LONDON–Music mogul Simon Cowell is supporting animal charity Humane Society International’s bid to close down a dog meat farm in South Korea and rescue the more than 200 dogs and puppies caged inside who would otherwise be killed and eaten. The dogs spend their entire lives in small, barren metal cages but HSI, which has so far permanently closed down twelve dog meat farms and saved nearly 1,400 dogs, are desperate to close it with Simon’s help.

Eating dog meat is fast declining in popularity in South Korea particularly among younger consumers. However, thousands of dog factory farms still exist, breeding around 2.5 million dogs a year for human consumption. Humane Society International works with dog meat farmers who want to leave the dying industry, and helps them switch to more humane alternative livelihoods such as mushroom or chili growing. The charity hopes its successful model will encourage the Korean government to adopt the phase-out plan and expand it nationwide to end the industry for good.

Donate now to help these dogs and other animals.

This isn’t the first time Simon Cowell has supported HSI’s #EndDogMeat campaign. Last year he gave an exclusive interview to Good Morning Britain on the eve of HSI’s rescue team setting off for Seoul on another rescue mission. He was incredibly moved by the plight of dogs suffering on the farms, and pledged to help directly to bring more dogs to safety.

Simon told GMB’s Pip Tomson: “It’s like eating your friend. It’s the fact you’re eating such a kind, helpless, sweet animal.”

And Simon’s sentiments are increasingly echoed by campaigners in South Korea who are vociferously opposing killing dogs for meat. In July a petition on the government’s website calling for an end to the trade was signed by more than 200,000 people and prompted an official response from the President’s office. The government pledged to consider removing dogs from the legal definition of livestock, a move that could make a significant dent in the brutal industry.

Humane Society International hopes to deploy a rescue team as early as next week to start closing the farm. Most of the dogs will fly to Canada to be cared for at HSI’s shelter there, but the charity also hopes to be able to bring a small number to the UK to look for forever homes.

HSI UK Executive Director Claire Bass says: “Simon’s generous donation means the world to us, and provides a huge boost to our appeal to close this horrendous dog meat farm. More than 200 dogs are languishing in the most appalling conditions, but we have a real chance to save them. With every dog farm we close and every farmer we help switch to a more profitable, humane business, we’re showing the South Korean government that it’s possible to end this cruel trade. These poor dogs have had the worst lives so far, so we’re desperate to get them out of those dreadful cages and show them love, soft beds and loving arms for the first time in their lives.”

Donations to HSI’s rescue appeal can be made at www.hsi.org/simon.

Facts:

• More than 2.5 million dogs a year are reared on thousands of dog meat farms across South Korea, the only country known to farm dogs for human consumption. Across Asia, in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Cambodia etc. an estimated 30 million dogs are killed and eaten each year, mainly stolen pets and street dogs.
• In addition to their life of suffering on the farm, the method used to kill the dogs is brutal – death by electrocution is most common, with dogs usually taking up to five minutes to die, (and there have been recorded instances of dogs taking up to 20 minutes to die). Hanging is also practiced. Dogs are killed in full view of other dogs.
• While most people don’t regularly eat dog, it remains popular during the Bok days of summer in July and August, when it is eaten as a soup called bosintang in the unsubstantiated belief that it improves stamina and virility.
• The dog meat industry is in legal limbo in South Korea, neither legal nor illegal. Many provisions of the Animal Protection Act are routinely breached, such as the ban on killing animals in a brutal way including hanging by the neck, and on killing them in public areas or in front of other animals of the same species.
• Dogs coming to the U.K. will not be available for adoption until November, via one of HSI’s shelter partners. To register your interest in adopting, email info@hsiuk.org

ENDS

Media contacts:

• United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org, +44 (0)7989 972 423
• South Korea: Nara Kim, nkim@hsi.org