The Asian dog and cat meat trade is a several billion dollar industry that exists across countries including China, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
In China 10 to 15 million dogs are eaten annually – some figures say 50,000 per day, while in South Korea, over 2.5 million are consumed each year.
While some of these countries have histories of dog eating, others only did so during times of famine, such as South Korea, which once considered eating dog shameful.
Thanks to a strong network of greedy restaurateurs, meat dealers and butchers who have convinced the public that eating dog and cat meat is healthful and ‘fashionable’, the trade is now a thriving, highly profitable industry.
Countries that rely heavily on Western tourism, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, often try to deny that the trade exists within their borders.
South Korea is more open and unapologetic about…
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