Dogs rescued from South Korean meat farm brought to S.F.

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Dogs-rescued-from-Korean-meat-farm-brought-to-SF-6146170.php
Thirteen frightened young dogs and puppies arrived in San Francisco in a van Thursday, some trembling, tails between their legs, others with sad but hopeful eyes, and all of them unaware of how close they came to an agonizing, gruesome death.
They were the last of 57 dogs that were rescued from a dog meat farm in South Korea, part of a program by Humane Society International to bring awareness to and ultimately end the cruel treatment and consumption of canines.
The dogs were brought to the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, where clapping and cheers were heard when the first terrified canine, a 120-pound short-haired mastiff-type breed known as a Tosa, was carried out of his crate.
The muscular, droopy-eyed dog, whom humane society workers named Austin, sat back in his crate and silently resisted when workers put a leash on him and tried to lure him out.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. more. practice of eating dogs is dwindling

The popularity of dog meat today has diminished. Only a small percentage of the population still eats it regularly, and a vocal group of Koreans wants it banned.


The farmer in this latest rescue, Tae Hyung Lee, agreed to give up dog breeding after 20 years because of criticism from his family. He closed his farm and plans to grow produce. The Humane Society has agreed to help him financially with the transformation.

[Arugula Latte]

2. I wish that would happen with the practice of eating pigs and cows in this country.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. yes

[napkinz]

4. Millions of dogs fall victim to the dog meat trade every year in Asia.

Much of the world views dogs as trusted companions, but in parts of Asia they suffer terribly as victims of the trade in dog meat for human consumption. In some countries, dogs, many of them stolen pets, are even tortured before being killed. Not only is the dog meat trade cruel, it is also implicated in the spread of rabies and other diseases.

HSI is working with local organizations in South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and China to raise public awareness of the grisly dog meat trade flourishing in these countries. We participate in raids on trucks crammed with dogs headed for slaughter, provide funding to train officials for improved enforcement of laws and support care for confiscated animals.

https://action.hsi.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=32130&ea.tracking.id=facebook_ads5

[Donald Ian Rankin]

5. Would you describe, say, pigs in the west as "falling victim"?

I don't think there's any objective moral difference, just different cultural prejudices and preferences.

[napkinz]

8. pigs, cows, chickens ... you name it

nt

[melman]

49. I would

Yes, 100%

[Quantess]

6. They believe the meat tastes better if the animal is tortured first.

They also say the skins come off easier if you skin the animal alive.

[napkinz]

9. I know ... sickening!

[Quantess]

10. One of the most horrifying videos I have ever seen

was some (allegedly) Chinese man skinning a raccoon alive and then tossing the skinless, still alive, red and bloody animal on the pavement. Didn't even put it out of its misery, just left it to die slowly. This happens to dogs and cats, also. They don't care.

[napkinz]

12. a few years ago I came across a program on cable TV "involving dogs" in Asia

It was just the "beginning" stage of the process ... I immediately switched to another channel. I know from what I've read what I would have seen had I continued watching this show. Still horrifies me.

[Quantess]

18. I think it's good that people are aware of what is happening

but I won't watch a similar video again.

I recommend that animal lovers look into it, but if you are like me, you may want to stop watching once you get the idea of the cruelty and suffering on a grand scale that happens every day. Keep watching and you run the risk of having the images haunt you for weeks. It kind of makes me lose faith in humanity.

[napkinz]

19. yes, I too have come across such videos ... I never watch ... I don't have to

I hope threads/discussions like this raise that kind of awareness you talk about.

(in some cases, I would imagine videos might help raise that awareness as well ... it depends on the individual. So I don't think there is anything wrong with posting videos so long as one includes a warning of the graphic content.)

[LeftyMom]

43. Slaughterhouse workers in the US have a similar belief

and turn the air pressure down on captive bolt pistols between inspections because they believe that animals that are "too dead" are harder to deflesh.

[napkinz]

7. END YULIN DOG MEAT EATING FESTIVAL

author: Elisa Caracciolo
target: President of China - Xi Jinping
signatures: 104,857

Killing innocent dogs to eat them -- and torturing them only so they have more flavor -- needs to stop!!!

