Legislators from both the ruling and main opposition parties in South Korea are working on passing a special law to prohibit dog meat consumption. This custom has been met with opposition from animal rights advocates and zookeepers.
The Democrats, who have a parliamentary majority, proposed the law during the last regular session of Parliament, and the conservative party of President Yoon Suk Yeol supported the proposal. Despite opposition from farmers who raise dogs for food, there are enough votes to pass the law.
Park Dae-chul, the head of the governing party’s policy committee, stated that "it’s time to put an end to the eating of dogs," especially since approximately 10mn households in South Korea are raising pets.
Although the consumption of dog meat has decreased significantly in recent years, previous attempts to ban the practice failed due to strong opposition from dog farms and restaurant owners.
South Korean First Lady Kim Keon-Hee also seeks to end the practice and has promised to collaborate with animal rights advocates until the dog meat industry is eradicated.
"Korea and China are the only two economically successful countries that consume dog meat. I believe the universal culture (of not consuming dog meat) should be shared in Korea with other developed countries. Otherwise, it could stoke an anti-Korean sentiment,"
Kim told the media in 2022.
The ruling conservative bloc and opposition parties are preparing for parliamentary elections next April, and they may offer breeders subsidies to help them adjust to the loss of income.
According to research, possessing a pet can positively impact physical and mental well-being. Individuals who own pets are less likely to experience depression than those who do not. Furthermore, pet owners tend to have lower blood pressure in stressful situations.
A recent study has demonstrated that individuals with borderline hypertension significantly decreased blood pressure within five months of adopting a dog from an animal shelter. Interacting with pets like dogs, cats, and other animals can increase serotonin and dopamine levels, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation.
Additionally, pet owners have lower levels of triglyceride and cholesterol, both indicators of heart disease, compared to those who do not own pets.
Moreover, individuals who have experienced heart attacks and have pets tend to have a higher survival rate than those without pets.
Finally, people over 65 who own pets tend to visit their doctors 30% less than those who do not have pets.
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