Posted on 06/30/2002 5:51:46 AM PDT by csvset
Dog meat hot among Korea and China's trendy young
Animal-rights activists say it is a food fad fuelled in part by a desire to rebel against Western criticism
By Ng Hui Hui
CANINE cuisine is becoming a fad among the young in South Korea and China, much to the dismay of animal-rights activists.
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| The cruelty in the handling of dogs during their slaughter has raised the ire of animal-rights activists. Strung by their necks, the dogs are beaten to death. |
Restaurant owners and dog-meat watchers confirm that youngsters are now taking dog meat as part of their regular diet - much like beef or chicken - as food joints dish out trendy new recipes to whet appetites.
According to one estimate, 92 per cent of men and 68 per cent of women above 20 in South Korea have tasted dog meat recently.
In China, dog breeders are saying that in a few years, there will be as many Saint Bernard dogs on the mainland as cows and sheep.(?)
Although past data on dog-meat consumption is not available, those concerned say the numbers would have been low earlier - since dog meat was considered a type of tonic for the older generation, eaten to increase libido and treat illnesses.
Catering to the fad, on sale now are hotdogs with real dog meat, dog cookies and sandwiches and even dog noodles as restaurants come up with fast-food variations.
Traditional recipes such as kimchi, a spicy fermented vegetable dish, are being given a make- over and are now prepared with dog meat extracts.
Dog meat chefs hope to add more varieties soon.
South Korean nutritionist Ahn Young Geun, who wrote a book titled Koreans and Dogmeat, has come up with more than 350 new recipes.
The professor, who is often referred to as Dr Dogmeat, believes dog-meat consumption should be increased because it offers three times more calcium than other types of meat.
Besides the nutritional value, nationalistic pride seems to be playing a part, said Ms Kyenan Kum, founder of the animal-rights group International Aid for Korean Animals.
About 2.6 million dogs are killed yearly for food in South Korea, Mr Louis Ng, president of Singapore-based Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), told The Sunday Times.
This is a 30 per cent increase over the 1993 figures.
'Eating dog meat is a show of defiance, especially among rebellious young people. They feel that the West has no right to criticise their culture,' he said.
Reflecting this sentiment, a group of students from Seoul University set up a website recently to promote the virtues of dog meat and secured 11,000 signatures in support of its campaign.
But it is the cruelty in the handling of dogs - man's best friend in the West - that is raising hackles among animal-rights activists.
Dogs are usually strung up by their necks and beaten repeatedly to increase the flow of adrenaline in their flesh. Consumers believe the more pain the animals suffer, the more tender the meat becomes.
The dogs would struggle, howl, urinate and bleed till they become unconscious. Finally, they are chopped into pieces. All these are done in front of other dogs awaiting the same fate.
Now, for the first time, an Asian grouping called Asia Link - made up of 14 animal welfare societies from 12 nations - has decided to join the protest and has sent a letter to the South Korean government urging a ban on dog meat.
Said Mr Ng of Acres, an Asia Link member: 'The Koreans say eating dog meat is part of their culture, but one cannot use culture to justify violence.'
Mounting criticisms made South Korea and China ban the trade for short periods in 1988 and 1999 respectively. But that has not kept South Koreans and Chinese from hankering for their dog burgers and dog noodles.
KOREAN CUISINE: Dog dishes
New dishes:
Well you could have asked me, since I was the one using that argument.
Dogs in general do trust and serve people in general. "Guard dog" is a specialty that builds on the dog's natural tendencies to protect his pack, his family, is master. He will defend that master to his death without question... Are you telling me you don't recognize the responsibility that master has to treat that devotion with respect and returned loyalty? That is the trust, that is the contract.
I find a certain inspiration in the nobility and seemingly infinite patience that I've seen in my dogs. They have been my teachers in how to be a better person. It's a debt I hope I am in some way able to re-pay by returning as much of their devotion to me with my own toward them. Anything less saddens me.
Typical American. There is only one way and that is our way.
The PC line that you don't want to have anything to do with is an American line. The rest of the world does not concern itself with what you eat even though many in the world are digusted that you eat cow and many others that you eat pork.
The pigs you eat, by the way, make as good a pet as your little bull dog. And I would not worry about anyone wanting to eat you little bull dog anyhow. Too ugly.
Maybe... however, in dogs there is a more innate attachment that ought to bother us. Dogs were created by us, and characteristics that made them docile and obedient pets and workers have been nurtured. The yellow labrador that he is dragging in the article photo was created and carefully bred to be tractable and obedient by nature. It turns my stomach. I am sorry it doesn't turn yours...
The other whole half of the conversation I was responding to in that post dealt with the side issue of selling old horses for meat... That is the maltreatment and breach of trust I was speaking to as well.
I agree with you about the nobility of some dogs. I would have to say that I trust my dog more that some people I have to deal with.
I think you are mixing two types of dogs.
g
Maybe it's an imported breed. Native breed dosen't produce alot of meat. That's why they import Saint Bernard.
Owning an ordinary pet or a guard dog isn't the same as raising dogs for food. If those dogs trust the farmers (or whatever you call them) raising them, then so would pigs or cows.
Not too many people who aren't sadistic psychopaths would kill their food by stringing it up by the neck and beating it to death. The more brutal and painful the better according to these "people".
We have not bred cows to have the same level of attachment to us... their personalities have not been nurtured to adore and seek our affection, and they don't perform work for us in the hope of gaining our approval.
Our contract with cattle is "free food".... I think our contract with dogs is higher. I am sorry if you don't agree, but I am not going to change my view on this one. I like my world better than yours.
Exactly right. Not that I would eat a dog or anything, but many people forget that those who live in Asian countries are often starving and will eat practically anything that moves. I probably would too if I was going hungry.
The contract the farmers have with those food dogs is no higher than "free food for meat", so you don't have to feel sorry for the farm dogs. It's business. Their raise dogs for survival so that they can put food on the table to feed their families and enjoy their affection like the one that you have towards your dogs.
Are you honestly serious? LOL! You really aren't being fair to cows, it's not their fault that they just aren't smart enough to know when to save people from burning buildings. The same with deer and sheep, they are pretty dumb too, so we don't expect a lot out of them as animals, besides jumping in front of moving cars at night. Dogs have more animal intelligence than cows do, but they are still fair game in starving countries. If you were faced with starvation or eating a dog, I don't think that you would have to debate that one for too long.
"This is true."
LOL!
By the way, what was the point about tan Asian women being un-date worthy in their own countries? Perhaps back in ancient Asian culture, pale skin was a sign of refinement and beauty, but I do not believe that is the case anymore.
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