We at "RAISE UR PAW" are asking for you to raise the voices and paws of the world to help ban the YULIN DOG MEAT EATING FESTIVAL, which is going to occur on June 21, 2015. Countless canine lives will be sacrificed in order to fulfill a barbaric tradition that has been permitted to occur for many years - and it is now time this horror is finally put to an end.

This hellish "Festival" involves what some call savouring the "delights" of dog meat hotpot, lynchees, and strong liquor. This will increase the abduction of strays and pets and also increase the torturous & inhumane prisons of dog meat farms -- places where man's best friends are raised for such purposes. Thousands of dogs will suffer, be butchered, beaten to death, skinned alive, and eaten. Time is ticking and the massive killing of dogs will soon take place, so we must get our voices united and raised not just to save the lives but save the hope in humanity - to be part of a compassionate world where we all come together to stand up and speak out for all innocent life, not just the life of humanity.

If we turn away and ignore the cries/pleas of these babies, then we truly have turned away from being human"kind". RAISE UR PAW TODAY AND TAKE ACTION! #takeaction #stopyulin2015 #yulin #china #dog #dogs #dogmeattrade #catmeat #dogmeat #cancelyulindogmeatfestival #STOPYULINFEST"

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/441/776/138/?cid=fb_LG_AdsEndYulinDogFestival&z00m=22739402

[smirkymonkey]

28. This is disgusting and unacceptable.

The poor little babies! I wish I could adopt all of them.

[joeybee12]

35. But it's just a cultural difference!

I don't know how many times I've heard sh*t like that at DU...this cruelty needs to end.

[KamaAina]

11. During the Seoul Olympics in 1988,

restaurants were instructed not to serve dog if there were foreigners around, for fear it might generate bad publicity for South Korea. You think?

[Lancero]

13. Different cultures eat different kinds of meat.

This is no different then the US liking to eat cows, chickens, or pigs.

[napkinz]

14. the dogs are TORTURED before they are killed

thousands of dogs will suffer, be butchered, beaten to death, skinned alive

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/441/776/138/?cid=fb_LG_AdsEndYulinDogFestival&z00m=22739402

[Lancero]

15. Again, this is different to the US ways of treating foodstock how?

That the dogs are being butchered and eaten isn't a suprise - The same two things apply to our choice in foodstock.

I can agree that the methods used for butchering should be changed, and brought in line to the methods used for other animals.

[napkinz]

16. treatment in the US is horrible too in many if not most cases

it just seems the suffering is FAR worse in South Korea and China (regarding how the dogs are killed)

same is true for how Dolphins are treated in Japan

edit: yes, that's what I'm talking about: "methods used for butchering"

[Sunlei]

30. Can't you see the difference in animal husbandry practices?

There is a difference between real ranchers treatment of their 'livestock' and farms/ranchers/ who keep and slaughter their 'meat' in death camp type settings.

[Lancero]

31. Again, the article compares eating them to animal cruelty.

It isn't, no more so then the US's obsession with eating beef and pork product.

And as I said, I'd support bringing their standards of care up to those of other foodstock.

[Sunlei]

33. dogs 'know' they are are companion animals NOT food. It is cruel to 'farm dogs' .

[Lancero]

34. No, it isn't.

Different cultures see animals differently. In some cultures, the thought of eating beef is abhorant. In others, it is the thought of eating pigs. In ours, the thought of eating dogs or cats.

[Sunlei]

39. no, it's the thought of animals living their LIFETIME in cruel death camp conditions.

A history of Asia's cruel culture with sloppy, filthy brutal animal husbandry is no excuse. We have similar filthy conditions death camp 'meat-farmers' here in the usa

I hope they get rabies.

[Lancero]

40. Again, I agree with you.

Which is why I've stated, a number of times, that I would support bettering their standards of care.

[joeybee12]

36. You're on a roll...posting crap everywhere...

Have you set a goal for yourself today?

[Major Nikon]

37. Results...

On Sat Mar 21, 2015, 10:25 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

You're on a roll...posting crap everywhere...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6395088

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Personal attack against another DU member.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Mar 21, 2015, 10:32 AM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Not a PA - one's ideas being "crap" is not the same thing as that same person being "crap".
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: gratuitious rudeness
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Mm hm.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I see no ad hominem attack. Leave.

