POLL: Should People Eat Dog Meat?

Most of the world enjoys a thick, juicy steak, a thin slice of rare roast beef, or a double cheeseburger smothered in cheese, while citizens of India shudder at the grotesque thought of us daring to eat an animal as sacred as a cow.  So, is it a double-standard when we look in disgust at certain communities in Asia who enjoy the delicate taste of dog meat?

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It has been going on for centuries.  In Vietnam, China, Korea and other regions of the world, dogs are not the beloved pets western society has come to know and love them to be. No! For some, dogs are a breedable source of food — just like cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys are to the rest of us.  So, who’s right and who’s wrong?

In the United States alone, we spend $58.5 billion on pets per year. We pamper dogs with Christmas and birthday presents. We send them to “doggie daycare.” We take them with us on planes (more than 2 million pets and animals fly per year). We even trot them around in national contests while judging the perfection of their pedigree. But to eat them? NO THANK YOU! The very thought is unthinkable. Repulsive. Cruel. We don’t even consider it. But that doesn’t mean the rest of the world doesn’t consider it.

We’ve all heard the stories and even seen video footage of dogs piled literally on top of each other and stuffed in cages while being transported to a slaughter house. We may have even see photos of skinned dogs being sliced up in the same manner we slice up a prime cut of beef.  For these cultures, a plate of dog is as common as a plate of Hamburger Helper is to us. Interestingly, many of the same people who enjoy eating dog, also love and care for their own dog as a family pet. Hmmm…

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However, western thinking is starting to wear on the eastern culture of consuming dog. Dog lovers and activists are succeeding in making dog eating communities of the world feel ostracized and outdated. Even younger generations within these communities are starting to look at their elders with contempt when they even hint at eating man’s best friend.

Is it right for the western world to dictate what is considered tasteful in society (no pun intended)? Is it right for us to frown at others eating our favorite family pet, while we consume tons of India’s family pet (beef) every year?  If we can tell others what not to eat, should Muslims be able to convince us to stop eating pork, or Christians be able to convince us that eating shellfish is an abomination?  Should eating dog meat remain as taboo as cannibals eating other humans? Or should the practice of eating dog really be none of our business?