Breaking! One Of The Largest Dog Meat Suppliers, Gupo Livestock Market, In South Korea Announces Plans To Close 19 Stores

Photo by Yonhap

One of the largest dog meat markets in South Korea is scheduled to close next month; marking a substantial step towards ending the deplorable dog meat trade in Asia, where both strays and stolen family pets are brutally beaten and killed for their meat.

As per a statement released on Koreabizwire.com, the merchant association of Busan’s Buk District and Gupo Livestock Market reported on Thursday that it has “tentatively” agreed to close 19 stores in the market that sell dog meat before July 12^th, right before the Boknal festival when an estimated 1.5 million dogs are battered, burned alive, and butchered for their meat to make soup for human consumption.

The remarkable news was substantiated by Park Yong-soon, head of the livestock branch of Gupo’s dog meat market, who stated that they “have reached a tentative agreement in terms of the grand trend of the times.”

While there have been many attempts to close down other dog meat markets, once complete, this will mark the first time in the country that a complete shutdown has taken place.

“In order to escape the stigma of animal abuse,” continued Buk District Mayor Jeong Myeong-hui, “the district office will create a pleasant environment by creating animal-friendly streets in the future.”

Tragically, according to The Humane Society International, an estimated two million dogs are still being raised and slaughtered for their meat every year in South Korea, which is the only country that allows intensive farming of dogs for human consumption.

HSI is one of many organizations working to end the abhorent trade, they also shared the news on its Facebook page, noting that this not only means an end to dog meat at Gupo, but is demonstrative of the strong tide turning against the dog meat trade in South Korea.

The Busan Korea Alliance for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Busan KAPCA) echoes that sentiment.

“The closure of Gupo market will be the first, meaningful step toward the full cessation of dog meat in the Republic of Korea,” stated the organization. “This is not the end, however; so please continue to support.”

To help STOP the dog meat trade and the human consumption of dog meat in South Korea CLICK HERE!

You can help all animals by choosing compassion on your plate. #GoVeg