Photo by furcafe

Embassies in D.C. get protested for lots of things, but this one may stand out. Animal rights activists will gather this afternoon and march on the South Korean embassy, where they will protest the use of dogs for food.

According to In Defense of Animals, an animal rights group co-leading the charge against South Korea with the Animal Welfare Institute, some 2.5 million dogs (and cats) are killed a year as part of a $2 billion animal meat industry in the country. The killings can be particularly inhumane, says the group, because some consumers believe the meat becomes more tender and tastier the greater the suffering. Dog meat is used for stews or medicinal tonics.

According to the AP, today is one of three days each year that South Koreans traditionally eat dog meat to increase their stamina and ease the effects of a heat wave gripping the country. Only a small percentage of South Koreans are said to eat dog meat on a regular basis, though.

The march will start at 4 p.m. in Dupont Circle and proceed up Massachusetts Avenue to the South Korean embassy.