As you know, I used to be very involved in the world of dog showing/breeding, and now breed and show cats. Ever since the venue for the World Cup was announced, I have received a steady stream of literature urging me to write to the FA, any football club I support, sign petitions etc., and if I were to be going to the World Cup, to campaign outside the venues regarding the treatment of animals in Korea.

Well OK - I signed the petition at my vets, and sent a letter to the Korean Government, toyed with the idea of writing to the FA, but didn`t. I decided firmly against writing to NUFC and asking them to start a petition (which was what was suggested), for two reasons. Firstly, it made me feel as though I was being kind of `cranky`, but mostly because I didn`t feel it was appropriate or fair, or even that it would be effective, to involve the world of football, and particularly individual clubs.

I think my decisions were the right ones. Over the last few weeks, what with pitch invasions, violence after the Milwall game, and the inevitable (and to my mind irresponsible) programmes creeping into the schedule on the subject of hooliganism, football has a more pressing problem to police. Add that to the current resurgence of `far right` politics and the accompanying xenophobia, and you just have to hope that the FA, and more importantly FIFA have got a tight reign on ticket sales and a watertight plan to deal with any troublemakers quickly, efficiently and without maiming innocent fans in the process.

I watched the programme about England v Argentina last night. A good programme with fascinating interviews. The butterflies returned as I watched Batty step up to take the penalty (how can it still automatically make me hold my breath when I know the outcome), I got a lump in my throat watching Beckham being sent off, and, as ever, seeing wor Bobby interviewed was a joy. However, seeing the footage of the violence turned my stomach. Hatred, anger, violence - on the pitch, off the pitch, players, supporters, police - it was awful.

I`m pinning my hopes on the fact that the real trouble makers (and there are plenty still) can`t afford to get there. I`m also hoping upon hope, that the more militant animal rights activists stay well away too. A riot, is a riot, is a riot - whatever triggers it. Bad behaviour at this World Cup will do nothing to help the animals in the markets of Korea and will merely give those who are looking for trouble an ignition point.

It would be wonderful if we could have an exciting, trouble-free and successful World Cup. Fingers crossed that that`s what we`ll get!

(Sorry folks, but I haven`t had a decent Friday morning waffle for ages!)

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Answers

A Pussycat lover

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

So tell me about the mistreatment of animals in Korea? Is this any worse than our treatment of sheeps/pigs etc.? Serious question..

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

I hope so Geordie. I do eat meat, and I justify it by thinking that the animals are slaughtered quickly and efficiently with the least amount of suffering or stress possible. I have to also admit that I am a `guilty` meat-eater, and toy with vegetarianism regularly. There are also certain meats and meat products which I won`t eat.

It is the cruelty involved in the Korean methods which is heartbreaking. For instance, dog meat is believed to have better strethening and aphrodisia powers if the dog is beaten to death. I could send masses of sites documenting severe cruelty to cats and dogs, but you wouldn`t enjoy viewing them. Besides which any random search can bring up all the information.

Don`t get me wrong, I am not judging the Koreans, the Chinese, whoever, for eating cats and dogs, I just abhor the unnecessary cruelty. (:o|

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

There are, however, plenty of things which we do in our country which are not acceptable.

The main one which springs to mind, and is amazing in a country which is supposed to be so pro dogs, is the practice of tail docking. The fact that many breeders do it themselves at home makes it even worse. Similarly, removing dewclaws. It makes me very angry.

On the `food` animals side of things - I hate sows being `crated` and I believe piglets teeth are also `trimmed` to stop them damaging the sow. Castration of most farm animals without anesthetic. Tail docking in lambs. Battery hens in dire condtions.

I do know that just because I buy `free range`, it doesn`t mean that factory farming ceases to exist.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

...no, but if everyone bought "free range" the commercial message would surely get across that we do care about how our food animals are treat. There again perhaps the majority don't?

Slightly off subject, but the lead article in the S/Sun last week was about 'foot & mouth' which apparently is rampant in Korea, and the concerns that visitors to the WC could carry the virus back here with them. The article carried a full page photo of a truck-load of infected piglets being dumped alive into a huge burial pit. Nobody could even be bothered to kill them first!

What on earth is wrong with the world? Does no one think about the right's and wrongs of such actions?

I'm afraid I really must be getting old, because it seems to me we are regressing at an ever-increasing pace, and it's all terribly depressing.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Nice to know that you care about it Clarky. I just don`t understand why people can`t see that it is basically wrong to knowingly and deliberately inflict pain and suffering on a sentient creature. I actually find it quite frightening that that bit of basic human understanding is missing from their psyches(sp).

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Stick to the meat Galaxy, I tried a vegetarian once, tasted bloody awful!!

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

I'm not sure how much our morals are a deep down part of our psyche, or social conditioning. The cruelty to animals in Korea would tend to indicate the latter, and over the years it's culture (ie social conditioning) that has been the major factor in determining treatment of animals. Unfortunately, a lot of human actions aren't based on intellectual calculation of rights and wrongs. Right and wrong can also be very subjective, although I would like to see someone try and justify causing deliberate harm and distress to sentient creatures for no (or insignificant) benefit. I suppose they would argue that the taste/aphrodisiac benefit outweighs the downside of the cruelty. Two problems for me, in that I believe they overvalue what appears to me to be dubious aphrodisiac benefits, and undervalue the life of another animal. But these values have been set by their culture, and I would hesitate to arrogantly impose Western cultural values in a patronising 'we know best' kind of way. Or is this a cop out?

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

I'd like us to sort out the way we treat others of our species before going on to the rest of the animal kingdom. :-(

It aint goin to happen and I guess cruelty to animals/humans is linked. I could lob in the spurious argument of cruelty to vegi life forms... it's wherever you draw your line (or use the convenient word "sentient").

fish anyone? Now there is a cruel way to kill an animal. Still.. it tastes good :-(

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Sorry, started out this morning thinking I had all the time in the world to discuss this subject, and my day just collapsed in around me!

I shall pick up on this thread again after tomorrow! (:o)

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

I was a vegetarian for 4 years. Purely because of the cruelty involved in factory farming. During this time, I would happily eat anything that I had caught or shot myself, or that I knew had lived wild and died quickly. Hardly the typical image of a tree hugger, but it worked for me.

Now, I eat what I like. I but free range meat where possible but more for the taste than anything else. Sadly, I just feel that I can't be bothered worrying about it anymore.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

This is a tricky one - Pete, I don`t think it`s a cop out to be wary of imposing Western culture on the Far East. I suspect they would be baffled by our concern about cruelty to animals upon which we are inflicting the greatest cruelty of all, i.e. killing and eating them.

Whilst I`m not advocating animal cruelty I find it hard to draw a strong moral line between killing something cruelly and killing something humanely. To do so seems to me like a bit of a cop-out. Ask yourself this - if we were talking about people would you be more concerned about the cruel treatment or the fact that they were being killed? Of course the answer is the latter. Isn`t it therefore a bit hypocritical to eat meat yet point the finger at those who eat meat but are "cruel" to the animals they eat?

I am of course speaking as someone who eats meat (and lots of it) but who would prefer animals to be slaughtered in a "humane" manner......

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2002