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ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS

MONTH: June 2007

New shelter & animal protection law in South Korea

 

BOEUN, Korea--Korean Animal Pro-tection Society founder Sunnan Kum formally opened a new KAPS shelter on April 15, 2007, seven years after a donation of $25,000 from actor Danny Seo helped her to acquire the land.

"Back in 1986," Sunnan Kum recalled, "I purchased land in Daegu," her home city, "for the purpose of taking care of abandoned dogs and cats for the first time. I had expected then that there would not be so many abandoned animals. I used to believe that anyone who encountered helpless animals would take care of them with sympathy.

"I know that I was so naive and foolish to have had that belief," she continued. "I found many cats and dogs suffering in extreme starvation and thirst all over this country. Warm-hearted people would often bring me such animals instead of selling them to a market. In no time, my land was fully occupied by cats, dogs, and even wild animals."

The shelter expanded to fill Sunnan Kum's home, and then three floors of the building where she and her husband operate a pharmacy. Still there was need. "I was drowning in unspeakable shock and sorrow," Sunnan Kum continued, "but I had to pull myself together. I thought about what was wrong and what I should do from then on. First," she decided, "people need to be educated and informed in order to cultivate the thought that every single life has its own dignity. Second, we need to publicize the importance of sterilization, to reduce the number of abandoned animals," a cause she furthered by opening a sterilization clinic. And, at the same time," she added, "we urgently needed a larger shelter."

KAPS at the time ran the only shelter in South Korea. There are now at least four nonprofit shelters offering alternatives to the longtime practice of disposing of dogs and cats at meat markets.

KAPS formerly partnered with International Aid for Korean Animals, of Oakland, California, founded by Sunnan Kum's younger sister Kyenan Kum. The partnership is no longer in effect, but IAKA is also still highly active, now working to introduce South Koreans to the provisions of a new national animal protection law.

Passed in January 2007, to take effect in January 2008, the new law "includes tougher penalties for animal cruelty, as well as stronger legislation to address stray and abandoned animals," Kyenan Kum said. The new law empowers local governments to appoint animal protection officers, authorized to investigate cruelty and seize abused animals.

"Thanks to the committed efforts of our supporters," Kyenan Kum added, "we stopped legislation to allow 'hygienic control' of dog meat, and kept the definition of 'pet animals' from being included," which would have excluded dogs and cats sold for meat from protection. "IAKA is very proud of these accomplishments," Kyenan Kum stipulated, "and would like to allow the Korean government time to implement the new law before making plans for any further aggressive protests.

"The old law," Kyenan Kum noted, "specified that one could not kill an animal without a rational reason.

The new law specifies that animals cannot be killed by hanging, be killed in an open area or on a street, or be killed in front of other animals."

"The use of animals in indiscriminate laboratory testing will be prohibited," Kyenan Kum said.

"Extraction of fluids from animals will be prohibited unless for the purposes of the animals' health or veterinary diagnostics," a provision which if enforced would end South Korean bear bile farming.

"Acts causing harm to animals for the purpose of gambling, advertising, and entertainment will be prohibited. Persons transporting animals will need to provide adequate food, avoid rough driving, and use vehicles suitably equipped to prevent injury," Kyenan Kum finished.