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Anti-Dog Meat Campaign 2010: Don't Eat Your Friends |
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Saturday, 24 July 2010 10:54 |
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( Last Updated on Sunday, 01 August 2010 15:31 ) |
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Here is the campaign slogan for KARA's 2010 summer anti-dog meat campaign. This basically asks, "Have you had enough?" The question alludes to a famous phrase from a part of Korea that also features in a Korean gangster movie called Friends. A guy in the movie who is getting stabbed over and over says, "I've had enough."
The general theme of the campaign, which was designed by an ad agency, is something like "Dogs are your friends, so don't eat/kill them." But the way it was worded in the slogan gives it a deeper meaning and cultural significance for Koreans.
And here is the campaign bus!
The slogan was very successful judging by the feedback it received. You could see people reading it, then suddenly their expressions would change as it's meaning dawned on them and they'd smile. Others, however, were confronted.
The bus was hired for two days of campaigning, Sunday July 18 and Monday July 19, 2010, which coincided with Chobuk or the first main day of the summer dog eating season. The following pictures are for the Sunday campaign, which went from around 10 am to 5.30 pm.
These two guys were getting ready to head the march. They took turns carrying a drum. The pictures don't convey it but it was a very humid day and the heat was draining.
Part of the campaign was to do a routine where letters of the slogan were held up and called out by activists to spell the slogan. Here is everyone rehearsing at Seoul Plaza before heading off.
Part of the performance was for the guys to enact the killing of one friend by another or someone who was a potential friend.
They rehearsed the action with a symbolic fork, which of course is supposed to draw a link between the killing of dogs, our friends, and the eating of dogs at the table.
The first stop was Myeong Dong, which wasn't as busy as anticipated. Perhaps the heat was keeping people away.
At a mall intersection, the activists went through their routine. This was done several times at different intersections.
We marched up and down Myeong Dong's main thoroughfares, handing out pamphlets as we went.
Just before departing Myeong Dong, the public were treated to another rousing cry against dog meat eating.
Next stop was Insa Dong, where the bus was parked on a main road and attracted its fair share of attention. These passersby above are discussing the meaning of the slogan. They were impressed and fully supported of what we were doing.
It was great to get positive feedback from these guys because you often expect and get ridicule and sometimes derision from older Korean men.
The crew at the Insa Dong stage. As the campaign went on, people dropped out--perhaps finding the heat too much--while others joined in.
That drum can get pretty heavy after a while, but this guy stuck it out and did a great job all day.
We made a lot of noise with chanting and druming and got a lot of attention marching through Insa Dong.
As with Myeong Dong, we stopped to shout out the anti-dog eating slogan at various locations.
Some people dropped out but others joined us at our next stop, Apgujeong, an upmarket area renowned for being where the rich and famous (and wannabes) hang out.
In Apgujeong, the Rodeo fashion strip was deserted and we heard that four blocks down, at the main interesection where we wanted to go, it was too crowded. It was too far to walk to in any case in the heat.
We did a quick march through the Rodeo strip, but the consensus was to abandon Apgujeong and head to the Hyehwa Dong area.
The Daehangno area, near universities, is a famous hang out for young people and it was buzzing as usual. Here volunteers watch as the KARA bus drives by on its way to a parking area.
We marched around the streets on both sides of the main drag, Daehangno (University Street).
Then the bus turned up and everyone stopped for one last series of rally cries in front of the large gathering at a mall.
By this stage we were all pretty weary after marching and shouting throughout the very hot and humid afternoon.
On Monday, other volunteers headed out to do the same all over again. Thanks to everyone who participated on the Sunday and Monday campaigns! Well done!
Let's hope it got people thinking about dogs and the great friends they are to us. As George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends."
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Protest Against Incheon Dog Farm |
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Sunday, 09 May 2010 14:41 |
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( Last Updated on Sunday, 30 May 2010 15:07 ) |
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The Korean Alliance for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (KAPCA) is leading a campaign to shut down a dog farm in Incheon.
The KAPCA submitted petitions to Namdong Gu office of Inchen City against the dog farm and made an official request that it be closed down. However, Namdong Gu office said the dog farm owner had fixed the problems with the facilities. This is incorrect because upon investigation it seems that absolutely nothing had changed.
Down this dark, filthy corridor are rows of rusted and feces filled cages containing dogs. It's a typical dog farm.
When the KAPCA complained to the Gu office (City Council Office), the official in charge said the office was continuously monitoring the dog farm situation. But his comment to the KAPCA was that there are "more than just one or two dog farms in the country," meaning that there are dog farms everywhere so it's not much use them trying the close down one particular farm.
