Activists gather 11 million signatures against China’s infamous dog-meat festival

On Friday, Chinese and international animal rights campaigners presented an 11 million-signature petition — their largest yet — against an annual dog-meat festival due to take place this month in the southern Chinese city of Yulin. Some 30 million dogs are killed across Asia every year for their meat, with more than a third of that number in China, campaigners say. Thousands are set to be slaughtered in Yulin for the festival, which starts June 21. Opponents say pets are stolen and strays rounded up for the festival, before being beaten to death in slaughterhouses.

Whale meat is still considered a delicacy in Japan and Norway and among indigenous communities in North America. Some industrial farms in the West treat cows, pigs and chickens with almost unbelievable cruelty before killing them for food. Dolphins, seals, cats and horses all get eaten in various parts of the world.

But the culinary custom that generates stronger emotion and more opposition than any other is the East Asian custom of killing and eating dogs. “Man’s best friend,” many people say, should never end up on someone’s dinner table.

I agree, dog's are people's best friend and are loved by many as part of their family. A family next door to me "eat dog" and i find the practice most disgusting,but then again i'm western. The smell of burning dog flesh is horrendous.www.washingtonpost.com... nnual-festival-of-slaughter/?wpinl_wv&wpmm=1

a reply to: tommo39
Except for the dog meat industry(in Yulin) has few to none regulation standards if one wants to compare to other heavily regulated meat industries. All the while the US factory farms don't abide much to the law.


Your neighbors eat dogs? I'm concerned here. Are you in the US? That is animal cruelty here as well as many other Western Nations.



This festival in question is not even an ancient cultural tradition to Yulin as it's a more recently implemented commercial festival to welcome in health during the summer. Overall, It's similar to Holiday commercialism to bring in revenue but it not without risk to the animals and even health hazards of the meat due to poor regulation.

It's not imposing to protest against it, it is about compassion and that's why people are railing against this. Not all of them were raised to be meat, that is a lie set forth by the meat sellers. Many of these dogs were once pets bought, stolen and plucked from the streets when missing or abandoned.

a reply to: tommo39

When I was in Korea I would go through the market and see caged dogs and cats set up by the frier's and I just kept moving because that is there culture.

People in India probably think worse of us for eating sacred cow, but I don't remember any news about petitions against us.

Look, people in Asia eat cats and dogs because that's what they eat. People in S. American countries eat Guinea pig. People all across Europe eat rabbit and horse.

I go fishing for food, and I love to keep pet fish in the aquarium.

It is normal to eat things that we would also keep as pets. People need top stop going on crusades to impose their cultural dietary preferences on others. Some people also eat insects. People in India are doubtless aghast that we eat beef just as people in the Middle East are disgusted by our love affair with bacon.

a reply to: tommo39

First of all, where do your neighbors get dog meat to cook?! Was this in the US where you had neighbors do this?

I'm glad people are standing up against this!

I do find it annoying that people pick and choose what animals are ok to eat and which aren't. As in, dogs shouldn't be eaten because us people like them and form bonds with them..but screw cattle, pigs, etc. Typical selfish humans thinking we are the most important beings here on Earth and that the only animals undeserving of being slaughtered and eaten are the ones that please us.

I'm a dog/cat lady and I'd probably end up in prison if someone stole and ate my pets.

I find the smell of cooking meat in general to be disgusting.

a reply to: tommo39


www.foxnews.com...

IMHO it is their culture, but out. In some places it is taboo to eat Cow and in others it is Taboo to eat Pork.
In Portugal it's culturally acceptable to eat horsemeat and snails just as in France: escargot.
In some places Insects are considered a delicacy.
Many in the US like "Rocky Mountain Oysters" a dish that I personally have no desire to try, EVER.

reply to: tommo39

Cultural imperialism at its ugly apex.

STFU. They eat dog meat. They always have. It's what they do. What makes stupid people thick they can impose their own cultural norms on other peoples?

SMH...

a reply to: paperdoll

Was this in the US

NO, sorry i should have mentioned in Indonesia. The people next door are christian Batak, and most of their ethnic race eat dog. I'll also mention Batak around 100 years ago were cannibals and practiced human sacrifice. Muslims don't eat dog, or have them as pets. If they do own a dog it's only for security......

im not a fan of the cultural custom. Im a fanatical dog lover.

But its their culture. Not mine. Its just what humans do...we all have some pretty disgusting habits in the eyes of other cultures.

I can appreciate and applaud the peaceful attempts at making this custom die out. Just a couple of generations ago foot binding was still en vogue. Change can happen.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Please see my reply to "PaperDoll" i explained the same question to her........

Your neighbors eat dogs? I'm concerned here. Are you in the US?

a reply to: ketsuko

Asia eat cats and dogs because that's what they eat

Tell that to the 11 million Chinese who disagree with your theory, as PETS are stolen to ensure this Festival has enough dogs to eat. We are talking about CHINA, and only China in this OP not the world, so please stay on topic.

a reply to: incoserv

STFU

YOU can go and STFU you ***. This OP is about rounding up DOGS, stealing dogs for a yearly festival that 11 million Chinese people object to....Not about their cultural eating habits.

a reply to: tommo39

Save a horse, eat dog

I have been reading a translation of a Chinese novel and the main characters rich love interest keeps taking his livestock as pets. His dog that he named dog meat was already dognapped by her. lol

It is a novel still being written, but the picture it paints is that well to do Chinese have shunned the practice, but the poor still see them as a viable food source.

a reply to: tommo39

no it said Chinese and international activists

a reply to: DOCHOLIDAZE1

Chinese and international activists

Your picking at straws.... How many international's would worry and campaign against China? 00.01% of 11 million?

All activists of this petition who eat meat need to STFU. Political correct hypocritical basterds

Australians eat kangaroos

I'm more of an extremist on this topic - we should eat all types of animals or no animals at all.

I can discuss exclusions based on evidence of sentience. Is there any rational argument based on a cuteness scale? Is there an 'I've got one' clause?

I guess none of those 11 million ever saw how pigs, cows or chickens etc. are put down and processed so they can buy it at the next grocery store.

They probably also no know nothing about cultural differences.

It's tradition for Chinese people to eat dog, just like it's tradition for western countries to crap in other yards, so they don't have to deal with their own clusterf*ck.