Japanese fishermen rounded up more than 250 bottlenose dolphins in a secluded cove to kill for meat or sell into a lifetime of captivity, U.S. conservationists warned.

The annual hunting of dolphins at Taiji Cove highlights the rift between conservationists worldwide who see it as a bloody slaughter and Japanese who defend it as a local custom.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society first raised the alarm over the plight of the dolphins Friday, saying five separate pods of bottlenose dolphins had been "driven into Taiji's infamous killing cove."

The group warned that the dolphins would "face a violent and stressful captive selection process. Babies and mothers will be torn from each other's sides as some are taken for captivity, some are killed, and others are driven back out to sea to fend for themselves."

By the end of Saturday, 25 dolphins had been removed from their pod and taken "to a lifetime of imprisonment," the group said. One of them died in the process and will be butchered, it said.

The dolphins will be kept penned in the cove for another night before the selection process begins again Sunday.

'Panicked, frightened and fatigued'

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society live-streamed video of events in the cove Saturday and posted frequent updates on Twitter.

"Killers continue to ruthlessly wrap bottlenose dolphins into nets and drag them to the shore for selection," one update said.

Another, a few minutes later, said, "Panicked, frightened, and fatigued, another portion of the bottlenose pod is driven closer to the shore."

"Killers and trainers tore half of the pod apart today, and will finish tomorrow," was the final post on the day's hunt.

Caroline Kennedy, who was sworn in last year as the U.S. ambassador to Japan, tweeted her condemnation of the process.

"Deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing," she said. The U.S. government "opposes drive hunt fisheries."

CNN was unable to reach anyone at the town office for Taiji, a community of about 3,000 that juts into the Pacific Ocean, or the local fishermen's union for comment.

But local officials have reacted angrily in the past to Western criticism of what they say is a traditional practice dating back centuries.

Officials say criticism is biased, unfair

A 2009 Oscar-nominated documentary film, "The Cove," brought the issue of dolphin hunting in Taiji to the fore with bloody scenes of dolphin slaughter.

The Wakayama Prefecture, where Taiji is, condemned the film in an online response as distorted, biased and unfair to the fishermen.

"The Taiji dolphin fishery has been a target of repeated psychological harassment and interference by aggressive foreign animal protection organizations," it said.

"Taiji dolphin fishermen are just conducting a legal fishing activity in their traditional way in full accordance with regulations and rules under the supervision of both the national and the prefectural governments. Therefore, we believe there are no reasons to criticize the Taiji dolphin fishery."

The Japanese practice of whale hunting has also put it in conflict with the views of much of the world.

Japan's fleet carries out an annual whale hunt despite a worldwide moratorium, taking advantage of a loophole in the law that permits the killing of the mammals for scientific research. Whale meat is commonly available for consumption in Japan.

Environmental activists warn that dolphin meat, also sold for consumption in Japan, contains dangerously hig

♣︎Video: 2014 Jan. Japan kill dolphin .

http://youtu.be/3wT3-MojFuY uY

♣︎BBC WORLD NEWS

http://youtu.be/P3UlgDNDm-A

SOUTH KOREA ANIMAL KILLER

KOREA

◆South Korea: Stop the brutal torture of dogs and dog meat consumption

http://www.change.org/petitions/south-korea-stop-the-brutal-torture-of-dogs-and-dog-meat-consumption

◆Members of The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA): Members of FIFA: Protest the monstrous injustice and cruelty of South Korean dog and cat meat trade during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil!

http://www.change.org/petitions/members-of-the-f%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration-internationale-de-football-association-fifa-members-of-fifa-protest-the-monstrous-injustice-and-cruelty-of-south-korean-dog-and-cat-meat-trade-during-the-2014-fifa-world-cup-in-brazil?recruiter=7714132&utm_campaign=twitter_link_action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

◆Boycott MADE in CHINA until they STOP torturing and killing Animals

is on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-MADE-in-CHINA-until-they-STOP-torturing-and-killing-Animals/490644847650017

◆South Korea: Punish the monster in Yongin who illegally captured, brutally slaughtered, burned alive countless stray and wild animals in full view of other animals!

http://www.change.org/petitions/south-korea-punish-the-monster-in-yongin-who-illegally-captured-brutally-slaughtered-burned-alive-countless-stray-and-wild-animals-in-full-view-of-other-animals

