China to Ban Eating Cats and Dogs

Dog and Kitten
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Eating dogs and cats–which is an age-old delicacy in China–could soon be against the law.

It’s the nation’s first law against such animal abuse. Currently, dog and cat meat is viewed as promoting bodily warmth. But if the law passes, people who eat either animal could face fines of up to $730 or 15 days in jail. Organizations involved the practice would face fines up to 100-times as much.

“I support this proposal. Whether you judge this as a question of food security or emotions, there is absolutely no necessity in China for people to eat dogs and cats,” said Zeng Li, the founder of the Lucky Cats shelter in Beijing. “Beijing’s dog restaurants get their meat mainly from vagrant and stolen dogs. In the suburbs, dogs are hung and slaughtered in front of buyers.”

The law has been in the draft stage for over a year and will be submitted to higher authorities come April. But draft legislation can take years to approve. Drafters at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences have been consulting for more than a year with Britain’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the US-based International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Raising cats and dogs for meat remains widespread in China. You’ll often see it advertised as “fragrant meat,” a euphemism for dog. Cat meat is more popular in southern China where activists block trucks carrying thousands of cats to meat markets.

Ending the culinary tradition is going to be difficult even it is passed in to law, as it dates back thousands of years. Dog meat was once considered a medicinal tonic.

“We are proposing that all dog and cat eating should be banned because it is causing many social problems,” said Chang Jiwen, a law professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who heads the drafting team.

The economic impact of this law would be small as China’s affluent don’t partake in the delicacy. In fact, such traditions have received much scrutiny from affluent, pet-loving, urban middle class. And online petitions against dog and cat consumption have attracted tens of thousands of signatures.

As a vegetarian, this begs the question of why stop at just cats and dogs? What’s the real difference between eating a cow or eating your dog? I’m just saying.

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Source: Physorg

82 thoughts on “China to Ban Eating Cats and Dogs”

  1. Filthy atheist communists should have been nuked during korean war.They would do the same to humans if they could get away with it.

  2. Wanda Casamento

    If it happened in America, It had to be reported. against our laws. I won’t believe it -It’ use to be bad then a young autistic lady came about and she started changing things for farmers, Temple Grandin

    http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2009/08/we-salute-temple-grandin-a-hero-for-animals/

    Please watch the movie on youtube.
    The problem is that groups will take old pictures and redo them and say it happens here.
    If so, they got the picture, they should report it and believe me it will make the news. I would want the news source,too.
    It’s possible because some people just are sick,and that would be outright cruelty. However,
    Its just not a practice here, we believe in,We condone killing humanly.. .

  3. Wanda Casamento

    On a farm that can keep it’s animals because they are wealthy?
    Pot Belly Pigs are great pets also
    We kill Pigs for food for its energy because they eat from the land,like cows,chickens,turkeys,sheep&deer, they are raised for consumption..
    Cats and dogs eat meat,they are our pets.we don’t eat meat eaters..

  4. Wanda Casamento

    China is also a Communist country, with too,many people and poverty. The people that work in the actual making the products are lucky to find a roof over their head.
    Every country has poor people and NOWAY is dealing with real life issues He said he has mouths to feed.they are first.
    Plus if you didn’t pay attention to the fact that these animals are living on the street. If we can’t feed them they die,
    Before they die from starvation they are going to take bites of human flesh,an innocent little girl/boy.
    They can get rabies,and other diseases too and become carriers.

  5. Wanda Casamento

    Why does anyone have to agree with you?
    Are you a Dictator.?
    What happens,if people don’t have money to take care of those animals ?
    They end up in the streets,Is it better they die of starvation?
    because the only people that can somewhat accept,your proclamation are the Rich and the middle class,
    So are you saying that the Poor don’t deserve to live.?
    You forget we Humans are apart of the living chain, too. We are a magnificent creatures.
    You only think the ones that agree with you are alright,
    Close your eyes,close your ears,close your heart-You didn’t see NOWAY has to feed family,
    He can’t open his heart to animals because his decision like most humans,and even animals is their family
    .He is dealing with a REAL situation

  6. Wanda Casamento

    Sounds like the rich and middle class are catching on -But the problems are

    Elderly-they have certain beliefs,give them Luck,keeps them warm in the winter,and fortifies their bodies with healthy stuff. used in certain recipes for certain occasions,and if your poor,you can find it in the street for free or eat it in a restaurant for a nominal fee

    Poverty -the poor eat this (in fact they started eating cats during WWII because the Japanese,devastated their homes and lives causing turmoil,grief’and poverty)

    the cats and dogs that are being killed are the ones that live in the streets,People that are poor can’t afford to keep them as pets.

