The consumption of dogs in China has long been a point of disgust with many Westerners. Animal rights activists have a particularly difficult time in China, but succeeded this week in forcing action to save hundreds of dogs being sent to a slaughterhouse in terrible conditions on a truck from Henan province.
The response of the government followed a use of Twitter and the Internet to alert people of the truck and its grisly cargo. Over 200 people responded to block the truck for 15 hours. It appears that the government did not act, but that the citizens “secured the release of 580 hounds for $17,000 (£10,370).”
There was at least one dead dog and 68 had to be hospitalized.
The truck driver expressed surprise at the hoopla, stating “I transported dogs as (I would) pigs, cows and sheep. The country does not ban the consumption of dog meat.”
The Chinese government appears to agree since there is no reported official action or charges in the case.
Source: Daily Mail
Earlier this afternoon I attempted to talk both of my meat eating teenaged boys to try a vegetarian life style ( they have no idea, but all ” red ” meat currently being served in our house is actually disguised poultry ). They wanted nothing to do with the idea….I plan to let them both read this article tomorrow morning!
guilhem,
My comments seem to be confusing for a lot of people. I agree with you about subjectivity- that was exactly what I wanted to get across to people. If someone makes the argument that eating meat is immoral because if destroys life then that same argument can (maybe not rationally) be extended to all living creatures that die in the course of providing food. If a person makes the argument that it isn’t taking life that is immoral but causing pain (which plants, lacking a nervous system, probably can’t feel) then there would be less objections. But then a vegan/vegetarian could, presumably, eat carrion or animals which were ‘humanely’ killed without any moral objections.
I just find it a little crazy that some people value the life of a dog more than, say, the people who eat the dog to survive (or a squirrel which a dog may kill). Or that some people value a wild mustang more than an endangered West grass which the mustangs eat.
I am not a ‘dog person’ so I don’t really care if they are butchered for food (I don’t want animals to suffer needlessly). I am much more concerned about species survival and, frankly, we are not running out of domesticated dogs. We are, however, running out of some song bird species (which are hunted by domesticated cats).
So long post shortened- I wish people who spent their time trying to keep dogs and cats alive would spend their time and energy protecting forests and eco-systems- or at the very least endangered species. I think it would be really sad if we lived in a world where there were only humans, dogs and cats.
“A group of Jewish and Muslim activists, long disgusted by our filthy habit of eating pork succeeded this week in forcing action to save hundreds of pigs being sent to a slaughterhouse in terrible conditions on a truck from Iowa province.”
Remember, this is the same “West” that sent troops in and killed people in China when the government there tried to outlaw the use of opium. The civilized west that force them to traffic in opium so they would be easier to control. We have zero moral standing to tell them what they can and can not eat.
Lotta,
thanks for the fur update! I had never heard of a raccoon dog!
Eating dog to me is gross for most of the reasons stated above but that’s not the only use dogs (and cats) are put to. Be careful of the faux fur on garments you buy.
Dog fur is used on imported cloths from China and other countries in Asia and Northern Europe. Raccoon Dog is the most common, it’s indigenous to Asia and Northern European forests, but cat fur is also used. It doesn’t have to be disclosed to the consumer because it is valued so cheaply so many of these furs end up on garments that say ‘faux fur’. Here’s a link:
From article linked below:
“Under the Federal Fur Products Labeling Act of 1951, manufacturers are required to identify the use of fur on garments — including species and country of origin — but only if the fur is valued at over $150.
Raccoon dog fur can cost as little as 25 cents per garment….”
http://www.examiner.com/pet-news-in-national/fake-fur-on-jackets-could-be-actually-be-raccoon-dog-fur-photo-video
I’ve been a vegetarian for over twenty years, but before I became one, I did work on a farm.
In North American & British diet, over the last few decades the variety of species of animals which we eat has been reduced to just 4, Beef, Pork, Chicken and Turkey. It’s no coincidence that these animals are also easy and cheap to raise on a farm.
I never worked with the birds, but both cows and pigs are animals which have distinct moods & personalities, learn about their environment, can recognize different people and react differently to them, and can teach others of their species new things. Cows can learn to tell time (for milking).
The only reason for finding dogs unacceptable for eating when considering cows & pigs acceptable is that most people aren’t familiar with cows & pigs.
