stopped producing dogs for meat immediately, the number of dogs for meat would
have gradually decreased, and would be zero when the trade is prohibited.
However, most dog farmers have to make their living with dogs and cling to the
business until the very end. According to government estimates, there are still
nearly half a million dogs in dog farms. Since most of them are medium to large
breeds, it is difficult to find their foster families in South Korea, where
housing prices have soared in recent years. Also, rescue shelters are already overcrowded.
Some are exported to other countries like Canada or the US, where larger dogs
are popular as pets. But unless their homes are found, many of those dogs might
be euthanized, instead of being eaten. Only 18 months left before the grace
period ends.
Read the article and learn about the challenges to phase out an
established business and practice.
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