    I’m beginning to think they are similar to deer, they will also die of starvation.

    Also like you said they view these animals as food not pets(Its all how we perceive things) We don’t eat meat eater’s,We eat vegetarian animal and vegetables,they get their energy from the sun and water and glucose, remember biology,thats how we get their energy by eating cows,pigs,chickens,sheep,Turkeys,rabbits&Deer

    Maybe we can introduce them to that theory.Plus show them all the wonderful things a cat’s and dog’s as pets

    So we are fining people that are poor &700.00 plus dollars?
    So they have to go to jailed in a Communist country (I’de take my chances at Gitmo)

    What about the elderly? If they steal for food,You want them in jail in China??

  7. Wanda Casamento

    You have to understand we are complicated creatures,Animals our pets remind us of babies and children that are uncomplicated.
    We don’t live like these people do, nor see or believe life to be the way they do..
    Just like are our shock from another group of people the also kill animals cruelly the Muslims,,as well as, they kill humans so savagely as these law’s that are in their Koran
    The problem is how do we Live in peace with everybody?? answer We can’t,we can’t agree with all, nor force them to agree with us,even if you know you are right. can’t be done, uck-uh no way NO!!
    -at the same token there are lots of people that agree with you. are you to say all humans are bad…Hmm
    Except for the ones that agree with you -birds of a feather….

  8. Wanda Casamento

    Dogs and cats eat meat,are our pets.
    Cats aren’t too cruel.Once they bite into the bird they send a toxin into the birds system and and it die’s,then they eat.So, killing snakes and mice are horrific to you,
    Dogs and cats were bred to be pets,not for consumption. They again are meat eaters we don’t eat meat eaters., In America we eat animals that eat from the land -hmmm -Maybe we should start eating vegans,vegetarians. etc… get rid of Peeta Just kidding, you’d be too soft and gushy, yuck!!
    Consider this the people that are going to be fined for doing this are Elderly and poor in a Communist Country those people can’t pay fine’s -Jail time in a Commi Jail not comfortable,I’d rather take my chances at Gitmo.
    Unless you are rich or middle class cats and dogs are pets -the marjority of the cats and dogs are where peeta wants them in the streets or in the forests -these are the dogs and cats that are being eaten.
    How about asking neighboring countries to help. If China allows to adopt these pets –
    next how about sending Deer and elk, teach them how to hunt them for food, or maybe we can send them vegan’s..Just saying (alright just kidding) 🙂

  9. Wanda Casamento

    Cats and dogs were breed to be domesticated -Just because you approve of your diet of No meat, sorry that is your opine not mine -In fact not enough hard evidence and not all scientists or Doctors back your claim of not eating animal protein -plus we have 2 eye teeth that are carnivore teeth,are used for tearing and shredding like when we eat spare rib’s or steaks they are there for a reason. I’m also worried about those people in China that are going to be fined -that isn’t an answer -You said that the middle class and rich are accepting this -They aren’t exactly nice over there,it’s a communist country the People that want to eat this still are Poor $700. plus dollars or their currency or time in Jail if they can’t pay, this isn’t a Americanized Liberal Jail system, Plus lots of the elderly can’t abandon their beliefs.Some believe that eating cats are Good Luck, they started eating cat during WWII because of Japan devastating their country and poverty. If that many people are killing cats and dogs these animals are being slain because they are living in the streets doesn’t that tell you that they are overpopulated with feral cats and dogs.Like the Pope said today Climate control,Poverty and stop killing humans

  10. I can think if two very valid points as to why this is really wrong. First of all its eating another carnivore. Thats not how nature works and theres a reason why. Nature is never wrong irtnever makes mistakes. Leave it to fucking humans to screw things up. Second of all this wouldnt be as big an is if it werent for the WAY tgese animals were killed. These neadrathals have no respect for the animal or its body and they torture it to death. If they raised them well and with love and killed them quick and swiftly there isnt anything wrong with that ( except for the whole eating another carnivore part) its just plain discusting but hey, i heard they eat rats too.

