China's meaty debate: Millions protest against Yulin festival
11 Jun 2016 12:03 PM IST11 Jun 2016 12:03 PM IST
Dog meat also poses a risk to human health by spreading diseases such as trichinellosis, rabies and cholera, the Humane Society says.
Representational image- Still, as many as 10,000 dogs, many of them stolen pets still wearing their collars, are slaughtered for the festival held deep inside the poor, largely rural Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
- Yu Hongmei, director of the VShine Animal Protection Association, said China needs to follow the example of the vast majority of developed nations that have banned eating dog and cat.
- While an estimated 10-20 million dogs are killed for their meat each year in China, the event in the city of Yulin has come to symbolize the cruelty and lack of hygiene associated with the largely unregulated industry.
- Supporters of the festival say dog meat is good for your health at the hottest time of the year and eating the animals is no different from consuming any other meat.
- The annual festival, which is set to begin on June 21, sees residents of the southern city consume dog meat with thousands of dogs expected to be slaughtered.
- The two dozen activists were accompanied by dogs and unveiled banners with pictures of the animals above the message I am not your dinner' as they presented the petition at the representative office of Yulin city, where the festival is held.
- They said that that they will continue press for the festival to be banned as well as legislation outlawing the slaughtering of dogs and cats and the consumption of their meat.
Animal rights activists calling for an end to the slaughter and eating of dogs at a Chinese festival delivered a petition with 11 million signatures to authorities in Beijing on Friday.
Dog meat also poses a risk to human health by spreading diseases such as trichinellosis, rabies and cholera, the Humane Society says.
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