South Korea’s largest dog slaughterhouse shut down

The largest dog meat slaughterhouse complex in South Korea has been shut down, according to a government statement, and is about to be bulldozed.

According to UK-based Humane Society International (HSI), five of the six slaughterhouses that make up the Taepyeong-dong complex in the city of Seongnam were set to be destroyed by bulldozers, ABC Australia reported. The sixth slaughterhouse – the Moran Market – will be rebuilt into a community park.

HSI activists who toured the complex described the conditions as “horrifying.” A large number of wire pens, electrocuting tools, knives and hair-removing machines were found. A pile of dog carcasses was also found on the floor.

Official statistics show that by 2015 there were only about 700 dog meat restaurants left in South Korea. The closure of the slaughterhouse complex marks a big victory for animal rights advocates. The closure is set to deal a big blow to the dog meat industry in South Korea.

While opinions on eating dog meat in South Korea leans to the negative side, other Asian countries have yet to follow suit.

China remains the largest consumer of dog meat, with about 20 million dogs being killed every year. Vietnam is the second-largest consumer, with about five million dogs butchered annually for consumption.

However, the nation’s capital Hanoi has urged its citizens to cease the practice to maintain the city’s reputation and to prevent the spread of diseases.