  11. barbaric chinese

    I didn’t even get through comment one! Chinese people are sick!!!! Sorry- the way they tortured these poor loving animals (cats and dogs) are inexcusable (don’t care they are fuc–k starving or not) I have no empathy for any humane being that could treat a loving innocent animals(with nerve,pain, and feelings, just like humane being has is beyond me. Are they (Chinese that stupid that they don’t relize they are living feeling souls that have done nothing wrong but want to love you???

  12. I’m Australian and we eat our nation emblems the kangaroo and the emu and think nothing of it. Our native aboriginals eat anything meat and see it as what it is, food a source of protein. This is my stance everyone seems to against eating dog or cat because there pets, loved animals of the family right. What about the poor old pig most people don’t give it a second thought to eating there bacon or ham, but pigs are just as intelligent as dogs and make fabulous pets and can be trained to do exactly what a dog can do. To add they can be just as loving and comforting as ether a dog or cat. All I can say is don’t be so bi est in your thinking even God doesn’t care and he’s the only one that has the right to judge. Get real people!

  13. I could only accept eating dogs and cats when people are cannibalizing people too. These animals are to me more important than most people so if you say that there is no shortage of dogs and cats, well, there is no shortage of people either–why not eat them too you hungry meat eating monsters! Eat the murderers and prison inmates that are a socail waste. I am not being facetious. I would rather see you meat eaters eating people than eating my animal friends.

  14. I love my dogs! I would never eat them! However I cannot be disgusted by those who do eat them. Dogs are not endangered by any means, they will be euthanized and go to waste by the thousands, and if someone vows to try and house all of them, the person becomes a dog hoarder and forces the dogs to live in unhealthy environments. If we can hang heads of buffalo and other game on our walls, then other countries can eat what they have available. At least the meat is not going to waste.

  15. Its there culture! In India, a cow is sacride, yet we kill and eat them every day. Ive traveled pretty extensively and tried on my own free will dog in vietnam. Which is a social norm over there. they dont kill fido there pets, but breed a certain breed especially for consumtion. And it was pretty good, like a turkey-duck-dark pork meat. So let it be, they dont come over here and tell us to stop killing cows.

  16. i agree i think there are people who dont care like its nt human to trow a cat into hot water its crule and not called for and china are known to be soo routhless to animals there wild people and need to be controled cause to hang a dog its mean to boil a cat its wow and they also stab dolphins crule contry

  17. whoever has went this far to read this, my gratitude is sent with many thanks. i think this is complete animal cruelty, and people who do this to cats and dogs are sick. i know its part of their culture, but it shouldnt be allowed and i think someone who fully agrees with me should create a group against such behaviour. And maybe we could create a group with a certain amount of people, to show them how man people dissagree with their culture and make an agreement with one of the companys. for them not to kill innocent cats and dogs, with us helping you on the other side. So whoevers reading this hopefully you agree too and make this dream company

  18. Cats and dogs were domesticated to be companions. Cats and dogs were once wild, until humans started delving into selective breeding- the process that gave us both cats and dogs as "pets."

    For a human to breed an animal for companionship, then turn around and eat him.. Aye. There's the rub.

    A quick response to NOWAY: China receives most of it's wealth (currency) from other countries, through exporting. Because China does not export cat and/or dog meat, it shouldnt be much of a loss to their economy Ever seen one of those "Made in China" tags? Now you're getting it.

    1. Lots of animals have been domesticated through selective breeding. YOU bred dogs for companions, Chinese breed them for food. Just because you like dogs and don't like cows or pigs apparently doesn't make them different. A pig can be a GREAT companion and is a very loving animal if you give it the same attention we give our dogs.

  19. seriously??? BAN DOGS and CATS??? The economy is suffering as it is and now you people want to ban people from eating their own preferences. People keeps on banning eating that and those, seriously! I don’t give a fly about cats and dogs heck why give special treatment to abundant animals such as horses, cats, chickens, dogs, etc… These animals aren’t scarce, heck I think taking them off the street and cooking them is better than let them go loose bitin people, taking a dump wherever they want, and tearing garbage bags. I’ve got mouths to feed not dogs so unless you guys have a gazillion dollars to finance animal shelters and their food then go ahead BAN all you want but that isn’t the case now is it? For every animal you don’t eat I EAT THREE

    1. well we all stick together and think its cruel because we all know what its like to be loved and brought up properly. of course everyone has their own opinion, bcause were all diffrent but weve all probably got either a cat or a dog as a pet or we work with animals. one way or another we all love animals and as everyones saying, their our companion and our friends we built up their courage, love and live with them,we feed them. But then theres people who dont care about these things and, like you, they dont care. were all on here too agree with eachothers comments about animal cruelty.And your NOT. So why are you on here if you dont agree witha word we all say?

