Should people eat dog meat or not - Essay Example

ating is one of such long-standing problems and finding a solution cannot be postponed any more because being in hurry for a better life, it is impossible to catch it without finding common language with the Nature. Something familiar can be found even between the most different countries and Switzerland, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Korea, Taiwan, Polynesia, the Arctic and Antarctic have a common spoilt reputation because of dog eating. Such a tradition appeared in those countries due to different cultural and historical moments.

For example, Susan R. Friedland shares such Philippine cultural fact: Among the Benguet Igorots, the cleansing ritual known as tomo or temmo is performed for the warriors who had directly or indirectly participated in inner-village conflicts (faroknit). The ritual animal has to be the dog, based on the belief that its barks can drive away haunting spirits (74). Even though scientists have proved that China was the first country that domesticated dogs, at the same time, dog meat was one of the main food sources.

It is still common to consume it but some changes are also visible. As Frederick J. Simoons noticed, “a ban on slaughtering and eating dogs had been in effect in Hong Kong since 1950, with severe penalties, a $1000 fine and six months in jail, for violations. However, because the law is so contrary to the tradition of the Chinese majority, it has been wildly ignored” (314). The situation in Switzerland differs because, on the one hand, people who eat dog meat are not punished for that and it is allowed but, on the other hand, the law persecutes its trading.

Arctic and Antarctic appeared in the list because its inhabitants use dogs as nutrition in emergency cases what is opposite in Korea, where they have created a breed that is meant for eating: Importantly, whether dog meat consumption is considered a National tradition, culture or custom maybe a matter of semantics only; clearly the motivation in Korean