Dog Lovers

        An increasing number of South Koreans, some of whom have been criticized for eating the dog meat, are turning into dog-lovers in a move that would surely surprise many animal lovers around the world, especially those in Europe.

        The malign criticisms had been leveled against the Koreans for eating dogs in the past. Animal rights activists in France, in particular, led by well-known actress Brigitte Bardot, have attacked the Koreans for eating “man’s best friend.” They even had staged an international campaign against the staging of the 1988 Olympic Games in South Korea.

        Because of the geographical proximity, the Koreans have been influenced by China in many cultural areas including the culinary and dietary customs. And there was a saying, “the Chinese eat everything with four legs,” proving they were eating a vast variety of animals in order to obtain protein, an essential part of the human diet.

        The dog eating custom in China has obviously spread not only to Korea but also to many other countries in Asia. And yet, for some reason, the Koreans have been singled out by many Europeans and publicized as the dog-eating people.

The meat-sellers in Korea say that consumers don’t eat dogs of every kind indiscriminately but only the “edible” ones. It is not clear what makes the difference between edible and non-edible dogs. The meat sellers explain that the edible ones are usually medium- and large-sized dogs of uncertain or mixed bloodlines while small dogs such as poodles, dachshunds, terriers and other cute, huggable and, of course, expensive ones are out of reach for butchers and meat-sellers.

In any case, a growing number of South Koreans have become dog lovers in recent years, spending quite a large sum of money on dogs as members of their families. And the sights of their dog loving behaviors in public are something to behold for outsiders who don’t care much for dogs.

A lot of people these days are out in public parks or sidewalks of residential areas early in the morning with their cuddly little dogs on leashes. You can often see two or more dog walkers chatting while the subjects of their talks are usually yapping or growling among themselves, often blocking the passages of other people on narrow streets.

During the winter, some women bundle up their dogs with their mufflers or hug them close to their bodies in order to shield them from the blasts of cold wind. I even saw some women pushing baby carriages with their dogs on board. Since their children had apparently grown up so that it now is the time for their dogs to replace them inside the warm and cozy carriages.

With an increase in the country’s canine population, the number of beauty parlors for dogs is proliferating in big cities for bathing, grooming, and even cutting nails. Also increasing are animal hospitals where domestic dogs are major customers.

The nation’s veterinary medicine is now as advanced as medical care for humans. Incidentally, South Korea’s medical care system for humans is on the world’s top level.

Korean dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals are now receiving good medical treatments. The dogs also can get dental checkups that include regular scaling of their teeth. There has also been a sharp annual increase in the number of dog owners demanding an official autopsy following the death of their loved ones in unexplained circumstances.

There are even “the kindergartens for dogs” where an average of 40 to 50 puppies are being trained, or to use the words of a dog kindergarten teacher, “study lessons.” The puppies are also fed with expensive dog food and undergo physical exercises.

There are some 300 dog kindergartens throughout the country and the number is increasing fast. The registration fees, running from 840,000 won (about 750 U.S. dollars) to 1,960,000 won (1,759 dollars) per month, which is far more expensive than the average monthly fees for human kindergarteners.

When the dogs that die of old age or in accidents, some of them are cremated and their ashes deposited in the buildings built to house the urns.

Thanks to the nation’s rapid economic development, South Koreans’ per capita income increased above the equivalent of $30,000 and the people’s standard of living rose sharply as a result. Meanwhile, the number of visitors to the eateries offering dog-meat dishes is said to be dwindling steadily in recent years.

In light of those developments, one hopes that foreign animal activists, including Brigitte Bardot, will lose their reasons for criticizing the Koreans for eating dog meat anymore.

(End)