In Yulin, a city in South West China, the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival has commenced. Eating dog meat is traditional in China, but the festival itself has only been around since 2009. Every year since then, images of frightened dogs shoved into cages, being cruelly slaughtered, and butchered at meat shops have flooded the internet, bringing the Yulin Dog Meat Festival infamy across the world. This year, the festival is being held for another time, even against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic forcing the Chinese to re-evaluate the countrys appetite for eating animals that are not considered livestock in other parts of the globe.
Wild Animal Awareness@WWA_Awareness
June 21 #Yulin, #China
In just a few days, the dog slaughterhouses of Yulin city will fill up with terrified dogs awaiting brutal slaughter for its infamous festival. A great many of those dogs will have been stolen from homes and streets before being transported to Yulin.
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The coronavirus pandemic has led to reforms from Chinas authorities, including its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. In February, the Chinese government imposed a ban on the sale and consumption of wild animals such as bats and snakes, citing health concerns. The same consideration could be extended to the consumption of dog meat as well, since the World Health Organisation has declared it could be a source of rabies and cholera.
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Soon after, in April, the city of Shenzhen led the way in reclassifying dogs as pets and not livestock by banning the consumption of dogs. Three weeks ago, the Chinese agriculture ministry made it official by declaring that dogs are companions and not livestock for eating.
Humane Society International✔@HSIGlobal · May 31, 2020
(1/2) BREAKING: Chinas Agriculture Ministry officially declared that dogs are considered companions, not livestock for eating!
Although not yet a dog meat ban, it’s the strongest signal of change to come and follows milestone dog and cat meat bans in Shenzhen and Zhuhai cities.
Humane Society International✔@HSIGlobal
(2/2) HSI welcomes this news but with the infamous #YulinDogMeatFestival just weeks away, we urge Yulin authorities to heed the Ministrys words and end the suffering of canine and cat companions. https://www.hsi.org/news-media/china-agriculture-ministry-confirms-dogs-companions-not-food/ Just weeks ahead of Yulin dog meat festival, Chinas Agriculture Ministry officially confirms dogs…WASHINGTONJust three weeks ahead of Chinas infamous Yulin dog meat festival at which thousands of dogs are killed for consumption,…hsi.org26511:53 PM – May 31, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy206 people are talking about this
Despite these changes, the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is still being held this year. However, reports have indicated that support for the festival is dwindling, and that this is an indicator that the Yulin Dog Meat Festival may no longer be held in coming years. Dr Peter Li, a policy specialist for the animal protection group Humane Society International, was quoted as saying, The Yulin festival is a bloody spectacle that does not reflect the mood or eating habits of the majority of the Chinese people, and its continuation flouts the sentiment expressed by the Ministry of Agriculture It is time for Yulins dog slaughterhouses to lay down the butchers knife, and consign the festival to the history books.
Dr Peter Li, HSIs China policy specialist on Yulin festival:bloody spectacle [which] does not reflect the mood or eating habits of the majority of the Chinese people.BAN #YulinDogMeatFestival@thepointwithlx @WHO @UN @JackMa#China @PhaedraXTeddyhttps://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/yulin-dog-meat-festival-explainer-what-is-it-when-start-banned-controversy-a8410426.html The shocking truth behind the Yulin Dog Meat FestivalToday marks the start of the ninth annual dog meat festival in Yulin. But what is it and why has the event in this remote part of southern China proved to be so controversial in recent years? What isindependent.co.uk111:06 AM – Jun 21, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacySee Ravi.T’s other Tweets
Theres not many nice things to say about the coronavirus pandemic, but if it leads to a reduced demand for exotic meats in China, and eventually the cancellation of events like the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, at least animal rights activists will have something positive by which to remember it.
This article was first published in Arre