In other words, the Gu officials admited they have no solution. The problem, however, is a lack of will. Even though so much animal abuse occurs, the government is not really concerned about doing anything to stop it. This represents not only a neglect of duty, but also a neglect of ethical conduct.
In addition, a rumor is circulating that the dog farm is located on government land! If this is true, then this was known by the Gu office official when complaints were first made about the farm last October. Sadly, it means that the government had agreed to having a dog farm there in the first place. It also means that the government could easily close it down. The rumor still needs to be confirmed.
What the KAPCA are now requesting of the government:
1) Change the official in charge of animal protection issues. Someone who actually cares about animal protection should be in this position.
2) Shut down the dog farm. There is a kindergarten on one side of the dog farm and a high school on the other.
Across the street from the dog farm are education department offices. So the dog farm is surrounded by education facilities, which is setting a terrible example to future generations. It is unbelievable this dog hell can exist here and must be shut down. (The fact that this farm is surrounded by government facilities adds to the suspicion that it is on government land.)
3) Better rights should be attributed to dogs. It needs to be recognized that dogs are sentient beings that should not have to suffer such hellish abuse. These dogs need to given shelter and protection.
Until something is done about this issue, KAPCA and other animal rights groups like KARA are going to protest to the Inchen City government and the Namdong Gu office.
Dogs are invariably in very confined spaces and often without water.
These larger dogs below in darkness are of the kind typically found on dog farms.
These puppies will live out their whole miserable lives in this cage.
All these puppies will ever eat is garbage, seen here stuck on the wire floor.
Feces piled up and encrusted in the cage.
The dogs have nothing to stand or sit on except wires.
The pile of refuse below looks like garbage--often kimchi and vegetable scraps from restaurants--mixed with feces. Dogs either eat this or starve.
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Letter to Government on Ridiculous Dog Breeding Initiative |
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Wednesday, 17 March 2010 12:51 |
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( Last Updated on Sunday, 04 April 2010 10:22 ) |
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UPDATE, April 4, 2010:
Great news! As a result of protests and complaints from animal organizations and individuals around Korea, the government confirmed on April 2 that it will not go ahead with the Busan puppy mills project! At first we heard it would be "postponed," which was of course unacceptable. But now, it seems, it has been cancelled!
Protesters in Busan.
In a move that has stunned animal welfare and rights groups in Korea, the Korean government has decided to open and support puppy mill operations, starting in Busan in March, 2010.
A news item about it is here.
Protests have been lodged and among them is this letter sent to one of the major backers in the crazy enterprise, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, and to the manager of the project, Kim Tae Su:
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am astounded by the plans of the Korean government to open a Companion Animal Breeding Center at the Agricultural Technology Center in Kijang-kun, Busan.
The Korean government's scheme to make money by exploiting more animals appears to be unnecessary, irresponsible, and short sighted. It is an action that could lead to a national animal welfare disaster. I therefore have some questions about the logic behind this very strange initiative.
1. An over-population of companion animals already exists in Korea, and yet the government's response is to breed more dogs.
- Does the government think that breeding more dogs will make the dog over-population problem worse or better?
2. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery announced that the average number of abandoned animals annually is up around 100,000. Animal protection groups estimated that the truer figure is up around 700,000 animals abandoned.
- Why isn't the government trying to fix this problem first before breeding yet more dogs?
3. In forward thinking and progressive societies the trend is to promote the adoption of shelter animals. In West Hollywood, for example, pet shops are now required to sell only dogs from dog shelters. A dog breeding facility backed by the government is a very long way from this kind of smart and intelligent thinking.
- Why isn't the government trying to solve the abandoned dog problem through the reselling of shelter dogs or by widely promoting their adoption?
4. Currently, shelters around Korea are full of the kinds of dogs the Korean government plans to breed. These poor dogs live in crowded shelters because they have been abandoned by irresponsible Koreans.
- Is the government prepared to start spending money to assist the many dog shelters that exist all over Korea?
- Will the government spend even more money to help animals shelters when the abandoned animal problem becomes worse?
5. Volunteer and animal welfare agencies are already struggling to help dog shelters with food and aid. They have to raise money themselves because the government offers no help.
- Is the government going to start helping animal welfare agencies by providing them with financial assistance?
6. Animal welfare laws in Korea are inadequate and not enforced. With more dogs being bred, there will be more abuse and more abandonment.
- Will the government spend money to educate the public about the proper treatment of animals and about the evils of abandoning animals?
- Will the government also upgrade its animal protection laws, or else will it finally begin to properly enforce the current animal protection laws?
