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Exciting Announcements & A New Direction for IAKA
A message from Kyenan Kum
Dear Friends of Korean Animals, I want to thank you all so much for your continued support and for your concern for Korean animal welfare. Some of our long term members may have noticed a few changes recently, including a new look for our website and our newsletter. As we move forward into the future of animal protection in Korea, we will also be making a few organizational changes as we prepare to take IAKA in a new direction, and I’d like to take the opportunity to talk about some of our recent successes as well as our future goals.
Over the last seventeen years, through work with IAKA and KAPS, we have toiled tirelessly to raise awareness and build pressure to shut down the dog and cat meat markets in South Korea. We are happy to announce that this work is finally paying off, and that Korea has recently passed a tougher version of the Animal Protection Law which will go into effect beginning January 2008. This is still but a small step towards ending cruelty, but in an act of good faith, IAKA will be backing off from protests to allow the Korean government time to impose and enforce the tougher laws. Warm thanks go to all of you who helped to write letters, collect petitions, and campaign for tougher animal protection in Korea—we could not have done this without your support. You can read more about the animal protection law and the tougher penalties here.
Though despite our amazing successes and achievements, we realize that tougher laws alone will not be enough to end the dog and cat meat trade in Korea. Since I began my work for Korean animals, the dog and cat markets have remained a thriving industry, and while IAKA has been very successful in rallying international support, it is unfortunate that many of our efforts centered on protests have been perceived as an attack on Korean culture from outsiders. The fact remains that if we are unable to influence attitudes to address the demand for dog and cat meat, then we have no hope to eliminate the supply.
It is with careful thought and consideration that IAKA will be shifting its primary focus and fund raising efforts towards humane education within Korea. We believe that it is imperative that we address current attitudes and values about pets and animals within Korean society. Only by promoting a deep compassion, appreciation and understanding of animals can we ever hope to combat animal cruelty and eradicate the illegal markets.
Goals for IAKA's future Education Campaign:
- elevate the status of of dogs and cats as companion animals in Korea, especially mixed breeds
- decrease the demand for dog and cat meat by exposing cruelty and encouraging compassion for animals
- encourage adoption from shelters over buying from pet stores and breeders
- educate the public about the benefits of spay/neuter, as well as “TNR” for feral cats
- provide behavioral information to help pet owners cope with behavior problems and reduce relinquishment to shelters
- raise awareness about cruelty tied to the dog/cat meat trade
Also, while in previous years, we have exclusively supported the work of Korea Animal Protection Society, support for KAPS has been growing within Korea and KAPS has succeeded in contracting with local governments for funding. While IAKA shifts its focus towards education, KAPS will also be shifting its focus away from campaigning to concentrate on providing care for Korea’s many stray and homeless animals. We are very happy that the Korean government is stepping up its role to provide funding for Korea’s homeless animals and are happy for the opportunity to begin funding other projects that we feel will be more direct in addressing the dog and cat meat trade.
This is an exciting time for IAKA, and I am hopeful that our supporters will share in our vision to end animal cruelty by addressing ignorance in Korea. Please stay tuned for more developments to come.
Best Wishes,
Kyenan Kum, IAKA Founder