A dog howls at its fate at a slaughterhouse in Yulin.
Posted on 06/24/2013 1:45:24 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Despite widespread outrage, an annual dog meat festival kicked off on June 21 in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to mark the summer solstice.
Thousands of people crowded food streets in the city of Yulin to enjoy a feast of dog-meat hotpot with lychee wine, a local tradition that is said to keep diseases at bay. It is estimated that over 10,000 dogs were killed on the one-day festival.
In an open letter to the Yulin government on June 18, 20 animal right organizations called for the festival to be cancelled.
"Dog meat consumption is the reason why dog theft is so rampant. We call for the cancellation of the festival as well as the reduction and limitation of the consumption of dog meat," their statement said.
Yulin authorities earlier responded that they were powerless to act as the festival was organized by local people, not the government.
Animal lovers say the dogs that are eaten are often strays or have been stolen from their owners in the countryside. They might carry diseases that can be passed on to human beings, they claim.
However, local officials say all the dogs used are bred on farms.
Pictures published online of dogs kept in cramped conditions before being skinned and cooked have angered many. Animal rights activists from all over the country have descended on Yulin to protest at dog-eaters.
Together with other volunteers, Du Yufeng, founder of Chinese animal rights group Boai Small Animal Protection Center, protested outside the most famous dog-meat restaurant in the city with a banner saying "Stop cruelty, do not eat dogs and cats."
The protest seems to have bothered the restaurant owner who came out and tried to wrench the banner away.
Meanwhile, Yulin residents ask for more understanding of their local tradition.
"We eat chicken, pork and beef, why not dog meat?" asked a local resident named Ma. "I hope outsiders show some respect for our traditional festival."
Some argue that dog-eating has not been outlawed but others retort that animal welfare laws lag far behind the times in China.
A dog howls at its fate at a slaughterhouse in Yulin.
Ping
Ping
Did they remember to invite everybody’s favorite Kenyan?
Probably better to just limit it to chow...
(in a cheesy Rodney Dangerfeild impersonation) I tell ya it’s a dog eat dog woild out dere. But in Guangxi Zhuang it’s Chinese eat dog. ta da DUM!
Do they use the eggs boiled in boy’s urine as a side dish while dining on man’s best friend? Disgusting vile subhumans.
Without them, there’d be no NRA.
Did they invite Bow Wow Wow to play?
And we all thought Michael Vick had a problem.
Dog - The other white meat.
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