South Korea has passed a new law that aims to stop the slaughter and sale of dogs for meat by 2027, writes UNN citing the BBC.
Details
The law aims to end the centuries-old practice of eating dog meat.
Over the past few decades, dog meat has gone out of fashion with visitors. It is especially avoided by young people.
Under the law, it will be illegal to raise or slaughter dogs for food, as well as to distribute or sell dog meat. Perpetrators could be sent to prison.
Those who slaughter dogs could face up to three years in prison, and those who raise dogs for meat or sell dog meat could face a maximum of two years. However, the consumption of dog meat itself would not be illegal.
The new legislation will take effect in three years, giving farmers and restaurant owners time to find alternative sources of employment and income. They will have to submit a plan for the phased closure of their business to the local authorities.
The government has promised to fully support farmers who raise dogs for meat, butchers and restaurant owners whose businesses will be forced to close, although details of what compensation will be offered have yet to be worked out.
Supplement
According to government statistics, there were about 1,600 dog meat restaurants and 1,150 dog farms in South Korea in 2023.
Dog stew, called bosintan, is considered a delicacy among some older South Koreans, but the meat is no longer popular among young people.
According to a Gallup poll conducted last year, only 8% of people said they had tried dog meat in the past 12 months, up from 27% in 2015. Less than a fifth of those surveyed said they supported consuming the meat.
Previous governments since the 1980s have promised to ban dog meat, but have made no progress. The current president, Yoon Seok-yeol, and first lady Kim Keong-hee are well-known animal lovers. The couple has six dogs, and Ms. Kim has called for an end to the practice of eating dogs.
Animal rights groups, which have long pushed for a ban, praised Tuesday's vote.
Dog meat farmers opposed the ban. They argued that given its declining popularity among young people, the practice should be allowed to die out naturally over time. Many farmers and restaurateurs are elderly and said it would be difficult for them to change their lifestyle so late in life.
One of the dog breeders, Ju-Young Bong, said the industry is desperate.
"In 10 years, this industry would have disappeared. We are in our 60s and 70s and now we have no choice but to lose our livelihood," he said, adding that it was "infringing on people's freedom to eat what they like." ".