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SEOUL (South Korea) — Wags
has never been a big soccer fan (that's "football" to all the
non-Yanks), but here's one team he'll be cheering on Wednesday.  Spain, the noted underdog
of the World Cup 2002 Tournament,
has guaranteed at least one winner in Seoul: puppy "Camachin".
Just days before Spain's first-round match against Slovenia, the
team adopted the last-minute mascot for good luck. The puppy had
been slated for someone's dinner table, a fate that claims many dogs
in South Korea, despite a 1991 law that supposedly prohibits the human
consumption of dogs and cats. A Spanish TV crew purchased the
puppy for $25 at a dog meat market near Seoul and presented the
wiggling bundle to coach Jose Antonio Camacho on May 29.
In the week that followed, Spain surprised the world with two
strong victories against Slovenia and Paraguay, a feat the team hadn't
accomplished since 1950.
 "A
Kiss to Build a Dream On"
For Spain's forward Albert Luque, it meant "thanks for giving
us luck." For Camachin the puppy, it meant "thanks for
giving me life." (Photo: Armanda Franca / AP)
Korean Dog-Lovers Fight Back
When coach Camacho was asked for comment regarding the Korean dog
meat industry, he answered very diplomatically: "The customs of
all foreign countries are sometimes strange."
But there is a growing body of South Korean dog-lovers who insist
on two points:
- Dog meat vendors are not just "strange"—they are
brutal and inhumane to their captives.
- There is nothing "customary" or traditional about
Korean people eating dogs.
These few but determined people (only an estimated 16% of dogs are
kept as pets in South Korea) are hoping to use the international
attention of this month's World Cup as leverage against the unpublicized
shame of South Korea.
To an impressive degree, they have been successful at exposing the
truth.
In Seoul, dog-lovers like 3-year-old Park Tae-hee and her pooch
"Hurdoo" gather to tell the world: "Dog meat is not
Korean traditional food." Contrary to what many elders
teach, the consumption of dogs began in the era of famine following
the Korean War. It is no longer necessary, nor is it (or has it
ever been) a point of national pride. (Photo: Jason Ree /
Reuters)
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"The cries of these tortured animals will drown out the
cheers at the World Cup."
Cem
Atkin,
Animal Cruelty Investigator |
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Spain's good luck charm "Camachin" is cradled
by coach Jose Antonio Camacho just before the first game.
The puppy was purchased at a Korean dog meat market for $25 and
became the team's mascot. Spain went on to defeat Slovenia
on June 2 and then beat Paraguay on June 8. The final group
B match will be against South Africa on Wednesday, June 12, but
regardless of the outcome, I think we already have a winner.
(Photo: Armando Franca / AP)
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"..the habit of eating dogs gained prevalence after the
Korean war due to widespread starvation. It grew in
popularity after reconstruction because dog dealers and
restaurants began to fabricate health benefits derived from eating
dog meat. In reality, the trade in dog meat has more to do
with greed and profits rather than any sort of tradition."
Korean
Animal Protection Society (www.koreananimals.org) |
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This is what you think it is.
Contrary to a law passed in 1991, Korean dog meat restaurants
still number in the thousands, and the human consumption—and torture—of
dogs and cats continues. Many dog-lovers and Korean animal
welfare groups are hoping that the 2002 World Cup games in Seoul will
turn the world's attention to a horrific problem that would otherwise
remain ignored. (Photo: BBC
News)
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You Can Help
You've already done the most important part—you've
read all the way through this article without turning away. Give
yourself (and your lucky dog) a pat on the head.
Beyond that, there are a few courses of action that have
been suggested by our friends in South Korea (from the Korean
Animal Protection Society - KAPS website):
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