    2. You are one sick person. I know this is 3 yrs later. but my god I hope you are gone!!! Eat cats and dogs and torture is fine- you sick fu–k!

  20. These people are sick! These dogs show to be loyal to the end. After being hung, beaten, they still beg for mercy. They have a will to live and not fight back. They are not wild. It takes a sick chinaman to kill a sweet furry guy with sweet eyes and skin him alive. If it makes you feel tough to say its ok, you are just as sick. There are so many better foods out there. These guys are dumpster divers, get their veggies from other peoples garbage and are true scum of the earth. Bottom feeders. These poor helpless animals should not die torturous deaths. The cats are boiled alive by the way. Very humane. Wow. I wonder how they treat their wives.

    1. Raise some other animals and slaughter them. I've lived on a farm and slaughtered cows, pigs and sheep, they do the same thing. When you start to mercilessly slaughter any animal it begs for it's life.

  21. I would actually be ok with dog and cat eating… I could never do it, I am a vet tech with 3 dogs and 1 cat and love my pets… but I do eat cow and chicken and pig… I have seen how these animals are killed in Canada and feel comfortable with my meat eating. In certain countries, such as China and Korea, the belief is that the animal must suffer as he is being killed in order to have certain benefits from the meat… making men more virile and others. I have seen videos of how these dogs and cats are killed and it is horrible, they suffer cruelly, it is unnecessary!!!
    Killing the animal quickly and humanely is possible then why not do it!?!

  22. if you idiots havent realized cats and dogs are the most domesticated and certainly most human-interactive animals on the planet. They dont share the same cognitive capabilities that cows and pigs have, they are eons beyond that… cats and dogs alike can feel emotional turmoil inside humans, sadness and even physical ailments. They comfort us in time of need, cuddle with us, and even offer compatibility when no other human feels obligated to. People are seen running with dogs, playing with them as if they were they’re children and not to mention make it a daily habit to sleep with them.
    The fact that people eat these majestic creatures is… im at a loss for words, so for lack of a better word, fucking disgusting…

    1. Raise a pig, pigs are smarter than dogs and are actually cleaner naturally than dogs. they comfort people, follow you, learn their name and commands. Just because you've never bothered to get to know a pig doens't mean they are stupid.

  23. The more I get to know and understand my dogs, the more I dislike humans. Dogs and cats dont do the bad things that we are capable of. So why be cruel to them. We are cruel enough to each other…leave the innocient creatures alone!

  24. @ Dy Phan. Maybe you could elaborate on that statement. Whilst we also eat meat too, we generally do not blow torch the animal whilst it is alive (or at all) and have enforceable animal crueltly laws. The theft of people’s private pets for resale as food is not common.

    Since you would no no doubt resort that not all Asian are into animal cruelty why suggest that any respect for animals is stupid? Or are you just voicing regret that your affairs are coming under scrutiny and the affairs do not look so good?

  25. Mr Dy. Why is it ridiculous to oppose ripping the skin off a live animal and sticking a stake through a cats face whilst you blow torch its fur off. Why Mr Dy is it ridiculous to not want to listen to the scraping of claws on the side of a cauldron whilst the cat inside slowly loses its skin…

    Er no Mr Dy It is not ridiculous, it is sanity – and I am quite relieved we do not have such practices in our western nations. I am just sorry this notion of sanity might not yet apply to people in China or Vietnam (in whatever way you wish to interpret this), but I think an example has to start from somewhere and this is a good place to start.

    Perhaps you imagine us folks in the west are belittling your country or sticking our noses in where we are not wanted, but I’d also point out here that there are many opposers to such ‘atrocities’ who are your own nationals.

    Would you be happy to oversee the butchering of these animals using these methods? I wonder…

  26. Thank god it will be illegal… most people don’t know about this but… for some animals its easier to remove the skin while the animal is still alive. Dogs are unfortunately one of those animals. It really is horrible to do such a thing.

