As the Winter Olympics come to a close, athletes are taking time to explore the many wonderful offerings of Korean culture.
However, out American skier Gus Kenworthy and his husband Matt Wilkas opted for one decidedly less comfortable experience at a dog farm.
Kenworthy posted a thoughtful and rather upsetting message to Instagram:
This morning Matt and I had a heart-wrenching visited to one of the 17,000 dog farms here in South Korea. Across the country there are 2.5 million dogs being raised for food in some of the most disturbing conditions imaginable. Yes, there is an argument to be made that eating dogs is a part of Korean culture. And, while don’t personally agree with it, I do agree that it’s not my place to impose western ideals on the people here. The way these animals are being treated, however, is completely inhumane and culture should never be a scapegoat for cruelty. I was told that the dogs on this particular farm were kept in “good conditions” by comparison to other farms. The dogs here are malnourished and physically abused, crammed into tiny wire-floored pens, and exposed to the freezing winter elements and scorching summer conditions. When it comes time to put one down it is done so in front of the other dogs by means of electrocution sometimes taking up to 20 agonizing minutes. Despite the beliefs of the Korean public at large, these dogs are no different from the ones we call pets back home. Some of them were even pets at one time and were stolen or found and sold into the dog meat trade. Luckily, this particular farm (thanks to the hard work of the Humane Society International and the cooperation of a farmer who’s seen the error of his ways) is being permanently shut down and all 90 of the dogs here will be brought to the US and Canada where they’ll find their fur-ever homes. I adopted the sweet baby in the first pic (we named her Beemo) and she’ll be coming to the US to live with me as soon as she’s through with her vaccinations in a short couple of weeks. I cannot wait to give her the best life possible! There are still millions of dogs here in need of help though (like the Great Pyrenees in the 2nd pic who was truly the sweetest dog ever). I’m hoping to use this visit as an opportunity to raise awareness to the inhumanity of the dog meat trade here in Korea and the plight of dogs everywhere, including back home in the US where millions of dogs are in need of loving homes! Go to @hsiglobal’s page to see how you can help.
He also shared these photos:
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ChrisK
Is there even a such thing as well kept dogs for eating in Korea? I’ve seen enough videos and the owners aren’t exactly PETA friendly.
whatsaywhat
The way we raise animals in factory farms is A LOT worse than what I am seeing in these pics.
griffin87
I agree. Just watch the Netflix doc on the meat trade here, absolutely disgusting.
Furthermore, why only stop at dogs? Studies repeatedly show swine/pigs have the emotional capacity and intelligence as domesticated dogs. What is being done to stop the injustice?
ChrisK
Pigs taste better and aren’t as cute though.
griffin87
@ChrisK so you’re justification is based on personal taste and appearances. Quite fitting..
ChrisK
Nope and I don’t even eat pig products.
Heywood Jablowme
“Pigs taste better”
How do know that, ChrisK? Until you eat dog meat you just don’t know for sure, do you? – ha!
Hussain-TheCanadian
I think we consume too much meat in general; the way we allow big meat industries to buy influence with our politicians is appaling.
Farming land must be rededicated to farming fruits and vegetables again, and the price of this produce should be cheaper than the price of meat.
As a person who tried to give up meat and couldn’t, I advocate for little meat consumption as possible, with lots of fruits, vegetables, a bit of dairy and while wheats.
PS
Koreans still eat dogs? That makes me so sad, dogs are beautiful animals.
Harley
More than 1 million wild animals are killed every year to make room for industrial meat farms. I’m talking bears, coyotes, prairie dogs, foxes, wolves, bobcats, etc.
ingyaom
What does Gus have to say about eating cows, chickens, pigs, etc.? Is he a vegetarian? If not, why is he so interested in dogs, because they’re so cute… or just don’t taste as good?
ChrisK
There’s that famous corn dog pic he’s in and and another where’s he’s woofing down a hamburger. That kind of selective caring qualifies one as a hypocrite.
CanadianGuy62
Since when does Gus Kenworthy have a husband? Last I heard, they were boyfriends.
Jaxton
Oh, look – it’s Gus Kenworthy saying something pointless again.
blackhook
Doggies are DELICIOUS! …pass the Shish-ka-bow-wow!
Juanjo
Sorry folks but the fact is that anyone who eats animal flesh of any type has no room to criticize the Koreans for eating dogs. I get it – people in the USA consider dogs as cuddly, cute little furry friends to have in their houses, take on walks in the park and use to pick up tricks. But in many parts of the world, dogs are not pets. They might be work animals, they might be food, and some places, the idea of allowing an animal like a dog to be kept is simply considered as a filthy or dirty thing to do.
Depending on where you live different things are considered as delicious to consume or are considered as revolting despite being the same thing. A Frenchman might consider a plate of snails in garlic sauce or an order of frog’s legs as delicious. Most Americans would run out the door. Other people like Japanese or Koreans among others, consider eel as delicious [as do it] but most Americans would not eat it. In certain parts of the USA, people eat possum, squirrel, or other such animals while in other parts of the same country, people make fun of them for doing so and would never consider doing so. It is very much a cultural thing when it comes to food. And when it comes to food animals, I doubt a chicken, duck, turkey, steer, calf, pig or sheep is kept in any better conditions.
Harley
And then you have the Huckabees who just like the pleasure of torturing dogs just for grins and giggles.
hansniemeijer
Although not being religious at all my favourite way of telling not to eat our co-creatures is “Thou shalt not kill”