world

China city holds dog-meat eating festival despite protests

25 Comments
By PENG PENG

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

25 Comments
Login to comment

Good on the activists! Shame on these filthy people from Yulin for partaking in such a disgusting and barbaric practice.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

There is actually the same spark of life within you that is within some of our animals friends which is the desire to live. That is the same within all human beings and until mankind realizes to value the lives of dogs, cats etc. to the point where they are no longer exploited as material goods but treated as sentient beings meaning one that has a sensory system and feels suffering, loneliness, pain, loss and happiness, we are relegated to hypocritically railing against the speck in our neighbor's eye while ignoring the plank.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

As a dog- (and general animal-) lover who has nonetheless eaten dog meat in two countries, let me add my two cents (or "scents," as my whippet would say). The problem is not carnivorism; the problem is animal cruelty. Raising an animal with care such that it can enjoy at least a spectrum of normal life then slaughtering it quickly, painlessly, and without warning is the most humane method. The way these people treat their meals is precisely the opposite.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Disgusting and barbaric. Glad the activists succeeded in saving some of the dogs and bringing attention to this disgusting ritual.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Words cannot fully express how disgusting and vile this practice is! This practice brings absolute shame and disgrace to China!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

"Promoters say eating dog meat during the summer helps ward off the heat and maintain a healthy metabolism."

Like unagi in Japan. Except that unagi are not stuffed into cages without food or water until they're killed..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This place looks like hell on earth.

Just like SARS and H7N9 Bird flu, the next killer virus that makes the jump from animals to humans will come from China. No prizes for predicting that.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

It seems that we all on Earth are more or less barbaric as long as eating meat. All animals have blood, heart,,, as same as humans.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

These people who organised and attended the festival make me sick. It's vile and disgusting.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

kwatt: "It seems that we all on Earth are more or less barbaric as long as eating meat. All animals have blood, heart,,, as same as humans."

That includes fish, too, you know. Sorry, but there is a difference between the way pigs, cows, and chickens have been domesticated and are killed for meat than what you see here with dogs or as is done with other animals and mammals. You cannot compare.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

If they are stealing pets to eat, that's wrong. If they are hunting down strays, I say more power to them!

Dogs are no different than any other non endangered animal. It's wrong to impose our western values on what others choose to add to their diet. If, for example, a devout Muslim objected to a bacon eating contest, I'd tell him to mind his own business. Same principle applies here. They're just dogs. It's insensitive and bigoted to try and impose our beliefs on others.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Many of us had or have dogs as pets, making this story really disgusting to even think about. Yet, for us to tell these people not to eat dog meat is indeed imposing out cultural imperialism on them. China is not alone, dogs are eaten, and similarly treated in a very inhumane manner of preparation in Korea as well. Some southeast Asian nations also eat dog meat also.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

There is a difference between predator animals, even domesticated ones and livestock, and it's generally to do with intelligence and natural social behaviours. What happens to these dogs is cruel illtreatment and coupled with the transmit table disease risk it's not cultural imperialism to say so. No one wants to be told what they're doing is unacceptable but sometimes it has to be said. Good animal husbandry is not a western concept, it's common sense, as is human decency.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Millions of dogs are often killed to be eaten for events and daily life. These dogs seem very domesticated for meat. I've heard farm breeders are domesticating dogs. Otherwise all dogs would have already disappeared form China without domestication.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Disgusting. China.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I have a friend who use to raise dogs for food in his native Philippines, the money he earned was a major source of income for his family. The ironic part was that he himself had a pet dog and according to him he loved that dog.

One day he came home from school and couldn't find his pet, when he asked his Dad about it, his Dad told him that he had sold the dog to a neighbor for food. My friend was heartbroken and vowed that he would never sell dogs for food ever again.

But after a while when he saw the impact his decision had on his family's ability to feed themselves he went back to selling dogs. He claims that he never ate dog himself, after the incident, but he felt that the welfare of his family took precedence over his feelings. I guess the realities of survival can have a way of influencing how people see the world around them.

The concept of dogs being a pet or even an equal member of a family is a western concept. Throughout history and all over the world, dog has and continues to be on the menu. Imposing western society's value system on cultures who do not share that value system is indeed a form of cultural imperialism. I just hope that if I'm reincarnated as a dog it will be in a place like England and not like Korea or China.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The Japanese used to eat dog too, 70 years ago, according to my mother in law.

There is a difference between predator animals, even domesticated ones and livestock, and it's generally to do with intelligence and natural social behaviours.

There are many differences. Predator animals such as dogs, given the choice, would hunt and and eat other species, whereas cows, pigs and sheep do not. So what? The important thing is to reduce not increase suffering. The type of animal has very little to do with it. Where can I get some dog meat in Japan? I'd like to try some. Perhaps if I ate only dog, I would consume only a minimal quantity of meat, as opposed to more than 100 Kg of meat per annum. Who is "barbaric"?! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_meat_consumption

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

for us to tell these people not to eat dog meat is indeed imposing out cultural imperialism on them

How about telling these people not to steal other people's pets, not to cram frightened animals into tiny cages they can't even stand up in, not to leave animals in these cages for days with no food or water, not to beat them before they kill them with no thought of providing a humane death?

Yes, asking these people to adhere to a basic modicum of humanity is 'cultural imperialism'. Right.

It isn't about what people eat. People eating any kind of meat disgusts me and I want no part of it. It's what happens before that is the big problem. It makes me feel ashamed and dirty to belong to the same species as these thugs.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The Japanese used to eat dog too

I think not dog, but Japanese wolf or wild boar. Japanese wolf is completely extinct a long time ago. All killed by hunters. Wolf and boar used to attack livestocks. Boars could survive until today.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

a basic modicum of humanity

@cleo

What constitutes "a basic modicum of humanity" is entirely subject.

I've seen some pretty nasty treatment of animals around the world, shockingly nasty. And I appreciate your sentiment and respect people like you who take a personal stand on the issue.

I remember witnessing an old lady in a southeast Asian country systematically beating a chicken to death with a stick. I asked her why she was doing it and she replied that it made the meat better to eat. When I asked her if she thought it wasn't a cruel way to dispatch the bird she looked at me like I was out of my mind and said "this is chicken not person, this is food"

People just see things differently. What you or I would consider " a basic modicum of humanity" just doesn't register with some people possessing a different cultural perspective.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

kwatt: No, Japanese ate dog, both domesticated and wild, in history, and continued to eat at least wild dog until towards the end of the Edo period (which is ironic given how taboo meat was with regard to most animals). In Satsuma province puppies were consumed in daily life in a dish called Enokoro Meishi.

Fortunately, they no longer eat dogs here.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Smith.

There are still a few restaurants in Tokyo that still serve Aka-Niku(aka dog meat).

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There are still a few restaurants in Tokyo that still serve Aka-Niku(aka dog meat).

I really doubt it. If there are some in Tokyo, it would have been a big controversy by pets lovers or press media. never heard.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I would not judge what people ought to eat but some uncivilized ritual should be banned...

The controversy over dog meat consumption often centers on the slaughtering methods employed, which include electrocution, strangulation by hanging, and physically beating the dog to death. Some dogs are still alive when they are blow-torched or thrown into boiling water to remove their fur.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat_consumption_in_South_Korea

They got no respect for what they consume. I hope they learn what "Itadakimasu" means.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites