Ten Korean Jindo puppies, who faced with a torturous lifestyle and violent death, recently received a life-saving opportunity from a community of animal advocates around the globe.
In South Korea and other Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, China and Indonesia, the folklore about the consumption of dog meat and its many health benefits has been passed down for generations.
It is believed that when consumed, meat from tortured dogs can enhance male virility, combat fatigue and lower one’s body temperature during hot summer days. For these reasons, dog meat is largely consumed in the summer and by men 50 years and older.
“It’s completely based on ignorance,” said Molly Nemec, an animal advocate who volunteers at Northwoods Humane Society in Wyoming, Minnesota, and founded the Friends for Asian Animal Rescue group on Facebook. “It’s not culture, it’s torture.”
Although younger generations are beginning to see these beliefs as myth, an estimated 2.5 million dogs from the approximately 17,000 dog meat farms in South Korea continue to be abused, slaughtered and eaten each year.
Nemec acknowledges that Americans consume farm animals and that sometimes those animals endure abuse or torture as well. She believes when awareness and concerns are raised regarding Asian dog meat farms, it will ultimately help all animals.
“It’s the egregious intentional torture that these dogs endure that is the most disturbing thing I’ve ever heard,” she said. “It’s complete malarkey to me. No person with a moral compass would do such a thing, especially in 2016.”
Dogs found in South Korean dog meat farms often live a dozen or more per elevated metal crate where their paws never touch soil and they live in their own urine and feces. When they are inevitably killed, the dogs are skinned, burned and boiled alive. The belief is the more an animal is tortured, the better the meat.
“It’s horrifying,” Nemec said.
Contradicting laws
From 1975 to 1978, dogs had the full legal status of livestock animal in South Korea, according to International Aid for Korean Animals. Even today, under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Livestock Industry Act, dogs are classified as livestock and can be bred as livestock animals. However, the law does not state that dogs can only be bred for sale as pets.
Contrary to the Livestock Industry Act, the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act does not define dogs as livestock or animals for consumption. As a result, there are no laws dictating the slaughter and butchery of dogs for human consumption, according to the International Aid for Korean Animals.
Additionally, laws, such as South Korea’s Animal Protection Law, were created to prevent torturous behavior toward animals.
The first law, adopted in 1991, broadly defined the responsibility of animal caretakers and prohibited animal cruelty and inhumane slaughter.
According to the International Aid for Korean Animals, the language of the initial law was “so vague and its punitive measure so minimal that it was largely unenforceable.”
In January 2007, the law was restructured to include harsher penalties for animal abuse. It also included a better definition of animal care, management and cruelty. The new legislation went into effect in January 2008.
Once again, in June 2011, the government amended the law. According to the International Aid for Korean Animals, these amendments called on the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to establish a national animal welfare committee, coordinate animal protection committees at shelters and report on animal welfare conditions annually.
The revised law required that animals be transported and euthanized using humane methods.
Furthermore, the law included even greater punishment for violations. According to the activist group, punishment increased from 5 million Korean won (roughly $4,550 in the U.S.) or six months in jail to 10 million Korean won (roughly $9,099 in the U.S.) or one year in jail.
Since then, punishments have increased once again.
To date, no laws have been passed completely illegalizing every aspect of the dog meat industry.
Animal advocates such as South Korean native Nami Kim work to get politicians on their side regarding these laws.
Currently, due to the rarely enforced animal protection law, Kim has been using environmental law violations to fine the farm owners.
“I am sure that we can come to a point where we can re-enforce the law and remove the name ‘dog’ under livestock,” she said. “That is our ultimate goal this year.”
According to Kim, the Korean government is set to discuss these laws in early September.
Kim hopes to increase the fine for animal abuse to $20,000, which would equate to nearly 22 million Korean won.
“I’m really pressing (the politicians) hard, saying that there is no such difference between a meat dog and a pet dog,” Kim said. “My only hope is that I want to see this shameful dog meat trade end this generation. This is something we cannot pass on to our next generation.”
Nami Kim
Five years ago, Kim, a former animal shelter volunteer and retired professor, first learned about the dog meat trade.
Wanting to stop this type of trade, Kim moved to Busan, South Korea, where she tried but failed to convince a large dog meat farm owner to shut down. From there she moved to Seoul.
Kim thought if she could convince the farm owners to change occupations and find a different means of income, the farms could be terminated.
To get in the farm doors, Kim and her crew sometimes pose as animal abuse investigators.
While some efforts fail, others are successful and save hundreds of dogs.
