Footballers join S Korea dog row

South Korea has thousands of dog meat restaurants

Three England international footballers are backing a campaign against the torture of cats and dogs in South Korea ahead of the World Cup.

Liverpool stars Michael Owen, Jamie Redknapp and Emile Heskey have signed a petition of animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).

Cats are thrown alive into boiling water to extract their juice for use in tonics

Peta spokeswoman

The petition reads: "We respectfully urge the government of South Korea to ensure that cats and dogs receive full protection from intentional cruelty and torture."

The players, who are expected to take their place in the England line-up this summer, are among a host of celebrities who have already backed the campaign.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has also urged the Korean government to take "immediate and decisive measures to put an immediate end to this cruelty".

'Filthy conditions'

A Peta spokeswoman said: "Before dogs are eaten, they are often strung up and beaten. Then they are burned about their bodies, purportedly to improve their flavour.

"Cats are thrown alive into boiling water to extract their juice for use in tonics.

Michael Owen has put his name to the anti-animal cruelty campaign

"The animals are kept in tiny, filthy cages for prolonged periods prior to their awful deaths."

Celebrities Pamela Anderson and Bryan Adams have already backed the campaign.

Animal rights activists have previously held a protest rally in the capital Seoul to protest against the custom of eating dog meat.

Custom

But defenders of the custom say eating dogs is part of Korea's culture, just as pigeons and snails are eaten in some Western countries.

It is estimated that only 16% of dogs in South Korea are bred as pets.

The country banned dog restaurants during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, invoking a law prohibiting the sale of foods deemed unsightly.

Dozens of members of the South Korean parliament have introduced legislation to formally legalise dog meat. But the majority of MPs do not support it and it seems unlikely to become law.