亞洲，6月14日 - 由來自12個不同國家的亞洲動物福利及保育團體所組成之聯盟-亞洲連線於今日發表聲明，要求南韓政府於世界杯足球賽在南韓舉行期間，清楚表明執行並改善保護動物法令的立場。

        台灣動物社會研究會、台灣促進和平文教基金會、台灣大學愛犬社、台中世界聯合動物保護協會、花蓮動物權益促進會、拯救流浪犬聯盟、中華民國世界聯合動物保護協會等團體代表，將此聲明遞交駐台北韓國代表部（KOREAN MISSION IN TAIPEI），並附上錄影帶「文化或藉口？」呈現韓國狗肉市場的殘酷情況。

        其他國家的動物保護團體，如泰國、菲律賓、新加坡及尼泊爾等國家代表也將同時將此聲明送交其國內之韓國代表。

        亞洲動物福利連線表示：狗和貓在全世界，包括韓國，皆被視為人類的最佳同伴，因此韓國政府應該採取嚴厲措施以減少，最終並禁止國內食用貓狗肉，而非僅僅改進其屠宰方式。

        去年十一月國際足球協會聯盟主席喬瑟夫布萊特已要求其韓籍副主席採取「立即關鍵性的措施以即刻終結此種虐待行為」。

        在韓國，防止虐待貓狗的法令尚為不足，而對現有法令的執行度亦不高。在過去十年中，只有兩位涉嫌虐待動物者認罪，並被判很少的罰款。亞洲連線緊急呼籲韓國政府改善立法與政策，包括以下各點：
* 終結屠殺貓狗作為消費的行為
* 修正法令，明定「動物虐待」的定義，並對食物、居處、獸醫治療、遮蔽、不當對待、運輸及屠宰等各方面做考量。
* 加強法令執行。
* 提高虐待動物之刑罰。
* 成立國家動物福利委員會，並涵蓋韓國主要動物福利團體的代表，如動物之聲（Voice for Animals），以提供政府建議。

        亞洲連線表示：「世界杯足球賽將在六月底結束，但終結韓國人虐待貓狗的行為卻還遙遙無期，我們不能以文化為藉口而將暴力行為合法化。『文化』為人類所創造，也應可以被人類所改變。在菲律賓已經分階段完成文化的修正，在泰國也逐漸形成制衡力量。我們身為亞洲社會的一份子，也應逐漸轉變食用狗肉的文化。我們邀請韓國加入此次人道的行動」。

        漢城「動物之聲」的創始人朴教授表示：「過去幾年來西方國家對阻止貓狗虐待提供了相當大的支持。但最近這一次由亞洲團體所發起的聯合行動清楚顯示，世界各國皆要求韓國採取立即並持久的行動停止動物虐待」。

台灣動物社會研究會聯絡人：陳玉敏 TEL：2239-8105/6；0953-121480                  

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ASIANS SPEAK AGAINST KOREAN DOG AND CAT MEAT

ASIA, 14 JUNE -- Asia Link, a coalition of Asian animal welfare and conservation groups from 12 countries, is presenting a statement to the South Korean Government asking them to make a clear commitment during the FIFA World Cup to enforce and improve their legislation on animal protection. Representatives from groups in countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Nepal are presenting their Korean embassies with the statement and a video, "Culture or Excuse" which exposes the cruelty of dog eating in Korea. The recently taken footage shows conditions of farming, transporting and selling dogs for meat. 

This will be the first time a large group of Asian societies have come together to speak up against the dog and cat meat issue in Korea. 

Not only is dog meat eaten but also, the industry is now promoting dog meat products such as cosmetics. Dogs are bred in farms where most never leave their cages. At the markets, they are crammed into cages so they can hardly stand properly. Some are killed by electrocution. Others are hanged then beaten as they die or tortured in other ways. Cats are usually boiled, some alive, in large pressure cookers to produce a tonic that supposedly cures ailments. Others may be beaten with hammers. 

Our ancestors domesticated dogs and cats as companions and we break a bond of trust when we treat them worse than livestock. Worldwide, more societies, including Korea, are considering dogs and cats as good companions to humans. The Korean Government should take serious action to reduce, and finally ban dog and cat eating in Korea, and not merely improve the ways of slaughter.

Laws to prevent cruelty to dogs and cats in Korea are weak. Laws that exist are not well enforced. During the last decade, only two perpetrators of animal abuse were convicted and given small fines. Asia Link calls urgently for legislative and policy-related changes including:
* A permanent ban on the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption or other economic purposes.
* Korean animal protection law to be improved so that it clearly defines "animal cruelty" with regards to provision of food, housing, veterinary care, shelter, maltreatment, transportation and slaughter. 
* Enhanced law enforcement of existing and new laws on the dog and cat meat trade
* Higher penalties for animal cruelty 
* Formation of a National Animal Welfare committee, with representation from leading Korean animal welfare groups such as Voice4animals, to advise the Government. 

Asia Link is urging everyone concerned to write to the South Korean President Kim Dae-jung showing support for these recommendations at http://www.cwd.go.kr/cgi-bin/php/engletter/writeform.php3 
or at 1, Sejongno, Jongo-gu, Seoul, Korea 110-050

"The World Cup will finish at the end of June. But there is no end in sight for the cruelty to dogs and cats in Korea. We cannot use culture to justify violence. It is people who make "culture", so they can change it. Dog eating was once popular in Taiwan but in 2001, the meat and fur of pets such as dogs and cats were banned from being used for economic purposes. In the Philippines, the slaughter of dogs for meat is prohibited in Metro Manila. In Thailand, opposition to it is building and just recently the "City of Dog Eating", Sakon Nakhon, banned the sale of dog meat in its efforts to create a "good image". As Asian societies ourselves, we are phasing out dog eating. We invite Korea to join us in this humane move," said Asia Link representatives including Wu Hung, Founder of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan.

Professor Changkil Park, Founder of the Seoul-based Voice4animals said, "Over the years, there has been very strong support from the Western world to stop the cruelty to Korea's dogs and cats. But this latest collective action by the Asian community clearly shows that there is now a world-wide demand for Korea to take immediate and enduring steps to stop the extreme cruelty to the animals here."
台灣動物社會研究會聯絡人：陳玉敏 電話:22398105~6 /0953121480

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