Summary:
The Winter Olympics, which was held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, has shed light on the very controversial issue regarding South Korea's dog meat trade. Some South Koreans make the argument that those who are trying to implement regulations against eating dogs are placing the value of dog life above human life. These same people also view dog meat as a cultural food and claim that they know the difference between "dogs being raised for companionship" and those that are raised for the sole purpose of being food; however, many people take issue with the way the dogs are treated at the dog farms. They are forced to live in cramped areas with no room to walk or sometimes even stand, and they are not fed nearly enough. The Wall Street Journal article states that in South Korea, "some 20,000 dog farms raise the animals for human consumption" and that "last year, about two million dogs were raised and killed..." Many Olympians from the Winter Olympics, including Gus Kenworthy, have adopted dogs and have begun to speak out about the "inhumane" ways the dogs are treated at the dog farms in hopes of pressuring dog farm owners to close down.
Attitudes, however, are changing. The younger generations of Koreans are beginning to look down upon the trade and many only see the dogs as pets. The president of South Korea, too, has tried to change the attitude about the status of dogs and has adopted a black rescue dog. Many dog farmers are attempting to get out of the trade, and their dogs have been brought to western countries to be adopted. While we have to be sensitive to cultural differences, we can definitely demand that animals that are raised for human consumption be treated humanely. In a country like South Korea that is becoming richer, the population probably does not need to rely on a cheap source of meat like dog meat, and they can begin to get rid of the practice.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you see the validity of some of the arguments supporting the practice of eating dog meat?
2. Do you think there is a difference between dog meat and other types of meat like beef or pork (pigs are considered to be very social and intelligent animals)? Should we be eating them?
3. Is there anything else that the Korean government can do other than completely getting rid of this practice?
Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/olympics-puts-spotlight-on-korean-practice-eating-dog-meat-1519555641
10 comments:
I think that since eating dog meat is a part of some of the cultures in Asia, they shouldn't be prohibited from doing so. However, I agree that despite cultural differences, all animals being raised for human consumption be held under humane conditions. I definitely do like that more Koreans are straying away from consuming dog meat, and I don't really see any validity in the arguments for eating dog meat when there are so many substitutes. But I do think that people are more sensitive to eating dogs because much of the population has them as domesticated pets, but if we looked at dogs as wild animals, people probably wouldn't have a problem with eating them. I have no desire to eat dog meat though. (I have a dog.)
I think that the argument of "placing dog life over human life" has no validity. That makes it sound like the people wouldn't be able to survive if there wasn't dog meat. There are a vast array of foods for people to eat if they want to survive, so that specific argument is not really defendable. I agree with Elena that if they want to raise them for being eaten, they should do so in an agreeable manner. I personally would feel uncomfortable eating dog meat, but if it is widely accepted in their culture then I don't think that it should be prohibited. I'm not really supporting that people eat dog meat, but if its really something that they want to do and many people accept it, then I think it is fine. For example, many Hindus living in our country (especially immigrant families like my parents) feel very uncomfortable around the idea of people eating beef, as the cow is a sacred animal to them (and a pet to some). However, it is a deeply ingrained part of American culture, so its something that they can't really escape.
Stop eating fish, I have pet fish and I feel offended!
People have to realize that different cultures also entails different expectations when it comes to food. To the South Koreans, dog meat has always been a source of food, whether as to sustain themselves or as a delicacy. People like to impose their own beliefs upon other, vastly different cultures. As long as the dogs are being treated humanely, I can't see why dog meat farms should be restricted. If they are a big part and have always been a big part of Korean culture, why should they change that just because people from another culture feel offended?
Disclaimer: I haven't eaten dog nor do I plan to since I love those floofy boyes.
I think the only part of their reasoning that I agree with is that they are saving the dogs from inhumane treatment. No living organism deserves to be treated that way. But in that case, there are many other animals who are treated inhumanely in factories in the U.S. As those above me have stated, there is a huge difference in culture. It is somewhat hypocritical for them to focus on just saving the dogs. Many people end up looking down on these cultures because they eat dog meat. Yes, they are companions in some parts of the world, but so are chickens, pigs, fish, and much more. How would the U.S feel if Hindus in America or who have visited America tried to shut down the cow farms because it conflicted with their values? I am not advocating the consumption of any of these animals, but everyone has different values and people ate what they could to survive. Times are changing, but I still think we should try and understand one another and accept differences.
I agree with Sarena in the comment above. Make the treatment humane and then you can eat them. Pretty much just like every other animal on earth. Of course, ensuring the treatment is human requires resources and government involvement which I don't care for especially in South Korea so if the South Koreans have a problem with their dog farms then they can deal with them.
I agree with the comments above. If you're going to feel offended by the Asian culture and how they eat, you shouldn't eat any sort of meat at all. I feel like the Olympics should shine light on all animals who are treated badly, and not just because they are not used to seeing their modern day pets treated as food.
I think that it is absurd that people are against eating dogs and that people think that dogs are more valuable than any other animal. If it is okay to eat pigs and cows then why is it not okay to eat dogs? Just because people keep dogs as pets doesn't mean that it should be illegal to eat them. People keep fish as pets and we still eat fish. Dogs are animals just like all the other animals that we eat so I don't see why it is bad for humans to eat them. I can understand why people advocate for the treatment of animals being grown to eat, but as for the idea that it is somehow immoral to eat dogs, I this is illogical.
I agree with John, as it isn't fair to impose our societal norms/expectations on other cultures or to criticize them for producing a type of meat that we find distasteful. Dogs are just like pigs or chickens or goats or really any other type of animal, and just because we choose to keep them as pets doesn't mean that other people have to also. As for humane treatment, the US isn't really known for its humane treatment of animals either, so until we shut down McDonalds and KFC I don't see how anyone can reasonably criticize South Korea's treatment of dogs. I believe that we should treat all animals humanely, but at the same time, I don't believe that we have the right to call out South Korea for inhumane treatment while we still have CAFOs and other forms of industrial animal farming in the US.
One complaint that South Koreans had during the Olympics was the extensive media coverage that focused on the dog meat trade. There could have been a lot of other topics surrounding Korean culture that could have been covered in the media such as their technology and music; the media could have also covered South Korea's history and drawn attention to the reasons why Korea remains divided. Instead, the media focused on the aspect of Korea that is most difficult for Westerners to identify with. While I myself would never eat a dog and have actually rescued a dog from the Korean meat market trade, I think that it is somewhat troubling that there is biased treatment within the media toward things that are exotic and foreign.
I go by the notion of "If it's not human and it won't kill me if I eat it, than ok". Although I prefer it that animals don't suffer before they are slaughtered for food. I agree with most people above when they say this is clear example of cultural differences. America sees dogs as pets while China sees them as both livestock and pets.
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