South Koreans dine on dog meat to beat heat wave

Boiled dog meat is prepared in the kitchen at a restaurant in Gwacheon, South Korea, July 5, 2005. / Getty Images

(AP) SEOUL, South Korea - Some South Koreans are easing the "Dog Days of Summer" by embracing a tradition of eating dog meat to help survive a heat wave gripping the country.

Animal rights activists, meanwhile, packed themselves into wire cages to protest the eating of dogs.

Tuesday is the day South Koreans traditionally eat dog meat and other foods that they believe will help ease the heat by increasing their stamina.

The Yonhap news agency says Seoul is currently undergoing the longest period of time with temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit since 1994.

Dog meat restaurants in Seoul say they served more customers than usual on Tuesday.

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Anti-dog meat protest held in South Korea

[jonnyooh]

If Republicans finally take over this country, the middle and lower classes will be happy to get dog meat.

[jmn122736]

If I'm not mistaken, members of the Lewis and Clarke expedition accepted dog meat from Indian tribes and ate it with relish, even while camped next to a river where Salmon were plentiful.

I guarantee you that ANYONE, even members of PETA (or any animal activists for that matter) if faced with the choice of dying from starvation or practicing cannibalism, would not hesitate to eat Human flesh.
This has been proven many times throughout history. Some would actually kill and devour the weak, rather than waiting for them to die of natural causes.

This, undoubtedly, would include some of today's Ultra rich who hoard $billions while many are literally starving. (sarcasm intended)

And BTW, I agree with another poster here, that eating pets is no more morally wrong than eating fish, beef, pork or poultry

[jimatmadison]

It's an animal, and dogs aren't more self-aware than a pig, for instance.

That said, I wouldn't want that to become the norm here, but I might try it if I was overseas.

[hillbillyvol]

That is what true freedom is about. Eat, drink, love, and smoke who or what ever you like. These basic freedoms are being taken away in the US due to very loud fringe groups, like peta.

[john92021]

We kill millions of dogs a year but don't eat them. Is wasting the meat morally superior? Maybe we should export dead dogs to help pay for neuter/spade programs. We need to clean up our own house before we judge others.

[w_roos]

This is pretty bad, but I'll really get upset when they start eating cats.

[jimatmadison]

Years ago here in Madison, they shut down an 'authentic' Chinese restaurant when they found cat heads and skins in their garbage.

[thetruthwillout]

I've been there and I've seen dog carcasses hung like hogs in the open markets! I refused to eat meat while there because I wasn't sure if I'd be eating dog. Just the thought of it makes my stomach curdle. But I guess it's all about culture. Thank God, it's not my culture. The interesting thing is you never see a stray dog or cat in Seoul.