He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
It took a worldwide pandemic to get to the very near day when the consumption of dog and cat meat will be banned throughout China. For the first time in history, in fact, these animals have been excluded from the official list of edible animals, suggesting that the ban is close. But above all, it could mean the end of the infamous and gory annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival which is celebrated every year on June 21st.
In a document published by the Ministry of Agriculture on April 8 introducing the new project of the National Catalog of livestock and poultry, dogs and cats do not appear for the first time in the 31 animals classified as livestock and poultry. The document is not binding for the moment, but it is a public consultation with the aim of questioning and soliciting citizens to send feedback until 8 May.
“With the advancement of human civilization and the public concern and preference for the protection of animals, dogs have gone from traditional pets to companion animals. Dogs are generally not considered to be livestock and poultry around the world and China shouldn't handle them as such "
we read in the document of the ministry which, however, is keen to clarify that it is still a draft that it has nothing to do with the ban.
Despite the caveat, many in China see this as a big step towards ending dog consumption in China, the first step towards ending the chains of interest in dog markets, as the dog meat industry is based in much on the illegal trade in specimens.
But, as expected, there was no shortage of fierce criticism, especially from entrepreneurs and residents of the Guangxi Zhuang region in southern China, where thousands of people earn their living in the dog meat sector. Also because if dievieto became effective it would also mean the ruin and the end for the annual traditional Yulin festival, where local shops slaughter dogs on the street and people taste the meat to celebrate. A festival surrounded especially in recent years by fierce controversy and criticism from all over the world. The festival is held every year on the day of the summer solstice which this year would fall on June 21st.
Just a week ago, following the coronavirus outbreak, the city of Shenzhen, Guangdong province had become the first Chinese city to officially ban the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat. Ban that will come into effect in May. At this point we really hope that it will be officially followed in the rest of China in time to ban Yulin's cruelty from happening again this year.
Here the Catalog published on the website of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture
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Fonts: GlobalTimes /MOA china