7. The Korean government is rushing headlong into a money making scheme without having considered the consequences.
- Why were animal welfare agencies not consulted in the decision making process concerning the dog breeding scheme?
- Did the government want to avoid hearing about any inconvenient animal welfare or ethics issues relating to this scheme?
8. Only people sympathetic or useful to the government appear to have been consulted about the dog breeding initiative
- Why did the government go ahead with the breeding initiative without allowing any public debate about it?
9. The dog breeding scheme will draw condemnation from the international community. Already people avoid buying Korean products because of the disgraceful dog meat industry.
- It would appear that the government does not care what the international community thinks about Korea. Is this true?
- Should the government cancel the dog breeding initiative, so that it can prevent further social problems, further shame and further criticism of Korea regarding its poor animal welfare standards?
I look forward to your responses to these questions. I have written about your dog breeding policy online and I will also publish your answers online for the international community.
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Indeed any answers, if sent, will be published on this site.
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The following are contact details for where to submit protests:
Online complaint and query submission:
http://www.epeople.go.kr/jsp/user/on/eng
Person in Charge of the Project in Gijang County Office
(Agricultural Technology Center)
Kim Tae Su
Tel: 82-51-709-5310
E-mail :
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Minister For Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF)
Mr. Chang,Tae-pyung
Government Complex,
Gwacheon, Jungang-dong,
Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do
Korea
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: 822- 500-1501~2/ 822-2110-4000
Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Government Complex,
Gwacheon, Jungang-dong,
Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do
Korea
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: 822-503-7200
Fax: 822- 503- 7249
Mayor of Busan Mr. Huh-Nam-shik
(611- 735)
Busan City Hall
051-120, Jungang-ro 2001
Yeonjae- Ku, Busan
Korea
Tel: 8251- 120
Mayor of Gijang- Gun, Busan
(619- 906)
400, Gijang Dae-ro, Gijang-up
Gijang-gun, Busan
Korea
Tel: 8251-709- 4000
Fax: 8251- 709- 4444
Gijang Agriculture Technology Center
Shin-Mun-Go
(120- 705)
New Im-gwang Bldg.,
81 Uijuro, Seodaemun-gu
Seoul, Korea
Tel: 8251- 709- 5303
Rural Development Administration
Administrator Mr. Kim, Jae-soo
(441-707)
Suin-ro, 150, Gwonseon-gu
Suwon city, Gyeonggi-do
Korea
Tel: 8231- 299-2200
Fax: 8231- 299- 2469
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How You Can Help
KARA is a volunteer organization that relies on support from the community. You can help us by donating so that we can continue to fight for the rights of animals in Korea.
Donations can be made via the button. Also, if you have a Paypal account you can use the send function to send a donation to donate@animalrightskorea.org. This saves us paying a fee. Every bit helps towards freeing animals from cruelty and giving them the rights and respect they deserve.
101 White-Vill, 208-43 Budam-Dong, Jongno-Gu, SEOUL, 110-817
Tel: 02-3482-0999 / Fax: 02-3482-8835 (Intl. dial 82 first)
(Address in Korean: 서울시 종로구 부암동 208-43 화이트빌 101호)
Few people seem to perceive fully as yet that the most far-reaching
consequence of the establishment of the common origin of all species is
ethical; that it logically involved a re-adjustment of altruistic morals
by enlarging as a necessity of rightness the application of what has
been called “The Golden Rule” beyond the area of mere mankind to
that of the whole animal kingdom. Thomas Hardy
They are not brethren; they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.
Henry Beston
The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?
Jeremy Bentham
I have no doubt that it is a part of the destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals, as surely as the savage tribes have left off eating each other when they came in contact with the more civilized.
Henry David Thoreau
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favour freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are people who want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.
Frederick Douglass
I know, in my soul, that to eat a creature who is raised to be eaten, and who never has a chance to be a real being, is unhealthy. It's like...you're just eating misery. You're eating a bitter life.
Alice Walker
As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.
Pythagoras
Auschwitz begins wherever someone looks at a slaughterhouse and thinks: they're only animals.
Theodor Adorno
We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form.
William Ralph Inge
In their behavior toward creatures, all men are Nazis. Human beings see oppression vividly when they're the victims. Otherwise they victimize blindly and without a thought.
Isaac Bashevis Singer
All the arguments to prove man's superiority cannot shatter this hard fact: in suffering the animals are our equals.
Peter Singer
A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral.
Leo Tolstoy
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
Mahatma Gandhi
Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.
Thomas Edison
Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends.
George Bernard Shaw
The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.
Charles Darwin
I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.
Albert Einstein
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