Governor Brown. Tell Sister State, South Korea and Jeju Province of South Korea, That We’re Opposed to the Torture and Consumption of Dogs and Cats.

California became sister state of South Korea in 1987 and Jeju Province of South Korea in 2005.  Yet South Korea is responsible for the horrendous dog and cat meat trade.  An estimated 2.5 million dogs and thousands of cats are slaughtered and eaten as “health food” each year in South Korea. There are laws in South Korea against selling dogs and cats for consumption yet these laws are blatantly ignored.

Please watch this undercover video by animal rights activists in South Korea:  http://youtu.be/3uR8R8Mu70Q  

Please inform President Moon Jae-In and Governor Hee-Ryong Won that California citizens and their friends insist that they issue an official document mandating that the following existing laws be enforced:

Livestock Product Sanitary Control Act, Article 2, Item 1 which governs the raising, slaughter and disposal of livestock and the processing, distribution and inspection of livestock products, does not categorize dogs as livestock that can be processed as food.  Therefore this makes the dog meat industry technically illegal.  

Food Sanitation Act, Article 7, Clause 1, Korean Food Standards Codex specified by the Food and Drug Administration, does not include dogs in the list of raw materials that can be processed and cooked as food, therefore making raising and slaughtering dogs for consumption illegal.

Animal Protection Act:

ARTICLE 3. BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR PROTECTION OF ANIMALS

Each person shall endeavor to observe the following principles in raising, caring for, or protecting an animal:

1. Each person shall ensure that an animal maintains its natural behavior and original physical shape to live an ordinary life;

2. Each person shall ensure that an animal does not suffer from thirst, hunger, or malnutrition;

Each person shall ensure that an animal is free to express normal behavior without experiencing discomfort;

4. Each person shall ensure that an animal is free from pain, injury, and disease;

5. Each person shall ensure that an animal is free from fear and distress.

ARTICLE 8. PROHIBITION OF ANIMAL ABUSE

① No one shall commit the following acts toward animals:

1. Act of killing by brutal methods, such as hanging

2. Act of Killing in public or in another animal’s presence

③ No one shall commit the following acts toward abandoned or abused animals:

1. Act of capture and sell or kill.

2. Act of trade or purchase knowing that the animals are abandoned or abused.

ARTICLE 9. ANIMAL TRANSPORTATION

① Anyone transporting an animal that has been selected by decree from the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries must make an effort to abide by the following:

1. Ensure that the animals are properly fed, watered and drive carefully so that animals are not shocked or harmed from sudden departures or stops.

2. The vehicle used for transportation must be built to prevent any harm during transportation and to minimize any pain due to poor ventilation or sudden changes in temperature, etc.

4. Avoid any possible injuries while moving an animal and minimize any pain or discomfort, such as sudden changes in body temperature or difficulty in breathing.

ARTICLE 46. PUNISHMENT

① Anyone who violates Article 8, Clause 1 through 3 shall be punished with up to one year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million Korean won ($7,000 USD).

Ministry of Environment's Conservation of Water Quality and Ecosystem Act,  Article 15 Clause 1 Item 2 and Article 78 Item 3, the act of discharging excrements, livestock wastewater, animal carcass, waste materials or sludge into public water is punishable by up to one year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million Korean won ($7,000 USD).

Livestock Safety Management Act, slaughterhouses are only authorized to slaughter animals they are registered to handle. No slaughterhouse is registered to slaughter dogs because dogs are not subject to slaughter under this law.

We believe these demands are in line with the goal of sister states to establish friendly communications in the areas of tourism, commerce, cultural exchange and public health.

International and Korean media coverage of the brutal dog and cat meat trade in South Korea has stained South Korea’s image and severely tarnished California’s sister state relationship. The time to end this tragedy is now. Thank you for taking swift action.

PS:  Please also send Governor Brown a direct email if you can.  It's very quick and simple.   https://govnews.ca.gov/gov39mail/mail.php

http://koreandogs.org/