San Antonio Mayor Ivy R. Taylor: Tell Sister City Gwangju (Jeollanam-do), South Korea, That We’re Opposed to the Torture and Consumption of Dogs and Cats.

San Antonio, Texas became Sister city to South Korea’s Gwangju in 1982.

Yet Gwangju, South Korea is responsible for the ongoing horrendous torture and killing of dogs and cats.

Gwangju is one of the largest dog meat consumption area in South Korea. If you have ever wondered what hell would be like, just visit or watch the videos of dog farms and slaughterhouses scattered all around Gwangju. There are countless dog farms in all sizes, markets and restaurants in Gwangju where the dogs, which are tortured their entire lives, end up being slaughtered in the most inhumane ways, such as by electrocution, hanging or beating; and then being 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 in broad daylight. In addition, many abandoned and stolen former pets end up in this industry, and are subjected to the same cruelty.

Please watch the undercover video from the documentary trailer by the Korea Observer: https://youtu.be/T6KKIZEjofs

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

Please inform Gwangju Mayor Jang-Hyun Yoon and Jeollanam-do Governor Nak-Yeon Lee that the City of San Antonio and its citizens insist that South Korea and the City of Gwangju 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 excrement, livestock waste water, 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 city to establish friendly communications in the areas of tourism, commerce, cultural exchange and public health.

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

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Please visit our campaign page for more call for action: http://koreandogs.org/sister-city-campaign-gwangju-south-korea-san-antonio-texas/

Short link for this petition: https://goo.gl/m2rwiE

Tell Sister City Gwangju, Korea, That We’re Opposed to Torture & Consumption of Dogs &Cats

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