  27. good news. eating cows and pigs i can live with as they can be bought up fairly well but you hear loads of horror stories about how cats and dogs are stolen off the street and killed for food. i wonder how well the new law will be upheld

  28. I live in China and have been to restaurants that serve dog on several occasions. While these kinds of places do exist in the major cities, it seems like they’re most popular in rural areas or smaller cities. The real challenge facing animal rights (more specifically, canine rights) here is the poor treatment they receive in general, not just that they often end up as dinner. Most people that eat dog (in China and elsewhere) don’t view dogs in the same way the vast majority of people do in the west. They don’t hold a special place for them in their hearts as pets and they don’t really see any difference between a chicken or a dog on an emotional level. To them, animals exist to be used for any purpose they could conceivably serve, plain and simple. To be fair, the reason for this is probably that most people who still consider dog a delicacy are not as ‘economically evolved’ as 99% of the people who’ve ever logged onto this website. It follows that, living on that little money, these people haven’t even begun to ponder their morality in terms of food choices. Dog meat restaurants in China are not expensive places to eat. It also should be noted that eating dog isn’t the norm in China perse. It’s just a widely accepted practice that a small percentage of the population seems to take part in.
    It seems like the root of the issue is being missed by Chinese lawmakers here. First, they should make it a law to think dogs are our friends, then after that sticks, proceed to make it illegal to eat them. It sounds funny, I know, but I assure you, the Chinese government has the influence to make it happen! But you never know, doing things the other way around may just work too…

  29. This also takes into consideration our rights as living organisms. We may be omnivorous, but there are many nutrients that we gain from eating animals that cannot be replaced by a vegetable diet. Also, if we are to be considered a species numbered among animals, what makes us any different from a leopard eating a gazelle, or a bobcat eating a rabbit, or a shark eating a seal? They have every right to eat what they are able to eat and naturally driven to eat. Eating cats is something which is an integral part of China’s ancient culture which we would be destroying to push such a law. There is no sense of cultural tolerance in this proposition and can be considered to be on the same level as banning a ball game in the US simply because you don’t think the ballgame is moral by your standards.

  30. What’s the difference between eating dogs and cats and eating any other animal?
    It would be interesting to hear what’s wrong with eating dogs and cats (if one feels comfortable with eating animals at all) – the ‘social problems’ for example mentioned in the article.
    For example, cats can be menaces to native bird populations. Stray animals are local meat, raised on scraps, I image causing less environmental problems than factory-farmed meat.

  31. they are indeed atrocities, ESPECIALLY when you consider the purposely sadistic manner in which these poor creatures are killed in order to release adrenaline in the blood to make the people consuming the meat more ‘virile’. they are slowly hung, beat, and have their limbs torn out of their sockets in order to prolong their suffering. death is a sweet release for these hapless animals. this practice has no place in any society, but considering the way china treats it’s human citizens, i am not entirely surprised. that does not diminish my horror and disgust.

  32. The anti animal cruelty law is an “expert advisory draft” from China Academy of Social Science and Law, and must be reviewed by the legislative body. How much of it will become legislative proposal remains to be seen.

    Also, it does not ban dog/cat meat consumption, only regulation for humane treatment and sanitation. The academy did consider regional culture and tradition when drafting this proposal.

    BTW, if some Hindus think cows are God, should we not eat beef? Dog and cat are considered food animal in many culture around the world. Rabbit is pet in our society, yet we eat rabbits. If intelligence is the criteria pigs are smarter than cat, but pork chops are okay?

  33. dy phan? atrocities? yes, and we have them here too. and we are trying to stop them here, like the horrible conditions in factory farming etc. it’s the old reverse arguement, “oh they think it’s okay to eat other things but not their precious pets.” i would have less of a problem with it if there weren’t widespread reports of intense and extreme abuse of the animals beforehand, like piling them up, and torturing them, in the IGNORANT and BACKWARD mindset that the meat will be more tender if they are terrified. charming traditions you have there. really enlightened. this is a good thing. there should not be one negative comment on this development, unless you are a twisted, abuse-loving person.

  34. I am a dog owner and lover and would never eat one unless I was culturally bound to do so; however, I believe that anyone should be able to any other animal that tradition allows (and to those that would point out that people are animals too, I will preempt you in pointing out that eating people is no traditionally allowed).

    While we see the tradition of eating dogs and cats as horrific on the basis that they are simply our common pets, yet as a culture, we consume the cow on a massive scale, which as many know, the Hindus view as sacred.