To aid in her rescue, she created a Facebook page under her name and began connecting with activist groups worldwide. That page is blocked in Korea.
Often, when Kim goes into the farms, tension rises and farm owners get angry.
Kim has been yelled at, threatened at knife point and beaten up, but continues her work rescuing these dogs.
Last year, Kim shut down six dog meat farms and three dog meat restaurants, equating to 960 rescued dogs.
Upon rescue, Kim sends the dogs to boarding where they receive veterinary care. She pays $8,000 per month for the dogs to be boarded.
Kim then begins looking for homes for the dogs.
Due to Europe’s strict quarantine laws, many of the rescued dogs have gone to homes in the United States or Canada.
Because of the time difference, Kim works through the night to send as many dogs home as she can.
“I have not taken a day off because of the time difference,” she said. “I do as much as I can because I want this to end.”
Recent rescue
Kim’s most recent rescue, a farm with 312 dogs, led 10 pups to the Golden Valley Humane Society.
To do so required a community of supporters, resources, time and energy.
Nemec first learned about Kim through members of her Facebook group.
“Nami is my hero,” she said. “I would run through a crowd of celebrities to bow at her feet.”
The two women began discussing a possible international rescue.
Northwoods Humane Society, where Nemec volunteers, did not have the capacity to take in 10 new puppies, so she turned to the Animal Humane Society.
In March, Nemec and the Humane Society’s animal transfer coordinator, Brie Nodgaard, began discussing logistics.
On Aug. 3, the puppies — Tommy, Tora, Bliss, Leo, Charlie, Mark, Honey, Tannie, Tucson and Rosie — flew commercial from South Korea to Chicago. The 13-15 hour flight was fully funded by Lucky Chi Dog Rescue in California, a group that had no prior affiliation with the Animal Humane Society, but simply wanted to help.
From O’Hare International Airport, a group of people had the dogs cleaned and transported to DuPage Airport where Jim Berger, a retired pilot, flew them to Anoka County-Blaine Airport.
Berger, of Maple Grove, is a member of Pilots N Paws, a nonprofit that connects those needing rescue animals transported within the United States with volunteer pilots.
“This is an opportunity to combine my flying with a world that needs help,” Berger said.
Berger, who has already taken eight flights in the past year and transported roughly 40 animals, said the 10 Korean Jindo puppies were very quiet during the flight.
Nemec, Nodgaard and the Humane Society’s content and media producer, Zach Nugent, picked up the dogs and transport them to the Golden Valley Humane Society.
Three days after arrival, nine of the 10 puppies were ready to be adopted. Some media coverage helped raise awareness of the dogs and the Humane Society found a line of interested adopters at its door on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Within 35 minutes, all nine were claimed. The last puppy needed an extra day to adjust but was adopted just as quickly.
Nemec and Berger stopped by the shelter Saturday morning to see the dogs get adopted.
“It was encouraging,” Nemec said. “It was amazing that Minnesota came together. These puppies are serving as ambassadors. Nami may have 290 other dogs but she has 10 in great homes now.”
Nemec recognizes that some believe there are enough dogs needing rescue in the United States therefore Americans should not be worrying themselves with those from other countries.
“Pet overpopulation is definitely a problem in parts of this country,” she said. “In Minnesota, we’ve had wonderful things happen this year.”
Nemec said that due to all the trap, neuter or spay and release, low-cost spay and neuter surgeries and shelters who spay or neuter before adoptions, Minnesota has come far in pet overpopulation control.
In addition, the Animal Humane Society does not turn away any animal. Therefore, no animals were declined because of these 10 puppies.
“Rescue has no borders,” she said. “When we help the dogs and the people over there, we help us too. It brings the good out in everybody. We don’t have limited resources, love, compassion. When we say, ‘I can help,’ something falls into place and makes it happen. I think Minnesota has the ability and resources to help.”
According to Nugent, the Humane Society experienced a robust day for adoptions that Saturday thanks to the attention brought by the Jindo puppies.
Nami said of the 312 dogs found at the recently shut dog meat farm, 31 died before rescue and 156 were found pregnant.
“We have more puppies replacing the others,” she said.
The battle against dog meat trade is ongoing. Nemec and Nami are already discussing another international rescue.
“The tide is turning in Korea, not fast enough but it’s turning,” Nemec said. “The dog meat industry will fall in Korea, rest assured. Once they fall, other Asian countries will fall.”
To learn more, visit savekoreandogs.org and find Nami Kim and Friends for Asian Animal Rescue on Facebook.com.
Contact Gina Purcell at gina.purcell@ecm-inc.com