Record Heat Wave Kills Over 830,000 Farm Animals

 

SOUTH KOREA – Hundreds of thousands of animals have died in South Korea, the government said Wednesday, due to a heat wave that is heading for a three-week streak.

Over 830,000 farm animals, including 786,512 chickens, have been killed since 20 July, when midday temperatures began hovering above 33 C in most parts of the country, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, reports YonhapNewsAgency.

The dead animals include 40,780 ducks and 336 pigs. Such damages are often caused by power outages that can halt the ventilation and cooling systems at farms.

The country was forced to issue power shortage warnings for two consecutive days this week as the sweltering weather pushed up its energy consumption to new highs, driving down its electricity levels to what officials called “dangerous levels” of less than three million kilowatts.

“The number of animals killed may actually be greater, pending on a more thorough survey,” a ministry official said, noting damages may also grow from the continuing heat wave.

The country is also experiencing its longest streak of so-called tropical nights, where overnight temperatures stay above 25 C.

NewsLink:-http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/26494/record-heat-wave-kills-over-830000-farm-animals

 

South Korean tradition of eating dog meat to beat the heat draws international criticism

• Known as ‘Bok-Nal’, South Koreans eat dog meat during the hottest days of summer because they believe it increases their stamina
• Animal rights activists staged international protests against the tradition
• The activists claim that the animals are kept in cramped cages and are slaughtered in cruel ways
• Seoul is experiencing the hottest summer since 1994
  

  Don’t eat: 2.5 million dogs are killed each year for consumption according to animal rights group In Defense of Animals. The protestors’ signs read ‘Don’t eat dog meat’

The South Korean belief that eating dog helps beat the heat in the summer months has angered animal rights activists around the world.

Worldwide anger: Animal rights activists staged protests around the world including Bangkok, Thailand where this woman painted her face and stood in front of the South Korea embassy, placard in hand

Known as ‘Bok-Nal’, the dog eating days, it is a ritual celebrated by South Koreans where dog meat is eaten to increase stamina during the hottest days of the year.

To coincide with the tradition, animal rights activists staged protests around the world today, packing into wired cages in various locations including in front of the South Korean embassies in Seoul, London and America.

While dog meat is consumed throughout the year, during Bok-Nal South Koreans consume more to combat the heat.

Dog meat restaurants in Seoul say they served more customers than usual today.

 Animal rights group In Defense of Animals (IDAUSA) said dogs and cats are kept in cramped, filthy cages and slaughtered in unimaginable ways as part of the $2 billion dog and cat meat industry.A statement on their website said: ‘Two and a half million South Korean dogs are electrocuted, hanged, or beaten to death each year.

‘The dogs are slaughtered in unimaginable ways: electrocuted, hanged, and even beaten to death, because of the prevailing myth that the greater the suffering the more tender and tastier the meat, and that the mythical health properties are enhanced.‘

Thousands of cats are also eaten in soups and ‘tonics’.

IDAUSA said: ‘Cats are often bludgeoned and thrown into boiling water while still alive.’

According to Yonhap news agency, Seoul is experiencing the longest period of time with temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius since 1994.

News Link:- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2184956/Eating-dog-South-Korea-angers-animal-rights-activists-international-protests.html#ixzz22u7vqMBI

Petition: Stop The Torture And Consumption Of Dogs And Cats In South Korea:-https://secure2.convio.net/ida/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1533

Care2 Petition:–http://www.thepetitionsite.com/6/stop-the-dog-meat-trade-in-korea/

Petition to stop killing dogs:–http://www.uniteddogs.com/stopkillingdogs/

Related Contains videos – viewer discretion is advised:-https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/eating-dogs-and-cats-their-pain-their-torture-your-plate/