    We in the western world, should only be concerned with the humanity of the slaughter. As much criticism as factory farms receive, the death of the animal as quick as possible. Not for the morality of it but for the profit of it as there is no money to be made in the suffering of them. We should take note of this and thus if the cats and dogs are slaughtered in the most painless manner; then this is a non-story (IMHO).

  35. It’s not the eating of animals that bothers me but I must know that they have not been cruelly treated before their death. I have not eaten meat since I was nine. I think this ban is a good thing.

  36. I am so glad to see this. To know that any animal is hung up and slaughtered in front of diners is the most horrific thought. How is it that anyone could condone this? Now on to dog and cat furs and scalping in the streets. Torture of ANY being is not to be tolerated and just breaks my heart.

  37. IBEH – it’s sophist thinking that a dog or a cat is equivalent to a cockroach, millipede or spider that you can extend if you want to equate a human being as being no different than a dog or a cat. It’s exactly the same reasoning, and it’s your reasoning.

    You can also use that same reasoning to view a plague of locusts over-running a countryside destroying resources in the same way as the human species which has had exponential growth rates since 1800. In the case of locusts, what would be the intelligent entirely unemotional solution to the problem?

    But if a dog or a cat is no different than a spider or a cockroach, and that is prevalent thinking, what will be done?

  38. just an FYI. most animals are incredibly tasty, but this is the fallacy of your undoing. It’s all fine and dandy until you see dogs roaming your neighborhood tearing through your garbage and attacking bystanders. what do you think happens to pets that are put down?

    They are thrown away to rot. yep, animals indeed rot when they die, whether they are flat on the highway or dead from malnutrition, They rot.

    I say, waste not, want not and eat the fuzzy bastards.

  39. Bart, I think you hit everything (nails, points, etc.) on the head with that one (if we eat other animals, why not dogs/cats).

  40. I think this is great start and excellent for China’s image.
    For many years I have seen horrifying photos of dogs and cats crammed into small cages in open-air markets where they are slaughtered not only in front of the public, but in front of each other as well. There is not one animal protection law or animal cruelty law in China, so there is no regulation as to how the dogs and cats are slaughtered.

    Dogs, cats, and rabbits are also commonly slaughtered for their fur in China. Cat fur is indistinguishable from rabbit fur, especially when dyed for fur trim, and is commonly sold as rabbit fur here in the USA.

    http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/What-is-that-they-re-wearing_FurBooklet.pdf

    Any fur item worth less that $150.00 being imported into the US does not have to be labeled as to the animal it originated from, and if Americans won’t buy/ or it is illegal to sell something that says “Cat” fur, then the Chinese are all to happy to label it as “rabbit”. It is only a different word in English to them. And in no way is all the fur trim imported from China DNA tested to assure it is not dog or cat.

    Which begs the question: Now that the USA has begun to import meat from China, which we used to not do, how do we know that small parts of chicken imported from China is actually chicken, and not rabbit or cat? Do I think this is happening? I think the possibility is strong.

    The cruelty and brutality toward animals slaughtered in the United States for fur or food is equally cruel.
    I could say that the fur farms in China are worse because I have seen footage of a China Raccoon Dog being skinned completely alive, (they just chop off it’s feet and peel it), and thrown on the dead pile blinking it’s eyes. The only fur left on it’s body is it’s eyelashes.

    However, The Washington Post had an article, “They Die Piece by Piece”, documenting live cattle, skinned, hooves cut off with clippers, hanging in the slaughterhouse suspended by one chained leg, and their eyes rolling around watching everything, so I cannot say China is worse.

    As for the vegetarian question, For me, my vegetarianism is a boycott. Money is power, and a way of channeling your energy. I work hard to make my money, so why spend it on practices that I don’t support? I became vegetarian in 1986 and never regretted it. I will be 50 this year. You should see how young my skin looks. ^__^

  41. Okay, I’m a vegan, and I find the consumption of any animal (and especially the ones I have personal relationships with) a sad thing.

    But let’s look at this rationally and without our Western-Affluence goggles on for a moment.

    The affluent and middle class in China looks down on the consumption of dogs and cats. So we’re talking about the poor people here. In China, the poor aren’t like American poor. They live in bone-grinding poverty.

    The government is telling them it’s illegal to eat dogs and cats. So my question is…what are they supposed to eat instead? This isn’t like telling Americans, who never have anything even close to a “need” for animal protein not to eat meat. This is like walking up to a hut full of starving people and saying, “Yeah, you know this food that you’ve been using to stay alive? Eat it again and we’ll throw you in a hard labor prison.”

