Berlin-Vegan: No Dog and Cat Cull due to Avian Influenza in Korea!

No Dog and Cat Cull due to Avian Influenza in Korea!

I write to express my shock about the decision of Korean health officials to authorise a cull of dogs and cats in the town of Iksan in response to an outbreak of avian influenza. There is still no scientific evidence to suggest dogs or cats can pass the virus on to humans. I respectfully suggest that the decision has tarnished Korea's good reputation as a modern, forward-thinking country.

I therefore request that you immediately recall the order and look into more effective and humane methods of disease control in preparation for any future outbreaks. The brutal cull has caused not only shock and sadness throughout the world, but also bewilderment on the part of experts.

While I appreciate the authorities' concerns regarding the spread of the H5N1 virus, the culling of non-poultry animals, particularly domesticated animals such as cats and dogs, is a knee-jerk reaction with no basis in scientific fact. To quote Peter Roeder, of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, the decision "is highly unusual, and it is not a science-based decision. We've got absolutely no reason to believe they [dogs and cats] are important".

Dr. Michael Greger, director of public health and animal agriculture for the Humane Society of the United States and author of a book on bird flu, has similar concerns: "The claim by the South Korean government that killing cats and dogs will prevent further spread of bird flu is unfounded and is a dangerous diversion of resources. "Indeed, no evidence exists to show cats or dogs play any role in the spread of this virus," Dr Greger has said.

Not only is the cull a waste of time and resources; worse, it is cruel and barbaric. Dogs and cats are the innocent, loyal companions to countless Korean families. Both pets and their owners, deserve much better.

Iksan is just 250km south of Seoul, your bustling, cosmopolitan capital, where dogs and cats are cherished as valuable family members. We are sure many people in Iksan are equally attached to their pets. The order to confiscate and cull dogs and cats must be devastating for hundreds of pet owners. We therefore implore you to halt the draconian cull order before any more families are put through this totally unnecessary trauma.

I appeal to you to look at long-term solutions to health problems arising from poor methods of animal husbandry. Intensive farming of poultry is not only extremely cruel, it is unhealthy and unsanitary. It is little wonder disease breaks out under such appalling conditions.

I look forward to your response. Sincerely

Berlin-Vegan.de

No Dog and Cat Cull due to Avian Influenza in Korea!

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