Activists Save Chinese Dogs From Cooking Pot

[Panto]

Link to SMH article

Please refrain from any race specific criticism, rather keep it about the practice if you must and not have comments generalising about the race/culture.

Activists save Chinese dogs from cooking pot April 18, 2011 - 3:24PM

Hundreds of dogs being trucked to Chinese restaurants were spared a culinary fate after about 200 animal lovers mobilised to stop them ending up on dinner tables, state-run media said Monday.

A truck crammed with the dogs was forced to stop Friday on a highway in eastern Beijing by a motorist who swerved his car in front of the truck and then used his microblog to alert animal-rights activists, reports said.

The dogs, many apparently stolen from their owners, were being transported from the central Chinese province of Henan to restaurants in Jilin province in the northeast, the China Daily said. It said 430 dogs were rescued, while the Global Times put the number at 520.

Advertisement: Story continues below Eventually, about 200 animal lovers and activists gathered around the truck in eastern Beijing and after a 15-hour standoff that jammed traffic the dogs were freed early Saturday when an animal-protection group purchased them for 115,000 yuan ($17,600), the Global Times said.

The interception of the dogs was the latest bold action by pet-lovers in China, where growing awareness of animal rights is colliding with centuries-old culinary practices.

There have been regular reports in recent years of citizens attempting to block trucks carrying hundreds or even thousands of cats to meat markets in southern China, where cat meat is particularly popular.

The China Daily quoted activists saying many of the dogs still had collars with bells and name tags, indicating they had been stolen from their owners and that the trucking company transported a load of dogs to Jilin each week.

The consumption of dog and cat meat, both of which are believed to promote bodily warmth and are thus popular in winter, remains widespread in China despite a surge in popularity as pets.

However, earlier press reports have said authorities were looking into drafting a law that could outlaw the practice.

The reports on the dog rescue suggested the truck company was unlikely to face legal action as it had all the necessary permits to transport the animals.

The healthy dogs were to be made available for adoption in one month while the sick ones, suffering variously from dehydration and infectious diseases, were sent to pet hospitals in Beijing.

© 2011 AFP

Edited April 18, 2011 by Panto

[Kelly_Louise]

I understand and accept that dogs/cats are a culinary item on the menu in China, and have been historically. What I can't accept, is that people's family dogs are STOLEN and (must be) illegally trucked away to keep the restaurants stocked. That is horrific, and not just a violation of animal rights.

Nice to see the tide is slowly turning, that the new generation bring their own beliefs out of logic, rationality and humanity.

Well I say I accept it - but I don't, nor the treatment of the animals that are used as food. I accept that the Chinese people have been eating dogs and cats as part of their culture and beliefs for many, many years (but that's all I accept).

Edited April 18, 2011 by Kelly_Louise

[Robbi]

Here are a couple of photos of the truck in question, I have no words to express how I feel about these photos but I am also similarly upset when I see any animals in transit to abbatoirs in overcrowded trucks

[Robbi]

[Staranais]

That is very sad. Any animal being sent to the works makes me sad, but dogs make me even sadder - on some level, it just seems like such a betrayal of trust to me. Even most of the feral dogs I've met or worked with seem to have an instinctive desire to trust and communicate with humans.

[Panto]

Well said Kelly_Louise, it's a difficult thing for the new generation, centuries old tradition is difficult to shift, and no doubt there are many small victories that we don't hear about. It puts into perspective the level of 'rescue' and dogs in need there are in the world.

[cannibalgoldfish]

They all have the same look/size. If they were pets stolen from owners wouldn't there be some variety? Or would they only be stealing dogs with a certain look/ body shape that is most sought after for eating. The sameness off them all looks to me like they have come from a breeding farm to be eaten.? Like cattle.?

[twodoggies2001]

They all have the same look/size. If they were pets stolen from owners wouldn't there be some variety? Or would they only be stealing dogs with a certain look/ body shape that is most sought after for eating. The sameness off them all looks to me like they have come from a breeding farm to be eaten.? Like cattle.?

That's exactly what struck me as as standing out too. I think, rather than being stolen pets, these poor dogs are being bred for a purpose.

[Steve]

They all have the same look/size. If they were pets stolen from owners wouldn't there be some variety? Or would they only be stealing dogs with a certain look/ body shape that is most sought after for eating. The sameness off them all looks to me like they have come from a breeding farm to be eaten.? Like cattle.?

Yep they arent pets stolen from people they are deliberately bred for the dinner table in Chinese puppy farms.

Why would they bother with spotting pets and stealing them - worrying about being caught etc when all they have to do is have dogs like this that have around 2 dozen puppies a year per bitch - thats better than sheep breeding where you only get 2 drops a year and at best twins each time. Leg of dog is around the same size as leg of lamb.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Steve

[Staranais]

Not economically better than sheep breeding, as one can usually grow grass to feed sheep far more cheaply than you can feed a dog, even if you do feed it mostly grain. That's one of the reasons that humans tend to farm herbivores rather than carnivores - all other things being equal, it's more efficient to farm something on a lower trophic level. And, I'd guess, that's why dog is a delicacy.

I have read that there are specific meat breeds of dog in Asia, which could account why these dogs all look the same.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Staranais

[Steve]

Not economically better than sheep breeding, as one can usually grow grass to feed sheep far more cheaply than you can feed a dog, even if you do feed it mostly grain. That's one of the reasons that humans tend to farm herbivores rather than carnivores - all other things being equal, it's more efficient to farm something on a lower trophic level. And, I'd guess, that's why dog is a delicacy.

I have read that there are specific meat breeds of dog in Asia, which could account why these dogs all look the same.

Dogs eat rubbish

[poochmad]

Naturally as a dog lover I find the whole thing abhorrent, however, I can understand that some people don't regard dogs like we do.

I agree that the dogs looked very similar and they looked like they had been bred for it.

[Steve]

It is still legal to eat dogs in some states in Australia - as long as you dont cut their tails off before you kill them.

[Panto]

It is still legal to eat dogs in some states in Australia - as long as you dont cut their tails off before you kill them.

Far out. I had no idea..!

[Panto]

Link: Video News from SMH

NB: Some graphic content. Skip the cursor to halfway through the video to skip the worst if you like. I couldnt listen with sound so no comment there.

[Bartok]

Not sure what is worse.

Sending the dogs to the slaughter for meat (not sure how they are killed in china for meat)

or skinning them alive for fur, but I think skinning alive is pretty horrific or when

they tie them down with wire and stab them in the groin with a knife to bleen out as

to not ruin the fur

I think I will go and throw up now

[LizT]

I too saw this news report last night and I had to make sure my 10 year old was out of earshot as my husband had stumbled across it on the Web news and told me about it.

I feel for the younger generation of Chinese who are horrified and upset by what is a traditional dish for the rich. Most things from the past that are for the rich are fraught with the suffering of others and overindulgence. Their belief being that eating dog meat will help make you warm for the winter, actually any protein will assist in that.

I must say though that I don't see much of a future for these rescued dogs who do appear to have been bred for the food industry and therefore their socialisation would be virtually nil.

They appear to me to be of some Shepherd dog type and I'm sure I saw what looked like a close to purebred German Shepherd amongst the footage? There was also some very sad footage of moggies destined for meals and I would say these cats were completely feral in their association with people.