◆Busan Northern District Government, South Korea: Cut your ties with the criminals! Demolish illegal dog slaughterhouse operating on your land for over 20 years!

http://www.change.org/petitions/busan-northern-district-government-south-korea-cut-your-ties-with-the-criminals-demolish-illegal-dog-slaughterhouse-operating-on-your-land-for-over-20-years

◆Busan Gijang Police: Proper investigation and prosecution of psychopath who killed countless dogs by sledgehammer blow to the neck and blowtorching in Busan Gijang, South Korea

https://www.change.org/petitions/busan-gijang-police-proper-investigation-and-prosecution-of-psychopath-who-killed-countless-dogs-by-sledgehammer-blow-to-the-neck-and-blowtorching-in-busan-gijang-south-korea

◆South Korea: Pass the amendment to Animal Protection Act. Protect animals from cruelty and improve the welfare of Korean animals!

http://www.change.org/petitions/south-korea-pass-the-amendment-to-animal-protection-act-protect-animals-from-cruelty-and-improve-the-welfare-of-korean-animals

◆Justice for Gilyongee! South Korea, Strengthen Animal Protection Act and Ban Dog and Cat Consumption!

https://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-gilyongee-south-korea-strengthen-animal-protection-act-and-ban-dog-and-cat-consumption

◆South Korea: Don't Eat Dogs and Cats! Boycott Seoul Food and Hotel 2014 Exhibition!

https://www.change.org/petitions/south-korea-don-t-eat-dogs-and-cats-boycott-seoul-food-and-hotel-2014-exhibition

◆Taean, S. Korea! Revoke the permit for illegal dog meat farm immediately and protect the welfare of Taean residents!

http://www.change.org/petitions/taean-s-korea-revoke-the-permit-for-illegal-dog-meat-farm-immediately-and-protect-the-welfare-of-taean-residents

◆City of Cheonan, S. Korea! Please crack down on the illegal trade of dogs for human consumption at the 'Cheonan 119 Pet Dog Auction Market' immediately!

http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-cheonan-s-korea-please-crack-down-on-the-illegal-trade-of-dogs-for-human-consumption-at-the-cheonan-119-pet-dog-auction-market-immediately

◆Boycott All International Conferences in South Korea - Nation of Heinous Cruelty and Shameful Apathy!

https://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-all-international-conferences-in-south-korea-nation-of-heinous-cruelty-and-shameful-apathy

◆Seogwipo(Jeju Province), S. Korea! Please stop the construction of large scale illegal dog farm and crack down on existing dog farms immediately!

http://koreandogs.org/petitions/

◆Naju (Jeollanamdo-province), S. Korea: Please crack down on illegal dog slaughter & auction market immediately!

http://www.change.org/petitions/naju-jeollanamdo-province-s-korea-please-crack-down-on-illegal-dog-slaughter-auction-market-immediately

◆AT&T Sprint Verizon Walmart Costco Bestbuy Amazon & All Samsung/LG Retailers: Help Stop Heinous Butchering of Dogs in S. Korea-Boycott Samsung & LG!

https://www.change.org/petitions/at-t-sprint-verizon-walmart-costco-bestbuy-amazon-all-samsung-lg-retailers-help-stop-heinous-butchering-of-dogs-in-s-korea-boycott-samsung-lg

◆South Korea-Stop tormenting and eating companion animals! Boycott 2014 IAFS World Meeting in Seoul, South Korea!

https://www.change.org/petitions/south-korea-stop-tormenting-and-eating-companion-animals-boycott-2014-iafs-world-meeting-in-seoul-south-korea

◆Busan, South Korea! Close down all illegal dog slaughterhouses & restaurants in Gupo market now!

https://www.change.org/petitions/busan-south-korea-close-down-all-illegal-dog-slaughterhouses-restaurants-in-gupo-market-now

◆Jeju Island of S. Korea! Punish the "Dog Truck from Hell" and ban the dog meat trade! 잔인한 악습, 개식용은 이제그만!

https://www.change.org/petitions/jeju-island-of-s-korea-punish-the-dog-truck-from-hell-and-ban-the-dog-meat-trade-%EC%9E%94%EC%9D%B8%ED%95%9C-%EC%95%85%EC%8A%B5-%EA%B0%9C%EC%8B%9D%EC%9A%A9%EC%9D%80-%EC%9D%B4%EC%A0%9C%EA%B7%B8%EB%A7%8C

◆Support the people and government of South Korea to stand up against the cruelty of the dog meat industry.

