Cat and dog meat could soon be off the menu in China as first animal abuse law edges closer

 

 

By Mail Foreign Service

Last updated at 1:50 PM on 27th January 2010

 

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Dog and cat meat could soon be banned from restaurants in China, ending thousands of years of tradition, following protests from animal rights campaigners.

The Chinese government is now on the verge of introducing its first law against animal abuse and permanently removing both animals from the menu.

The first draft of the law, aiming to protect animals from being hurt and killed in a cruel manner, will be raised for legislation in April.

 

Enlarge Dogs look out of their cages from a truck on a motorway on the outskirts of China's capital Beijing

 

 

In particular, the draft suggests people caught eating dog or cat meat be jailed for up to 15 days and fined 5,000 yuan (£450), while businesses would be fined between 100,000 to 500,000 yuan (£9,000 to £45,000).

Pet lovers' associations have sprung up in Chinese cities over recent years, with one liberation group last year ramming a truck full of caged cats to rescue them from being shipped to southern restaurants.

 

While many Chinese enjoy rich dog meat, especially during cold winters, some object to the practice in some regions of beating dogs to death to release the blood into the meat.

 

The China National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import and Export Corporation backed the initiative, which it believes will improve overseas perceptions of Chinese exports.

 

Others insisted a ban on dog and cat meat was unrealistic.

 

'Banning such custom by law is inappropriate and unable to work,' said Xu Huiqiang, chief of wild animal protection in Jiangsu province, where a dog meat recipe has been listed as a piece of cultural heritage.

 

An official of Leping, a city that has a traditional catering industry based on dog meat, said that the local economy and people's lives would be terribly hurt by such a law.

 

'Cooking them alive must be punished but which meat to eat should be people's own choice,' said a commentary on Xinhua Daily in Nanjing. 'Some people in China still can't afford meat. We should not blindly copy Western values.'

But one online protester named 'Yuxiang999' posted on Xinhuanet.com: 'Eating cats and dogs is a shameless barbarian thing. Anyone with humanity would not kill these loyal friends of ours.'

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1246454/Cat-dog-meat-soon-menu-China-animal-abuse-law-edges-closer.html#ixzz0dpY5g7L2

THAT'S SO SAD. :bigcry: *clutches onto dog* Who the heck would eat one of these adorable things? :wacky:

 

They better stop soon. :whip:

THAT'S SO SAD. :bigcry: *clutches onto dog* Who the heck would eat one of these adorable things? :wacky:

 

The Chinese, apparently!:dozey:

 

They better stop soon. :whip:

 

Are you thinking of joining the campaign, then?:rolleyes:

I might have to. :mean: Look at those poor dogs! :bigcry:

I might have to. :mean: Look at those poor dogs! :bigcry:

 

I hear they eat blob fish too!:rolleyes:

SERIOUSLY? :wreck:

SERIOUSLY? :wreck:

 

Well yes, as they eat pretty much anything that moves.:rolleyes:

Does that mean we're next? :wreck:

Does that mean we're next? :wreck:

 

You'd better hope not!:stunned:

Nay for brutality but it is kinda their culture :/

As a vegetarian, I don't understand how people justify eating a cow or a chicken is any different to eating a dog or a cat.

They're all living things for goodness sake!

So are plants and bushes, they grow and produce fruit, they live and yet somehow they are not "living things"

Nay for brutality but it is kinda their culture :/

 

But not for much longer, apparently!:rolleyes:

As a vegetarian, I don't understand how people justify eating a cow or a chicken is any different to eating a dog or a cat.

They're all living things for goodness sake!

 

I've considered going vegetarian :wacky: but I'd miss chicken too much. :\

As a vegetarian, I don't understand how people justify eating a cow or a chicken is any different to eating a dog or a cat.

They're all living things for goodness sake!

 

Because Dogs and Cats are way cuter then a fat cow :). I'm all against animal brutality but at the same time I need my meat. I'm against the way they kill animals for meat, I've seen some videos that have made me to the point of anger and depression knowing things like that happen in this world.

 

Nay for brutality but it is kinda their culture :/

 

I'm usually open minded myself, but this is great news.

Well, imagine if somebody from another culture entirely said you couldn't eat pigs anymore, or sheep.

 

I'm all for the protection of animals from being killed in inhumane/cruel ways but this is what they've done for thousands of years.

Well, imagine if somebody from another culture entirely said you couldn't eat pigs anymore, or sheep.

 

I'm all for the protection of animals from being killed in inhumane/cruel ways but this is what they've done for thousands of years.

 

Well women have been suppressed in many countries for centuries, but that doesn't make it right.:dozey: