to be fair, many Chinese in China are protesting this. As China gets more affluent, and more people keep dogs as pets, not food, there is an increasing stigma against this
That’s true. Well said. Many of the generalizations have also come from humor and folklore in Chinese movie entertainment. Northern Chinese have told me that people around their villages did not eat dogs. Some Chinese folks visiting America have also been shocked to see dogs in houses (reportedly not allowed in some Chinese locales).
We should remember that our own European ancestors (and for some of us, our native American ancestors) had some rather interesting cuisine. Many in some parts of Europe continue to eat things that most Americans won’t eat. Meanwhile, Americans in some areas eat squirrels (rodents that eat nuts and live in trees). Many in the past ate opposum, swamp rats, raccoons, etc. Some eat rattlesnakes yearly.
At least one writer of fiction reported that ancient Romans were shocked about Mongols eating horse meat. Many Italians eat horse meat to this day as many Germans and others have in the past.