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/support-the-people-and-government-of-south-korea-to-stand-up-against-the-cruelty-of-the-dog-meat-industry

◆All dogs should be protected equally under the Animal Protection Law.

https://www.change.org/petitions/south-korean-government-all-dogs-should-be-protected-equally-under-the-animal-protection-law?utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=5009277

◆End the South Korean Dog Meat Trade

https://www.causes.com/campaigns/38866-end-the-south-korean-dog-meat-trade

◆Get South Korea to stop burning dogs and cats alive

https://www.causes.com/actions/1726754-south-korea-stop-burning-dogs-alive

◆A petition from the campaign to Get South Korea to stop eating Jindo dogs

https://www.causes.com/actions/1726265-south-koreans-eat-their-natural-monument-no-53-jindo-dogs-end-the-meaningless-jindo-registration

◆Stop the dog meat trade in korea

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/6/stop-the-dog-meat-trade-in-korea/

◆Stop Korean/Chinese BOILING DOGS AND CATS ALIVE - UN millenium promise!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/862/504/041/your-millenium-declaration-for-a-better-world-your-a-korean-sowhat-about-korean-dog-torture/#sign

◆Don’t Legalize Dog Meat and Dog Farms in Korea

http://forcechange.com/37561/dont-legalize-dog-meat-and-dog-farms-in-korea/

◆Save Cats and Dogs in South Korea from Brutal Deaths

http://forcechange.com/20557/save-cats-and-dogs-in-south-korea-from-brutal-deaths/

◆다음을 서명함으로써 나는 다음을 지지합니다

http://dogisdog.org/campaign.php#.UvPu8X-9KSN

◆박근혜대통령각하님: 잔인한 악습 개식용은 하루빨리 법적으로 금지되어야 합니다. President Geun-Hye Park: Please Ban the Dog Meat Trade in S. Korea

https://www.change.org/petitions/%EB%B0%95%EA%B7%BC%ED%98%9C%EB%8C%80%ED%86%B5%EB%A0%B9%EA%B0%81%ED%95%98%EB%8B%98-%EC%9E%94%EC%9D%B8%ED%95%9C-%EC%95%85%EC%8A%B5-%EA%B0%9C%EC%8B%9D%EC%9A%A9%EC%9D%80-%ED%95%98%EB%A3%A8%EB%B9%A8%EB%A6%AC-%EB%B2%95%EC%A0%81%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C-%EA%B8%88%EC%A7%80%EB%90%98%EC%96%B4%EC%95%BC-%ED%95%A9%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4-president-geun-hye-park-please-ban-the-dog-meat-trade-in-s-korea

◆http://www.animals.or.kr/main/sign/sign.asp

◆http://bbs3.agora.media.daum.net/gaia/do/petition/read?bbsId=P001&objCate1=1&articleId=124745&pageIndex=1

◆제주 악마 개장수 트럭!! 이제는 개식용 금지법 추진할 때!

http://bbs3.agora.media.daum.net/gaia/do/petition/read?bbsId=P001&objCate1=1&articleId=124745&pageIndex=1

◆http://m.bbs3.agora.media.daum.net/gaia/do/mobile/petition/read?bbsId=P001&articleId=125552&objCate1=1

◆Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth

http://www.careanimalrights.org/you-young-ahn/

◆Boicot de Corea del Sur hasta que dejen de comer los animales de compañía

http://www.change.org/petitions/boicot-de-corea-del-sur-hasta-que-dejen-de-comer-los-animales-de-compa%C3%B1%C3%ADa

◆Corea del Sur: Por favor, detener la tortura y el consumo de perros y gatos

http://www.change.org/petitions/corea-del-sur-por-favor-detener-la-tortura-y-el-consumo-de-perros-y-gatos

◆Corea del Sur: Detener la brutal tortura de perros y el consumo de carne de perro

http://www.change.org/petitions/corea-del-sur-detener-la-brutal-tortura-de-perros-y-el-consumo-de-carne-de-perro

◆Boykott Südkorea, bis sie die Folterung und Essen Heimtieren zu stoppen

http://www.change.org/petitions/boykott-s%C3%BCdkorea-bis-sie-die-folterung-und-essen-heimtieren-zu-stoppen

