ABOUT 40 animal activists on Friday marched outside the South Korean embassy in Pretoria protesting against that country’s dog and cat meat trade.
Picketing outside the embassy’s George Storrar Drive entrance, the group, members of the World Animal Watch Task Team, waved banners and chanted slogans denouncing cruelty to animals.
Leading the protesters, the organisation’s representative Lillian Steeg said abuse perpetrated against animals, especially dogs and cats, in South Korea was rife despite laws prohibiting such action.
”We want South African citizens to be aware that dogs in that country are used for dragging farming equipment, slaughtered for meat consumption and at times blow torched until they die for this purpose.”
She called on the South Korean government to enforce its legislation which prohibits mistreatment of animals, and which states that no one shall kill animals in a cruel or abhorrent manner.
”Our call is legitimate and (we) only ask for the law that already exists to be properly enforced, and if necessary additional legislation be put in place to prohibit the torture as well as consumption of dog and cat meat,” said Steeg.
The group presented a memorandum to an official at the embassy.
In the document the organisation demanded the immediate closure of dog and meat markets where animals were bred for slaughter, and that the licensing of dog or cat meat be retracted irrespective of whether this meat is referred to by any name.
Steeg said similar demonstrations took place on Friday in Europe and America. ? Sapa