A South Korean court has ruled that it is illegal to kill dogs for their meat – a landmark decision that animal rights activists say could pave the way for legislation outlawing the practice completely.
The ruling was made by Bucheon City court on Thursday, in a case brought by the animal rights group Care against a dog farm operator.
The man was convicted and fined 3 million won (US $2,700) for killing animals without proper reasons and violating building and hygiene regulations.
“It is very significant in that it is the first court decision that killing dogs for dog meat is illegal itself,” said Kim Kyung-eun, a lawyer for Care. The precedent “paved the way for outlawing dog meat consumption entirely,” she added.
However, the decision has angered dog farmers who want the government to explicitly legalise dog meat consumption and license dog slaughterhouses.
“This is outrageous. We can’t accept the ruling that killing of dogs for dog meat consumption amounts to killing animals on a whim,” Cho Hwan-ro, a representative from an association of dog farms, said on YTN television.