    I’m just saying…THINK with a larger scope when evaluating these “victories.”

    I think it would be AWESOME if Asian nations all stopped consuming canine and feline flesh. But my first concern is that this is an obvious attempt to starve out the poorest people who live under an oppressive communist regime.

    1. Dog meat is expensive in china, they have lots of other meat to eat. I don't agree with this law but just wantedt o point out the "But what else can they eat?" reasoning is not sound. Chinese poor eat more vegetables and simple meats like cow and chicken.

  42. D. – dogs are clearly not on the same level as us on the food chain as evinced by the fact that we eat them (in china and other countries, at least).

    The real difference is that dogs and cats are typically kept as pets, but cows are not. Dogs and cats happen to be cuter and furrier, essentially.

    A friend of mine’s mother in the countryside hat pet cows? Should we therefore not eat those?

    The only two answers are:

    a) eat everything except humans, we are the top of the food chain and every other animal is fair game.

    b) become a vegetarian as you disapprove of eating animals at any level.

    Any other distinctions drawn are arbitrary distinctions based on whether my mum once had one as a pet etc.

  43. I have no problem with anybody eating any particular meat and I don’t see eating cats and dogs as any different than eating cows and pigs here in the US.

    The actual problem I have with China’s practice of eating these animals – and with all animal care in China – is the complete lack of humane treatment. China has NO animal welfare laws. These animals are treated worse than anything I’ve ever read/seen/expereinced. The way they are slaughtered is nothing like the way animals are slaughter in other countries. Even in the US – where our ‘food animals’ are still treated below par – the animals are at least killed prior to being skinned, or throw into boiling oil, or having limbs hacked off… This is not the case in China. Live animals are treated with the same concern as an orange or apple with regards to just cutting right into it. It’s disturbing to say the absolute least on the matter.

    If China would take as much initiative toward becoming a ‘force’ in humane animal treatment as they have in commercial/political endevours I believe the world at large would look upon anything they choose to eat in a much better light and this whole situation of trying to force them to avoid eating animals they have sustained their people on for thousands of years would not be an issue at all.

  44. Chinese proverb: The government wants a law-thats fine.The people will do what they want. I wish the government luck. The cops won’t enforce it (except for show)
    Dog is ok, but a little bland. I’ve heard cat is disgusting. I’ll try it one day to find out. Panda is probably delicious, but difficult to obtain. I don’t want to eat babies or live monkeys brains. Each to his own taste,said the dog licking his balls.

  45. There is no difference between eating a cow and a dog. Both are perfectly legitimate food sources.
    In a world where industrial food production has reduced the world to getting over 80% of its food production comes from 4 animal species and 12 crops it is clearly time to keep food diversity front and forward and not get caught up in animal protest industry hate memes.
    It’s a big world with a lot of cultures.
    We need ecology not emotion.

  46. Some of the comments here and at the original source surely must have been posted for shock value. Alternatively, they are an accurate reflection of why we still do not treat other humans with dignity and respect – we haven’t evolved enough as a species, and until we attain that there is little hope of not killing other animals because “we like steak”.

  47. I agree, what IS the difference if you eat a cat vs. a cow? I say, eat whichever you like. I’m a lover of both cats and dogs but its not my place to get in the way of over 1000 years of cultural practice. Maybe it tastes good?

  48. When will you simpering veggies learn that if you succeeded in banning the eating of meat you would single-handedly be responsible for the genocide of a number of species. Do you think people would devote huge areas of expensive land to raising pigs because they are cute?

    Animals eat other animals. It is healthy, necessary and tasty. It can also be done in a manner such that the animals have a happy and healthy life – one which, as stated above, they would be void of should you have your way.

  49. I do very much agree with the very final statement that there isn’t much difference between eating cats and dog compared to eating cows… It’s just that we’re not used to thinking of cats and dogs as anything other than pets. I personally couldn’t eat them, but forgive me for being ignorant if I’m wrong here but isn’t the cow supposed to be sacred in India and therefore not eaten there, too?

