Dog Meat (South Korea)

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Oliver Dowden

Monday 12th September 2016 Westminster Hall

[Oliver Dowden]

The hon. Gentleman is right on that point. There are two specific concerns: there are gaps in the supply chain that extend to the United Kingdom. That applies to meat coming into the UK, but it has also been suggested that greyhounds from Ireland may be raced in east Asia and enter the food chain in that way. There is also the general health concern about the consumption of dog meat. That brings me on to the three specific concerns that we need to consider in the debate.

The first concern is the welfare of the dogs as they are reared. The trade is completely unregulated. The farms—if one can call them that—are pretty horrific places. Dogs are usually kept in very small cages without any form of environmental enrichment, in many cases on solid floors where they cannot even stand. The evidence gathered by charities regularly includes a huge range of injuries, including untreated eye infections, skin diseases, prolapsed bowels and painfully swollen feet. Of course, when animals have absolutely no form of stimulation there is the problem of self-mutilation, whether that is cage pacing or head tilting, or other features of poorly looked after animals.

Allied to that is the method of slaughter, once they have been reared. As my right hon. Friend the Member for East Yorkshire mentioned, there is a terribly misheld belief—this does not apply in all cases, but there is a lot of evidence for it—that somehow, if the animal has a lot of adrenalin pumping through it at the time of slaughter, that will add to the power of the meat or tenderise it before slaughter. That has in some cases encouraged terribly barbaric methods of slaughter. Examples include hanging, beating or in some cases even boiling the poor animals alive, all in the ridiculous belief that somehow that improves the quality. Surely anyone can agree that that is completely unacceptable.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on getting the debate. In an article last week—I think it was in the Daily Mirror—it was reported that, particularly in China, animals were being treated very badly and shoved in big pots to be boiled alive. That is utterly cruel, and surely the Government should be making representations on that.

[Oliver Dowden]

I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman, which is exactly why I am raising that in the debate. I hope the Minister will take note of that point and relay the strength of feeling in the United Kingdom, including from readers of the Daily Mirror, about those appalling practices.

[Oliver Dowden]

My hon. Friend raises an important point that goes back to what I was saying earlier. I do not think those methods of slaughter are being in any way actively encouraged by the South Korean Government or other Governments. Indeed, they are contrary to all the evidence, but the fact is that this is being conducted on the basis not of evidence, but of prejudices and long-standing traditions, which are difficult to counter with an analytical approach.

My second big concern around this trade is that it does not just extend to animals that are purposely bred for it. Not only are stray animals being brought into the supply chain, but there is considerable evidence that pet dogs and cats brought up for domestic purposes are being stolen and finding themselves in the supply chain. We can all only imagine what it would be like if our own domestic animals found themselves in that state.

Equally, there are suggestions—although I must say the evidence on this is still being gathered—in relation to the greyhound racing industry, for example. It is alleged that when greyhounds are past their time in the United Kingdom, or particularly in Ireland, they go out to compete in east Asia, fail a couple of races and are then pushed off into the dog meat supply chain. Again, that needs to be urgently investigated, both by our Government and by those in the countries where it is alleged to have happened. South Korea is taking some steps on that but it remains a legal grey area. Without going into detail about the legislative proposals in this area, I should say that there is more that can be done to bring greater clarity that such practice is not acceptable.

My third concern is in relation to human health. We have already discussed the danger of dog meat entering the general supply chain, which is something the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should be very much aware of. Because it is an unregulated industry, there are no official guidelines, let alone oversight, to ensure that those meat products do not harm the health of consumers. The lack of evidence is worrying, particularly when the conditions on many dog farms are exceedingly unsanitary. There is a real danger of high levels of antimicrobial resistance because of excessive use of antibiotics and drugs on the dogs, often to counter the way in which they are kept in densely-filled areas with high levels of stress and high mortality rates. Equally, because the manner of slaughter is unregulated, there is a danger that disease enters the food chain from that.

What I am seeking from the Minister in his response is, first, an assurance that the Government take the issue seriously. It is easy for us to dismiss it as a problem in another country but, as members of the international community, we should be highlighting the concern and be encouraging the Government to press the case with the South Korean Government. I know we have very good bilateral relations with the South Korean Government—indeed, we have good bilateral relations with other countries, such as the Philippines. In a spirit of constructive engagement with friends, allies and partners, we can reasonably raise our concerns and ask those countries to address them. That can be done both in the United Kingdom, through our relationship with the ambassadors of South Korea and other countries, and through the various international organisations of which we are a member, including the European Union.

[Mr Cunningham]

I ask the hon. Gentleman to include China in that list, because it was highlighted in the Daily Mirror.

[Oliver Dowden]

Forgive me; I was not seeking to make a particular political point about China or, indeed, Thailand, Vietnam or any of the other countries I have mentioned.

Furthermore, through our strong relations with other countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, I think the United Kingdom could have a role in highlighting this matter. As I said, this is a question not of accusing other countries, but of highlighting those concerns. I also think we can play a role domestically in the United Kingdom. We have a tremendous body of expertise and opinion in the form of the chief veterinary officer and his offices.

The United Kingdom could act as a lead advocate for building a global strategy. For example, we can use our contacts in the World Health Organisation and other organisations to fully research, quantify and publicise the concerns around the dog meat industry, in relation to antimicrobial resistance, for example, and to the point raised by my right hon. Friend the Member for East Yorkshire about dispelling some of the myths around some of the supposed virtues of the meat.