[Lancero]

38. I'd recommend looking up cultural intolerance.

[Sunlei]

41. I'm all for “Cultural evolution” and the slow public extinction of the dog skinners & eaters.

teach them how to raise goats.

[Lancero]

42. Support cultural evolution if you wish - Just be sure not to practice cultural intolerance...

While doing so.

[Sunlei]

45. nothing in this thread is cultural intolerance.

The international community doesn't have to ENDURE animal cruelty or dog eaters.

[The2ndWheel]

17. We put animals in zoos to somehow save them

We socialize the costs of human progress when testing on animals, and privatize the profits.

Nice story, but it's all subjective.

[napkinz]

20. kick

nt

[Telcontar]

21. I did this once

Stationed in Korea, my platoon was on an exercise near a pig farmer's farm. (The land is actually military. People are allowed to farm there with the understanding a tank rolling through their fields is to be expected and there is no compensation paid for damages.)

This was in the middle of winter and bitter cold. While walking through my area of operations, I passed through the farmer's compound. My senior squad leader (acting platoon sergeant) and I saw this red haired dog chained to a concrete slab, just skin and bones. The little yappy yellow dogs had the run of the farm, but this little fellow was in poor shape.

I fed him a frozen MRE and watched him fight off the other dogs trying to steal it. Had to kick a few away. Spent the rest of the exercise feeding him. At the end, when the unit came back together to prepate to return to base, I described he situation to my commander. His word to me were "Do what you have to do, I don't want to know about it."

So I grabbed my First Sergeant and senior squad leader and rolled out. Infiltrated the farm with night vision, a 'cho liner, and bolt cutters. Cut him free, wrapped him in the 'cho, and beat feet back to my track .

After getting back to base, had the vet check him out and get him the shots he needed to go to the States. Sent him off with one of my NCOs rotating back. I couldn't save them all, but I got one out.

[Liberal_in_LA]

22. glad u saved one

[napkinz]

25. thank you for sharing with us

and for making a difference

[Sunlei]

29. You did a great and good thing for the red dog.

years ago I did a similar thing for a rottie I saw chained behind a store. No shelter ever for that dog., One day it was pouring rain got her off the chain into the car and off to my Vet. We named that dog 'Robin' after my Vet partners in crime. She helped us place her in a wonderful family home.

[treestar]

32. wow, that's cool of you

You really did save that poor dog!

[Omaha Steve]

23. Maj. Eric Fincham: I once told you Ryan, if only one gets out, it's a victory

I think this quote sums up how I feel.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059885/quotes

K&R!

[freshwest]

24. They all look so traumatized. What horrors they've seen... They remember. Good luck in SF.

[Sunlei]

26. Heros in my heart->The Humane Society of the United States/Humane Society International

http://www.hsi.org/

Humane Society International is the international division of The Humane Society of the United States. Founded in 1991, HSI has expanded The HSUS's activities into Central and South America, Africa, and Asia

[scrubthedata]

27. Oh, man. How depressing. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

46. dont be depressed. dog farms are dwindling due to action of this group

[Quantess]

48. That's good news. (no text)

[Rex]

44. That was not a fond memory, running by the 'dog farms'.

However as an amateur cultural anthropologist, I will not berate any country for eating dog or rat or cat or whatever is needed to keep someones belly from going hungry at night. We all do what is necessary to survive and if that means being born in a country that has no good land for pasture or grazing, then you cannot fault a person for where they are born and raised. You could not introduce enough cattle to that area, they would not be able to survive.

People by necessity had to scale down the size and area and meat source to something that COULD live in an area void of grasslands. Dogs and cats and rats, something that can be harvested and doesn't take up a lot of your resources. It sounds horrifying to us, yet we forget it took centuries to carve out pasture lands in America AND we were lucky. Many parts of South America are the same way. We are lucky to have a nation with as much grazing and farming land as we have. China is another country that is mostly hostile terrain toward large grazing animals.

Still, it is jarring to see dead dogs skinned and hanging for sale in an open market. Every picture in the OP, is a dog I would take as a pet.

[Telcontar]

47. Camp Hovey/Casey?

Our run route went past a dog farm.