| Food is a substance that holds cultures | | | | |
| together. Common foods unify and define | | | | in the U.S., that would eliminate concerns |
| countries and regions. However, a food that | | | | about these regulations. Shipping meat |
| one group considers a delicacy, | | | | instead of live animals also avoids the |
| | | | problems associated with the |
| another group may find offensive. The French | | | | |
| have long been called "frogs" because of | | | | quarantine of live animals.Even though the |
| their taste for the amphibians. The English | | | | dog meat market does not seem to be growing |
| once were sneered upon | | | | at a fast rate, it is conceivable that |
| | | | American exporters could make inroads in a |
| as "beefsteak" because of their | | | | niche market. |
| trend-setting use of cattle, and in the | | | | |
| Philippines at least one tribe is nicknamed | | | | The breed of dog that is farm- raised in |
| "dogeaters."The name Dogeaters has not been | | | | Korea and China is a large dog similar in |
| confined to the Philippines, however.The | | | | appearance to the German Shepherd. It is |
| summer 1988 Seoul Olympics focused the | | | | difficult to say whether the |
| world's attention on South Korea. One aspect | | | | |
| of Korean cuisine the government preferred | | | | variety of breeds in the U.S. would be |
| not to have spotlighted | | | | considered suitable choices for the dog meat |
| | | | market abroad. Market research would need to |
| was the use of dog meat. A dog stew, called | | | | be done.Initially, it appears that there may |
| Poshintang, is commonly available in | | | | be enough demand to support dog meat export, |
| restaurants in Seoul and the rest of the | | | | however, the impediments must be overcome. |
| country. As an ingredient, dog | | | | The voice of the American citizen |
| | | | |
| is not as ubiquitous as beef is in the U.S.; | | | | is one factor that should not be |
| it is considered to be something of a | | | | underestimated. Grass roots lobbying has |
| delicacy. Traditionally, it has been a | | | | great potential to raise public awareness |
| seasonal favorite, most popular | | | | against export efforts. Boycotts of |
| | | | |
| in the summer. Dogmeat is also purported to | | | | company family products has the potential to |
| be effective as a male stimulant, increasing | | | | eliminate economic gains realized from |
| sexual stamina, even though there is no | | | | coordinated dog exports.Because the concept |
| scientific literature | | | | of sending dogs overseas to be eaten may be |
| | | | distasteful, it is helpful to examine the |
| to support this claim.Even before the | | | | current status of unwanted dogs to gauge our |
| Olympics, there was concern that foreign | | | | attitudes |
| visitors to Seoul might be offended by | | | | |
| restaurants offering dog meat. The Ministry | | | | towards the situation.The SF SPCA claims to |
| of Health and | | | | be the only public animal shelter with a |
| | | | no-kill policy. They euthanize an animal only |
| Welfare ordered measures to prevent such a | | | | if it is suffering from an incurable illness. |
| conflict. In 1986, a ban was placed on the | | | | |
| sale of dog meat as an "unseemly" food. The | | | | |
| practical result was | | | | The policy of other shelters is to "put |
| | | | down" animals if no one claims them after a |
| that most restaurants in city limits | | | | certain period, which differs in each |
| replaced signs offering dog meat with | | | | jurisdiction.The result is millions of pounds |
| smaller, less conspicuous versions, or they | | | | of flesh to be dealt with. Some of it enters |
| renamed the dish to "health stew." | | | | landfills where it eventually decomposes. A |
| | | | small amount of dogs are buried |
| This did not prevent criticism. "How can a | | | | |
| nation that will cheerfully eat its best | | | | in pet cemeteries. The rest are |
| friend be relied upon to host a small dinner | | | | "recycled."Rendering plants process the |
| party, let alone the Olympic | | | | carcasses for use in dog food and as feed for |
| | | | other animals. "In addition, some 40 billion |
| Games?"In spite of this kind of pressure, | | | | pounds of year of slaughterhouse |
| dog meat sales continue. There are plans to | | | | |
| open two dog slaughterhouses on Chejun | | | | wastes like blood, bone, and viscera, as |
| Island, 450 km south of Seoul.One | | | | well as the remains of millions of euthanized |
| | | | cats and dogs passed along by veterinarians |
| entrepreneur has opened a chain of dog meat | | | | and animal shelters, |
| restaurants. China Trading, the company | | | | |
| behind the new restaurant chain, estimates | | | | are rendered annually into livestock feed - |
| there are now about 20,000 | | | | in the process turning cattle and hogs, which |
| | | | are natural herbivores, into unwitting |
| dog meat restaurnats throughout the country. | | | | carnivores." (U.S. News |
| It says one restaurant can rack up sales of | | | | |
| 10 million won (about US$6020) a day during | | | | & World Report, Sept. 1, 1997 p.23)A good |
| peak dog eating season | | | | model for export of dog meat is provided by |
| | | | the horsemeat industry. "In the last ten |
| from April to July.In the U.S., the | | | | years, more than 3 million American horses |
| estimated number of animals euthanized ranges | | | | have been slaughtered |
| from 6-150 million per year. If half of the | | | | |
| number is composed of dogs, that leaves a lot | | | | in the U.S. for human consumption abroad." ( |
| | | | 1994, 105,000 horses were slaughtered in the |
| | | | U.S. Another 35,000 were shipped live to |
| of potential meat to be exported. Legally, | | | | Canada for slaughter, and another 30,000 were |
| the only barrier would be the Animal Welfare | | | | shipped live to Mexico |
| Act, a federal law that covers any "live or | | | | |
| dead dog, cat, nonhuman | | | | for slaughter ( for a total of $66 million. |
| | | | Dividing sales by the number of animals |
| primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or any | | | | slaughtered for the last ten years shows that |
| other warm-blooded animal which is being | | | | each animal produced about $400 in |
| used, or is intended for use for research, | | | | income.Considering that a horse typically |
| teaching, testing, experimentation | | | | weighs 8 times more than a 30-pound dog, |
| | | | there is a certain economy of scale that is |
| or exhibition purposes. The USDA interprets | | | | advantageous when dealing with |
| the act to exclude birds, rats, and mice bred | | | | |
| for research, and horses and other farm | | | | the larger animal.Another interesting |
| animals, such as livestock | | | | feature of the horsemeat export industry is |
| | | | its use of Canada and Mexico as export |
| and poultry, used or intended for use as | | | | outlets. This strategy is used possibly |
| food or fiber." It is conceivable that dogs | | | | because the |
| raised as livestock would be excluded as | | | | |
| well, once it is established | | | | slaughter process is less expensive in |
| | | | Mexico and Canada. These countries may also |
| that they are being raised as food.Another | | | | have more beneficial agreements with trading |
| rule governing the trade of livestock is the | | | | partners than the U.S. is your one stop |
| "Twenty- Eight Hour Law" which simply | | | | destination for premium dog food and premium |
| outlines minimum guidelines for the care of | | | | dog |
| animals as they are | | | | |
| | | | training. |
| transported to market. There are certain | | | | |
| feed, space, and water requirements if the | | | | From great products, to great resources, is |
| transit time exceeds a twenty-eight hour | | | | a superior unique alternative that I hope you |
| period. If the dogs were slaughtered | | | | all take full advantage of! |