Same here, I don’t see why eating dogs is more troubling than eating dolphins or pigs. I personally don’t feel comfortable eating either, but I wouldn’t throw the stone at those who do. It doesn’t make me happy, but it’s the natural order.
To Joeey LaRusso:
1.) Although both animal and plants are alive, it seems fairly clear that animals are more self-aware than plants… although I must admit that’s subjective. To many vegetarians, plants are also valuable, and it is also sad to destroy any, but as mentioned previously it can’t be helped.
Also, as you mentioned vegetarians eat countless plants every year, but carnivores eat countless animals every year, each of which eat countless plants over several years. Don’t underestimate the cost of raising a cow.
(Plus, what Gyges said.)
2.) Not really on point, but some meat-eaters are a little crazy 😉
Gyges,
Nice observation. I appreciate it.
My point wasn’t that people shouldn’t eat plants or that all plants die when their fruit/vegetable is eaten (or their flower picked). It was simply that the ‘don’t kill living things for food’ should also include some/many plants.
Apples have seeds which could be considered alive (just like a virus could be considered alive by some). I doubt many apple seeds ‘live’ to grow into trees after I eat the apple. I guess the main point I was trying to make was that some people are offended if dogs are killed, some when cows are killed and some, theoretically, could be angry when a plant is killed.
If the moral position is to not destroy life for food then why limit ‘life’ to dogs? Or mammals? Or cute animals? Do Vegans only eat plant matter if it comes from a species that doesn’t die when it is harvested? I doubt any person has the time to trace back every calorie to find proof that no life was harmed.
But anyway thanks about that bit about orchards. It was very informative.
I remember some of the cuisine they talked about during the Olympics in South Korea:
Great Danish
Fettuccine al Fido
and a couple they missed:
Pupparoni Pizza
Scrappy and eggs
They don’t hold the dog in the same esteem we do. One man’s meat is another’s poison.
i liked the part where it said that some of the animals were carrying a potentially deadly virus. wonder where they were shipping those.
I am all for different strokes for different folks, but this does turn a stomach quite a bit. Please pass the dog stew? No thank you.
Dogs have been bred to understand humans. They are one of only three species that will look into your right eye to determine your emotional state. ( humans are one) I think that gives them a little more status than a food animal unless human survival is at stake. That is not happening here. You hear how the poor people rely on it. Then why is it sold only in specialty restaurants? I don’t eat any animal products but I am puzzled by the cow versus dog argument.
Gyges
1, April 21, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Joey,
You need to rethink that whole plant thing. Some plants we kill. Some we don’t, unless you think they have to replant apple orchards every year
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But think about all the wheat we massacre. It’s happily rooted in its field, basking in the sun, when suddenly a giant machine of death comes along and hacks it off, ripping its precious babies from their stalk before they’re ready to propagate! Helplessly rooted!
Cows, in contrast, are able not only to run away, but to actually stampede and potentially kill the humans who are coming to kill them! With plants, there’s nothing like a fair fight!
Yikes … now I am wondering about the American delicacy “hot dogs” …
It amazes me that China is making Billions if not Trillions of dollars off selling crap to the West, but they can’t find another way to feed people? Disgusting.
Barbaric.
Joey,
You need to rethink that whole plant thing. Some plants we kill. Some we don’t, unless you think they have to replant apple orchards every year.
So what’s wrong with woking your own dog….
The consumption of cows has long been a point of disgust for one billion Hindus. The consumption of any form of animal life has long been a point of disgust for Jains (a religion in India which does not allow for any harm to life).
A couple of things I find interesting:
1.) Vegetarians/Vegans kill millions of living plants every year. Last I checked plants are alive and when you eat fruit/vegetables you are actually killing life by eating seeds.
2.) Not really on point but some animal rights activists (I am so pro-animal rights it would disgust many people) are a little crazy. Case in point- some people believe wild mustangs are a symbol of the American West and should be saved at all cost. They don’t realize that horses are not indigenous to the Americas (they were brought by the Spanish) and they actually harm species that are ‘American.’
Dogs, and cats, are domesticated animals. If you believe in eating any kind of meat then dogs and cats are fair game. Some people seem to want a world in which there are only people and pets. All other animals can go.