◆Des millions d'animaux de compagnie sont torturés et mangés chaque année en Corée du sud

http://www.change.org/fr/p%C3%A9titions/des-millions-d-animaux-de-compagnie-sont-tortur%C3%A9s-et-mang%C3%A9s-chaque-ann%C3%A9e-en-cor%C3%A9e-du-sud

◆Corée de Sud : Arrétez de tuer des chiens! (S. Korea : Stop Killing Dogs!)

http://www.change.org/petitions/cor%C3%A9e-de-sud-arr%C3%A9tez-de-tuer-des-chiens-s-korea-stop-killing-dog

China Allkind Animal Killer

CHINA

◆STOP THE DOG AND CAT FUR TRADE!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-the-dog-and-cat-fur-trade/#bbtw=792951071

◆Stopping the killing of cats and dogs in China and any other Asian Country.

http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/againstasiancruelty

◆Stop Slaughtering Dogs and Cats in China

http://forcechange.com/66276/stop-slaughtering-dogs-and-cats-in-china/

◆Shocking look inside Chinese fur farm.Skinned alive.

http://features.peta.org/ChineseFurFarms/

◆Stop the slaughter of dogs and cats in China

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/animal-cruelty/

◆Petition the Chinese government to stop the Yulin dog eating festival and pass animal welfare laws.

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Petition_the_Chinese_government_to_stop_the_Yulin_dog_eating_festival_and_pass_animal_welfare_laws/?pv=25&mobile=1

◆PETITION/China,Corea, STOP KILL DOG AND CAT and NO MORE FUR !!

http://misokeikonaturelove.blogspot.com/2013/06/petitionchinacorea-stop-kill-dog-and.html

◆End to Fur Farming of Animals Skinned Alive

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/end-to-fur-farming-of-animals-skinned-alive.html

◆China,stop killing innocent animals for fur

http://www.petitiononline.com/bb83/petition.html

◆Nobody touch the DOG - International Petition and campaign to stop dog slaughter in China

http://youtu.be/NCZbOfBCevo

◆President Xi Jinping - 习近平 and 李克强 (Premier Li Keqiang), Stop the dog & cat meat market in China

http://www.change.org/petitions/president-xi-jinping-%E4%B9%A0%E8%BF%91%E5%B9%B3-and-%E6%9D%8E%E5%85%8B%E5%BC%BA-premier-li-keqiang-stop-the-dog-cat-meat-market-in-china

◆Dog and Cat Fur: The Untold Suffering Endured by Beloved Pets for Fashion

http://forcechange.com/17844/dog-and-cat-fur-the-untold-suffering-endured-by-beloved-pets-for-fashion/

◆China: Ban dog and cat meat

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/468/042/897/china-ban-dog-and-cat-meat/#bbtw=792951071

◆ANIMALS STUCK IN CHINA! HELP!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/animals-stuck-china/#bbtw=792951071

◆Stop the terrible practice of eating dog meat in China

https://www.causes.com/actions/1665543-nobody-touch-the-dog-stop-dog-cruelty-and-tortures-in-china

Stop Chinese vendors selling live fish and turtles in plastic bags as key chains

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/180/103/391/stop-chinese-vendors-selling-live-fish-and-turtles-in-plastic-bags-as-keychains/#bbtw=792951071

◆Stop the Use of Living Creatures in Key Chains

http://forcechange.com/16023/stop-the-use-of-living-creatures-in-key-chains/

◆Ask Chinese Store to Stop Selling Live Turtles for Human Consumption

http://forcechange.com/30920/ask-chinese-store-to-stop-selling-live-turtles-for-human-consumption/

◆Tell Tesco Stop Selling Live turtles

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/226/130/160/tell-tesco-stop-selling-live-turtles/#bbtw=792951071

◆Wal-Mart Boycott-Live Animal Slaughter in Chinese Wal-Mart Stores

http://www.petitiononline.com/tortaid1/petition.html

◆Stop the selling of turtles at Pet Habitat!

http://www.petitiononline.com/homefind/petition.html

!!!WARNING: GRAPHIC!!!

Koreans genuinely believe that the more dogs suffer, the more the consumer will enjoy the health benefits and taste of the meat.. Many dogs are sadistically made to experience extreme fear and suffering prior to death. Cats are frequently boiled alive to make tonics believed to treat rheumatism. The demand is so high in South Korea that 20% of the dog meat is now imported from China.