If you walk around the street, you will see many people enjoying walks with their pets. Currnetly, the number of households with pets in Seoul alone has increased from 16.7% in 2013 to 20.4% in 2016, and it continues to increase to this day. In line with these social changes, cafes and restaurants that allow dogs have been created, and there are more and more places to be with pets, such as pet plane boarding services, dog resorts, and dog parks. As such, people recognize pets as family rather than something to be owned, and live with them as true companions.
However, amid this atmosphere, there are animals that have been brutally abused or are enduring to survive in poor conditions, “dog farms” as one clear example of that. Dog farms refer to places where dogs are raised for commercial purposes. Most dog farms are not hygienic and often violate animal welfare standards. Dogs living on such dog farms catch infectious diseases or starve to death, and spend the winter shivering in the cold. Let’s take a look at the case of Gimpo Dog Farm. In 2021, TV Animal Farm aired the rescue of dozens of dogs from that farm. The condition of the farm, which was visited after receiving a tip-off, was serious. Dogs were not able to walk properly in a loose cage (a dog’s cage in which the floor was woven with wire mesh to make excrement fall), and the bodies of dead dogs were scattered under the cage. In one place, the body of a white-boned dog was even found. The farm located on the site of the local government’s project and the dogs could be recognized as properties, so the owner of the farm took advantage of the situation, and had numerous dogs. Viewers who watched the show were angry and offered help for the rescued dogs.
There are people trying to save these countless animals that are suffering. Animal protection groups, temporary guardians, volunteering veterinarians, and TV programs related to animal protection are steadily moving forward to create a society where people and animals can coexist. To create a society in which each life is valued, one must first know the current state. There should no longer be places like dog farms where animals are illegally kept. Respect and protection of animals leads to respect for all beings living in this society, not just animals. Therefore, in order to create a more mature and humane society, animal protection must be done, and it is time to think about “why” and “how” to protect animals, and put them into practice.
Kim So-myeong
[The Department of Korean Language and Literature, 22, Ajou University]
