WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, August 18, 2020 — The Associated Press today reported that North Korea has ordered citizens to surrender their dogs to the government to be slaughtered and fed to the country’s starving citizens. American Humane’s president and CEO Dr. Robin R. Ganzert condemns this flagrant animal abuse and released the following statement:
“How a country treats its animals is often indicative of how it treats it citizens. Sadly, but unsurprisingly, North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un is the poster child for this behavior, as he has no regard for human life and is now committing state-sanctioned animal abuse.
This news was reported on the same day that American Humane released its New Deal for Animals, People and the World We Share, a 10-point policy proposal to build a humane and ethical world. A core tenet of our plan is eliminating the global cat and dog meat trade, which represents a deadly threat to both beloved companion animals and the human communities around them.
As the novel coronavirus has shown, animal policy is intrinsically linked to human health, the economy and national security. Improving the lives of animals and improving the lives of humans go hand-in-hand. It is on policymakers and world leaders to step up to the plate and condemn the repugnant actions of Kim Jong-Un.”
About American Humane
American Humane is the country’s first national humane organization, founded in 1877. For more information, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org. To learn more about the organization’s push for a renewed human-animal contract, visit http://www.AmericanHumane.org/NewDeal.
