Daphne D- AR: The Next Social Justice Movement

I am the voice of the voiceless: Through me, the dumb shall speak; Till the deaf world’s ear be made to hear The cry of the wordless weak. And I am my brother’s keeper, And I will fight his fight; And speak the word for beast and bird Till the world shall set things right.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Take Action! Korea Set To Legalize Dog/Cat Consumption‏

Korea Set To Legalize Dog/Cat Consumption

From Kinship Circle

The Ministry of Environment plans to categorize dogs as livestock to regulate the sanitation practices of large-scale dog breeders. There are about 720,000 dog farms, raising some 2.3 million dogs as of Dec. 2005.

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FULL CONTACT INFORMATION
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Korean President Mr. Lee Myung-bak
1 Cheongwadae-ro; Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea
email: webmaster@president.go.kr, foreign@president.go.kr

Prime Minister Mr. Han Seung-soo
Central Government Complex, 55 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul, Korea 110-760
email: webmaster@pmo.go.kr, M_opm@opm.go.kr, m-opm@opm.go.kr

Ministry of Culture, Sports And Tourism Republic of Korea
110-703, 42,Sejongno, Jongno-gu; Seoul, Korea
email: help@mct.go.kr, webmaster@www.mct.go.kr
web mail: http://www.mct.go.kr/english/contactus/contactus.jsp

Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Government Complex Gwacheon, Jungang-dong 1
Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
email: minister@maf.go.kr, wmaster@mifaff.go.kr, afec@assembly.go.kr

Ministry of Environment
Government Complex Gwacheon 1 Joongang-dong
Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 427-729 Korea
email: minister@me.go.kr

Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs
75 Yulgong-ro, Jongno-gu; Seoul, Korea 110-793
email: wmaster@mohw.go.kr

Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office
1730-1 Seocho3-dong, Seocho-gu; Seoul, South Korea 137-730
email: webmaster@sppo.go.kr, spoweb@sppo.go.kr

Korea Food And Drug Administration
194 Tongilro, Eunpyeong-gu; Seoul, 122-704, Republic of Korea
email: leeys@kfda.go.kr, m_kfda@kfda.go.kr

Seoul Regional Food Surveillance Division
email: fsb1234@kfda.go.kr

Mayor of Seoul Mr. Oh Se-hoon
Deoksugung-gil 15, Jung-gu; Seoul 100-110, Republic of Korea
email: ohsehoon@seoul.go.kr, english@www.metro.seoul.kr

US KOREAN EMBASSY
His Excellency Mr. Lee Tae-sik
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA
2450 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.; Washington DC 20008
email: information_usa@mofat.go.kr, consular_usa@mofat.go.kr

UK KOREAN EMBASSY
His Excellency Mr. Chun Yung-woo
South Korean Embassy in the UK
60 Buckingham Gate; London, SW1E 6AJ
email: koreanembinuk@mofat.go.kr

TO FIND KOREAN EMBASSIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES, TRY:
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/korea1.htm
http://embassyinformation.com/

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SAMPLE LETTER. This letter is prepared to inform you about the issue. Write a personal letter using these talking points.
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Honorable Officials of the Republic of Korea:

I respectfully ask the Korean government to not amend the Animal Protection Law of 1991 to classify some dog breeds as livestock and others as companions.

The distinction between "pet animals" and food-source animals merely allows
the consumptive use of certain dogs and cats. Those bred as family companions are protected, while other dogs and cats -- if purposefully raised for food or medicine -- are not.

This draft law undoes humane policies established in 1991. In fact, it allows any animal abuser to bypass punishment by simply claiming the abused dog or cat was intended for meat or medicine.

This law turns a blind eye on the cruelty inherent in the dog/cat consumption trade: Prolonged beatings, dismemberment, hangings, live boiling, and more brutal "customs" thought to enhance flavor and potency.

Moreover, if Korea enacts this amendment, it becomes the only nation to openly permit the slaughter of dogs and cats for human ingestion. I urge Korean officials to cease all efforts to legalize this vile trade. Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines have banned dog meat. Most Koreans do not consume dogs and cats. Why does Korea continue to sacrifice its integrity and global image to appease a minority interest?

Please enforce animal protection laws that afford ALL dogs and cats immunity
under "pet animals." Please explicitly outlaw the killing of any of these animals for food or medicine.

Thank you...