Despite heroic efforts of Chinese animal rights activists, the controversial Yulin Festival in China’s southern Guangxi province occurred on Sunday with the slaughter of up to 40,000 dogs and 10,000 cats — a practice widely condemned for its cruelty. Thousands of cats and dogs have been slaughtered at the Yulin Festival despite government promises to end the practice which has been condemned internationally on grounds of animal cruelty.
The animals are served with the tropical fruit in the area, lychee, as a celebration of the arrival of summer. Dozens of dogs are stuffed into single cages and they are generally electrocuted, burned, and skinned. Activists say that the animals are often still alive when they are skinned.
Activists tried to block the streets of such places as the Dashichang dog market but were attacked by locals with sticks and had dog and cat entrails thrown at them. In the meantime, vendors used blowtorches on the animals to prepare their carcasses for sale to restaurants. Many are stolen pets or strays that are left emaciated and dirty in cramped cages.
While China has long been condemned for its wide spread cruelty to animals from mistreatment in zoos to conditions in markets, it is also important to note that these brave activists are Chinese who have fought diligently to save the animals — including buying the animals to rescue them.For example, Yang Xiaoyun, 65, paid roughly 7,000 Yuan (£720) to save 100 dogs.
The government opposes the slaughter and puts the death toll as 10,000 dogs and 4,000 cats were killed in 2014 but activists put the figure this year around 40,000 dogs and 10,000 cats.
Squeeky,
Amazon Indians go shopping. Peccary, tapir, deer and monkey. It’s the rule of existence. No Costco or Walmart shopping by any stretch of the imagination.
I think the Indians (the American ones) ate dogs, too. This story is sooo sad, and I don’t even want to think about it. Such savages! I hope they all get rabies or something.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Some years ago while traveling in the Philippines by car from Manila to Ilocos Norte in northern Luzon, I recall seeing signs in front of places that obviously were not “pet shops” reading, “goat and dog sold here”!
shafarnullifidian – goat meat is very sweet. Excellent.
China has a long history of eating dogs. I own a Chow Chow and they were raised in China for either hunting or food. Mine just barks at people after they ring the doorbell.
“Dozens of dogs are stuffed into single cages and they are generally electrocuted, burned, and skinned. Activists say that the animals are often still alive when they are skinned.”
#$%^ Making a pet out of something and then torturing it to death and eating it is anathema to me. It wasn’t even a clean death. This is also why I passionately oppose horse slaughter. You don’t train a horse to take care of you and carry you around and then put him on a slaughter truck where he’ll break his legs.
I’m an omnivore, and I support hunting for food, too. But I want the animals treated humanely, and I do not view pets or even pet species as food. I would not enjoy a Modest Proposal to eradicate feral cat colonies by eating them, even if none of them ever spent a minute on anyone’s couch.
Po’s statement is incorrect. Obviously killing dogs is not strictly an Islamic issue, or there would be no Human Society in the US. In fact, on the link he himself provided, I actually mentioned China on that thread as follows:
“Torturing and killing animals for pleasure is the hallmark of a psychopath.
Mistreatment of dogs is rampant in the Middle East and China. So sad. I hope they reform from within. From the “mild” comments by the Persian VP, I doubt they will address this. It’s entrenched in the culture. They need to have a marathon of Benji, Lassie, and Rin Tin Tin movies to try to change hearts and minds.
Worse than being not valued, dogs are targets for abuse in these areas.
I love dogs. Heartbreaking.”
And I also said this:
“It is literally impossible for every single member of a nation to have good morals and ethics and follow the law. Hence the persistence of dog and cock fighting rings. The difference is that such animal cruelty is prosecuted here and roundly condemned. It is not part of our national culture to loathe dogs.
One of the nations with the highest dog ownership is the UK. On the other hand, China regards the dog as a food item and pest, and its ownership as a pet is frowned upon. Dolphins are for the most part beloved marine mammals in the US, but in Japan, they have routine dolphin slaughters because they are viewed as a “fish”. I’ve always hoped that Flipper reruns would catch on in Japan.
I think I need to go hug my Cattle Dog now. Those poor dogs.”
So, there’s that.
Andrea, eating any animal is the same. In this case, many of the animals are stolen from families. Many of the animals are purposely tortured in the belief suffering makes them taste better. The mass suffering being celebrated instills indifference to all suffering.
Well, what’s the difference between eating a cat or a pig or a dog or a chicken or a cow, really?
None.
The only difference would be if any of the above was a family pet that had been stolen away from the owner.
What we’re doing is not only cruel, it’s unsustainable
If you truly think so, then stop eating any meat, any cheese. No eggs, milk, yogurt, butter or any other derivative products of animals. No wool sweaters or suits. No wool blankets. No leather seats in your car or on your comfy computer chair. No leather shoes or belts. No down comforters or outerwear.. No feather pillows. No collagen injections. No insulin. No medical use of animal parts of any kind. Perfume would be completely out as as well.
The wanton slaughter of wild birds would also warrant that you demand the stoppage of wind and solar energy production, if you TRULY cared about the animals and want to stop the carnage. You do…..don’t you?
So until those who complain step up to the plate and lead by example….we can conclude you are only saying things that make YOU feel better and are full of hot air.
Steve said – What Andrea said! Andrea sounds like Hillary Clinton, “what difference does it make”.
Who pays hospital bill or funeral bill for fraudulent meal that poisoned someone? Time to lawyer up.
What Andrea said!
What we’re doing is not only cruel, it’s unsustainable.
BarkingDog – You know answer to your own question. China has been selling human body parts globally to hospitals for years. Not cheap fast food market sector.
Farming human organ products from prison executions. Heart, liver, lung, you name it. Good business with high profit margin. Check prices online. Not cheap.
I see that even the ‘hero’ cat was one of the victims of the purge. Sad.
The treatment of any animal like this is terrible and unconscionable, but I don’t get the special treatment of dogs and cats in the the western cultures. Where is the outrage when other animals such as pigs, cows, chickens are mistreated routinely, and not just for once a year festival, but all year long?
The Chinese have just reinforced our perception of them both the few good and the many bad.
Follow the money! If the Telegraph (“The festival was started by the city’s dog meat traders in 2009-2010” and Animal Asia (“Many of the “meat dogs” in the country are stolen pets and strays”) are correct it is all about trying to create demand for a product and the willingness to legitimize whatever means (stealing pets?)to supply more of that product no matter the consequential harm. I wonder how often we see that same dynamic in this country?
What do they do with dead human bodies in China. Chicken Chow Mein?
Where are they now, the lot who was adamant that the killing of dogs in Iran was strictly an Islamic issue?
http://jonathanturley.org/2015/04/20/iranian-dog-torture-video-sparks-outrage/
Well, what’s the difference between eating a cat or a pig or a dog or a chicken or a cow, really?
Watch out for those chicken chow mein take out orders. Is it chicken, cat or something else? $500 dollar reward for anyone who can figure this out.
Humans are strange and sad creatures.