Help end the killing of dogs and cats in South Korea

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“The man dragged the dog for about twenty meters and tied him to a post. The dog was screaming in pain. The man used his two hands to pull the dog’s tail with all his strength, causing the dog to be choked, crushing his backbone.” Dear Anne, The above quote, as you may recall, is from a deeply moving letter from a young South Korean woman asking IDA for help to end the horrific cruelty she had just witnessed - the South Korean dog meat trade. She continued, “Using all his strength he pulled the dog by his left leg. Next he did the same with the right leg. While the dog was still alive, he was tearing his body apart. The dog was moaning with horrible pain. I asked the man why are you killing the dog so painfully, so cruelly? He smiled at me and proudly told me, ‘Dogs should take a long time to be killed, that way they taste better.” As I put down her letter, I swore that I would not rest until the horrific cruelty she described came to an end. No matter how long the campaign - no matter how long the fight.  Her words are as vivid now as they were then. Any day, all over South Korea, all one has to do is stroll into one of many markets to see dogs jam-packed into crates. When a customer makes a selection, the dog is roughly yanked from the cage, usually strung up, and then ruthlessly beaten as he writhes and cries out in pain, urinating and defecating as he slowly strangles to death. Even more mindboggling is the “rationale” given for the abuse: that the adrenaline released into the dogs' bloodstreams due to their terror and agony will increase the consumer’s sexual powers. Cats also suffer horribly in this trade – they are boiled alive to produce “tonics.” Thanks to your support and the work of our South Korean colleagues pressuring their government, laws protecting animals have been strengthened.  But there is still no law banning the killing of dogs and cats or even remotely suggesting it is illegal to consume them. The cruelty and killing continues because it is backed by government indifference, and a profit-driven industry aggressively promoting the myth that consuming tortured dogs and cats increases male sexual prowess and overall health. They bribe government officials, intimidate animal protection campaigners and induce newspapers to extol the "virtues" of dog meat and cat “tonics.” This is why I need your continued support to keep our campaign going. This past July, our fifth annual International Day of Action for Dogs and Cats in South Korea featured 38 events around the world, including in South Korea. In San Francisco, we presented the South Korean Consulate with over 20,000 petitions. Almost simultaneously, IDA’s partner organization in South Korea, Coexistence for Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), visited a dog meat “farm.” They found dogs living in miserable conditions—many with injuries—all filthy and uncared for—all sitting in piles of feces. These brave activists couldn’t leave without the dogs. At the risk of arrest and personal injury, they rescued the dogs and brought them to CARE’s shelter to be treated, cleaned, and loved for the first time. CARE has filed a civil complaint against the facility and the owner has agreed to demolish the buildings and not obtain any more dogs. This is a huge victory for the dogs and activists of South Korea! With IDA’s assistance, thanks to your generosity, CARE is also gearing up for lawsuits against dog meat shops.  When I think of the trusting eyes of the thousands of animals I ministered to as a veterinarian and think of the love and devotion they give us, these horrors are almost more than I can bear. Please be as generous as you can. Funds are needed to: print thousands of brochures, flyers and posters - to flood key South Korean government officials with petitions, letters, phone calls, faxes, and e-mails. intensify our International Day of Action for Dogs and Cats in South Korea. continue to support the daily work of our partners in South Korea, who have requested  IDA’s assistance in purchasing billboard space, bus and newspaper advertisements. With your help we will win this battle for the millions of frightened, innocent animals who are tortured, mutilated, and killed in South Korea. For the animals who have died such terrible deaths—whose lives depend on us—let us never rest until the horrors end. And be assured that I will make each dollar do the work of many.  As Jihyun Jun, the representative of CARE, our partners in South Korea, put it not so long ago: “Let us march together until we end the barbaric and brutal practice of eating man’s best friend.” Thank you once again for your kindness, generosity and caring, and for all you do to make the world a more just and compassionate place. Respectfully,    Elliot M. Katz, DVM Founder and Chairman of the Board In Defense of Animals              In Defense of Animals, located in San Rafael, Calif., is an international animal protection organization with more than 100,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA's efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in Mississippi, Mumbai, India, and Cameroon, Africa. In Defense of Animals is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We welcome your feedback and appreciate your donations. Please join today! All donations to IDA are tax-deductible. In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner, San Rafael, CA 94901 Tel. (415) 448-0048 Fax (415) 454-1031 idainfo@idausa.org To unsubscribe, or to change your email preferences, please click here.

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