Two adorable pups who appeared on This Morning have unwittingly sparked a furious debate between animal lovers.
While the dogs were saved from becoming meat, some viewers called out the “hypocrisy” in refusing to eat dog meat, when many still choose to eat beef, chicken, lamb and pork.
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In today’s episode of the ITV morning show, hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford introduced us to Pip Tomson and Claire Bass, who recently helped free nine animals from a dog meat farm in South Korea.
Pip, who has adopted two of the nine canines, appeared on the show with her Maltese spaniel Robin, while Claire bought in her adopted retriever Henry.
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Pip and Claire described the horrifying conditions their pets endured before being rescued and bought to the UK.
She said: “The smell, the sound, the first thing you hear is the sound of dogs barking. They are in tiny wired cages with wired floors; they don’t have a water bowl to drink from. They are given restaurant waste to eat.
“It is so uncomfortable for them, for their paws on that wired floor, that I found dogs sitting in their food bowls just to get a little bit of respite. It was horrific.”
However, while no one denied that rescuing the dogs was the right thing to do, many viewers called out the “hypocrites” who treat dogs differently to other animals.
One fan cried: “Why are people so horrified by dog farms but not about eating any other animal? All animals want love and feel fear & pain. Why love one but eat the other. If this was a vegan on #thismorning people would be mocking them. It’s ludicrous.”
Why are people so horrified by dog farms but not about eating any other animal?. All animals want love and feel fear & pain. Why love one but eat the other. If this was a vegan on #thismorning people would be mocking them. It’s ludicrous pic.twitter.com/UQR4HSuvWd
— Sorcha Daly 🌸 (@MissSorchaDaly1) December 7, 2018
#ThisMorning women talking about saving dogs from dog meat farms = heroes. Vegans coming on talking about saving chickens, pigs and cows = insane lunatics pic.twitter.com/i7ZRStNLR8
— IHEARTVEGAN (@IHEARTVEGAN) December 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/DionaDoherty/status/1070997293346754561
https://twitter.com/emmaCITF/status/1070997316633538561
Why is it okay to eat pigs cows chickens etc but not dogs. Its double standards, people need to get off their high horse, you're either for the slaughter and consumption of animals or against it. No different slaughtering a puppy than slaughtering a lamb or a pig. #ThisMorning
— Dale Kieran (@D_Sauvage) December 7, 2018
What about a cow meat farm, a big meat farm, a turkey meat farm, a chicken meat farm, a lamb meat farm!?!? Seriously, are you all blind?? ALL ANIMALS DESERVE LIFE, not just the ones culture suggests. A dog is a cow is a horse is a chicken is a boy. @thismorning #ThisMorning
— CC (@MyBRCAJourney) December 7, 2018
Another said: “People who eat meat and act all disgusted by ‘dog meat farms’ are hypocrites.”
A third added: “As horrific as it is hearing about the dog meat farms on #ThisMorning , I am struggling to humanely see a difference between farming dogs for meat and farming pigs/chickens/cows for their meat? How are we so desensitized to their pain and deaths?”
“It’s horrific what happens to dogs, in dog-meat-eating countries,” said one more. “But let’s not be hypocritical and act like farm animals in the UK such as cows, pigs, etc dont feel the same pain and suffering the dogs do. Culture/tradition is NOT an excuse for cruelty.”
Other fans insisted there’s a difference, with one saying: “The treatment of the dogs and cats are skinned and boiled alive. Animals here are not. And no. I don’t eat meat. #ThisMorning.”
https://twitter.com/JCH999/status/1070997256713625600
One viewer declared that Pip and Claire deserved MBE’s for their work saving dogs and NOT football players.
Luckily, Robin and Henry were oblivious to the furious debate they had caused and were just thinking about where their next doggie treat was coming from.
Would you eat dog meat? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!