    It’s certainly something that, I feel, only those accepting of other ways of life would be able to accept, but due to the alleged poor handling of cats and dogs for the meat market (such as stealing them etc) is obviously something that anyone would object to…

    If reared specifically for meat and treated properly like cows are in the UK I would have no problem with it (even being a cat lover myself)

  50. Like someone else noted, why is killing lambs, dires, goats, cows, pigs, rabbits and all other “traditionally accepted” as food animals different?

    I believe if any everage person would visit a regular meat factory aka slaughterhouse, where they “immobilize” animals for meat and take their skin off would have the same protesting feeling.

    Everyone like to eat meat, but not everyone wants to know details on how it’s made avaialble.

    I suspect 95% of people would not kill any animal for food, if they had other food available.

    I have heard rumors that certain percentage of people turns vegetarians after visiting meat factory.

    I eat meat, but I feel bad about it. I try to choose something else when there is choice. I think people in general should find other solution for food.
    That would be evolution.

    These are not the times when we need to kill to survive, not for 99% of us who reads this.

    In China in fact it might be the case, so I put zero blame on them.

  51. Cultural relevance

    The last paragraph “As a vegetarian, this begs the question of why stop at just cats and dogs? What’s the real difference between eating a cow or eating your dog? I’m just saying.” brings an interesting question. Though I would consider it from the other perspective.

    Why stop at just eating cows when other meats are apparently equally healthy for you?

    I understand their is a social norm against it. But otherwise is there a reason not to eat cats and dogs in a culture where it is the norm to eat such meats as dogs and cats?

    1. have you ever seen, how they cook cats alive or how they skin them alive?
      have you ever seen, how they prepare dogs for food?

      please watch some videos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_8Ko-9uKRs

      the problem isn't that they eat dogs & cats,
      the problem is that they bait the animals.
      this is a shame for this country and it's worse animal abuse.

  52. Looking at this from the standpoint of we already eat cows/sheep/etc., I can’t why is it unacceptable to eat dogs and cats? Because we domesticate them? It’s possible for pigs to be domesticated; and yet we still eat those.

    In fact, I almost dare anybody to find an argument against eating cats and dogs besides vegetarianism and sentimental bull* on humanities behalf. Note that I’m neither vegetarian, nor do I presently eat felines or canines (living in Australia, it’s kind of illegal), however, I can’t see any reasonable, logical reason why we don’t.

  53. I THINK IT’S A GOOD BEGINNING AND THE LAW SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COCKROACHES, SPIDERS, MILLIPEDES AND SO ON.

    THIS WILL MAKE THE WORLD (CHINA)A LESS IRRITATING PLACE.

  54. If you can eat a cow, I see no reason why you can’t eat a dog or a cat. They are all just 4 legged animals that our body can convert to energy. It should be all or nothing…either eating ANY animal is a sin OR eating EVERY animal should be OK.

  55. While I respect your opinion and right to eat what you see fit, I have a problem with someone telling me or others what they can and cannot eat on a broad scale.

    I respect animals on the level that I do not condone undue cruelty, and thus have avoided certain establishments due to exposed practices of their suppliers, however, I’m an omnivore both by nature and choice.

    This is mostly in response to the closing comments that you threw in as a final shot. To respond to the question I imagine you didn’t really want answered, there is no difference aside from emotional attachment.

    This begs another question however. If those animals aren’t to be used for the food they were raised to be, who’s going to care for them?

    1. "I have a problem with someone telling me or others what they can and cannot eat on a broad scale."

      When your eating habits are supporting an industry that is destroying the environment we all live in it's no longer just your problem. If you are eating naturally raised Organic animals and not the chemically induced factory farm animals I'd agree but if you eat out or eat meat from a regular supermarket you are killing other people. I know no one wants to hear it but it's true. And yes I know the arguement that vegetables are also grown badly and animals die for the production of the vegetables but if you do the math and the research the meat industry is MUCH more harmful than the vegetable, in my opinion it's about doing as little damage as you can while still living in our world.

      "If those animals aren't to be used for the food they were raised to be, who's going to care for them?"

      There's a big difference between raising a cow properly and the way we do it.

  56. The difference between dogs and cows is that dogs are on a parallel place on the food chain as us (as we both have canines and have the body chemistry to eat meat). The food chain has the meat eaters eating the plant eaters. That is the difference. Don’t fight nature.

    1. Right… because omnivores are totally unnatural… meat eaters eat meat all the time. Don't fight nature.

  57. It’s not much, but it is a start. Maybe this will finally start ensuring humane treatment to man and animal alike in the world.

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