Breaking news: Dog meat sales at China’s Yulin festival likely banned for 2017
The government order to local dog meat traders announcing the ban comes just weeks before the annual summer festival, where traders deliver frightened and dehydrated dogs by the thousands for local butchers to kill and dismember. Photo by AP Images for HSI
Humane Society International and Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project (DDAWP) have learned from sources that the Yulin government is set to ban restaurants, street vendors, and market traders from selling dog meat at its summer festival. This is one of the most symbolically significant animal cruelty festivals in the world, and the southwestern Chinese town has become synonymous with animal suffering for its barbaric butchering of dogs and cats for human consumption.
The government order to local dog meat traders announcing this change comes just weeks before the annual summer festival, where traders deliver frightened and dehydrated dogs by the thousands for local butchers to kill and dismember. Yulin’s dog meat festival was an eating extravaganza that you don’t want to take your kid to see, and that has earned the community condemnation in China and around the world. It was promoted by local dog meat traders as a “local tradition” when, in fact, it was only created less than a decade ago as a way to promote dog meat consumption in China.
The ban seems to have been initiated by Mr. Mo Gong Ming, Yulin’s new party secretary, and it is set to come into force a week prior to the start of the festival. Typically, the mass dog slaughter for the festival begins on June 21, the summer solstice. Authorities are reportedly determined to enforce the ban and violators can face fines of up to 100,000 yuan, or even incarceration.
Last year, HSI, DDAWP, RaiseUrPaw, Care2, and Avaaz delivered a petition with 11 million signatures to the Yulin government in Beijing. U.S. Representative Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., has written multiple times to Chinese authorities, authored a resolution condemning the Yulin dog meat festival, and has introduced a bill on the dog and cat meat trade.
While we recognize that this announcement is temporary, it is nonetheless an extraordinarily hopeful sign that Yulin will one day soon consign dog eating to the history books. HSI would like to urge the Yulin authorities to take additional steps: make this ban permanent; announce publicly that all inbound dog trucks would face a penalty if dogs and cats are shipped into the city illegally; enforce the country’s food safety laws strictly so that poisonous dog meat will not harm consumers; and build a government facility to accommodate dogs and cats confiscated from illegal shipping operations. In China, dogs butchered for the trade are stolen from their owners or gathered off the streets.
Earlier this year, China shut down dozens of ivory-carving shops as the first major wave of action to end the trade in ivory. The government is also urging citizens to dramatically reduce all meat consumption, mainly as a resource protection effort, given that producing animals for human consumption requires such an enormous use of resources, whether it is grains, top soil, or water.
This campaign, waged by HSI, DDAWP, and other groups, has also had an enormous infusion of energy from in-country animal welfare campaigners. There is a robust and growing animal protection movement in China, and these campaigners have blocked trucks coming into Yulin stuffed with dogs in cages, and they have found a variety of ways to show their disfavor with the cruel killing of dogs. We hope that this announcement is soon confirmed, providing enormous encouragement to these advocates. May their ranks continue to swell in the most populous nation in the world.
I so hope they enact this ban for good. This is a great start banning it this year. We must keep up the fight and stop this horrific practice worldwide. Thank you to all the groups and people worldwide who have worked to get this to happen. We must all continue to donate to help the wonderful activists out there fighting for our precious animals. I am hoping for the day that “we love all animals, by not eating them”. They are creatures of God to be taken care of, not abused.
Thank you.
I totally agree with you! Hopefully these horrific acts will end
It’s far beyond China, it’s in many third world countries. I want to stay optimistic but in many of those areas, they don’t value human lives, much less that of animals!
It’s been a long process but Amen it’s happening. Praise the Lord! Your right Carol, continued donations and spreading the word is what is going to make change.
Thank you to HSUS and all of the animal advocate agencies that are helping to try to ban this more than horrific torture and killing of the dogs and cats. My heart hurts and I am in agony when the thought of these animals suffering enters. If anyone from China is reading this – Please, please help to end this tragedy in your country – please!!!!
now what about cats.?
Why is this article still up? There is no ban! Dogs are dying right now. And because there was a rumour going round that there was a ban, no one has protested! Do something! If you cant do anything useful at least remove this article. Ive just watched a video posted on facebook only 3 hours ago of the dogs arriving at the festival.
More are dying this year than ever because false stories of it stopping were posted.
I am dancing,crying & thanking all the groups & the 11 Million animal lovers in this world & one of them is me for working so hard to educate people in these countries that the consumption of dog & cat meat is WRONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been spreading the word of the barbaric,tortouros,heartless & sickening acts of evil cruelty on these innocent dogs & cats since I was educated about this just a few years ago!!!!!!!!!! I decided to be the voice for these dogs & cats all over this world,I refuse to stick my head in the sand & pretend it’s not there.The numerous videos of the butchering,boiling alive,electrocution,slashing of their necks to bleed slowly & the torching burning them alive just sickens me.Hanging dogs from trees & carving their flesh while the poor dogs are still alive.Taking small dogs out of cages at a outside market & grabbing them by their back legs then to slam them on the ground then throw them in a pot of boiling water.The list of these EVIL acts go on & on !!!!!!!!!!!! So inhumane & evil !!!! Thank you to all & please lets all keep trying to create laws to protect all the animals on our planet & to keep educating the human race ( and make it a humane race).We are the voices for these innocent animals so lets never stop speaking them.
As you wrote , I did cry for this news. Hopefully these horrific acts will end. I used to have 5 dogs, two of them have passed after 16 years of pure love ❤️ and caring from our family. I pray that the government of China stop this once and for all
That was horrible to read what they do. What the hell kinda people are they with no compassion the way they torture them sickens me.
I love you and your attitude! I just wish everyone would be compassionate toward all animals.
I was so happy to hear the news I cried too. Everything you said, I totally agree. This is a great start but we can’t stop until it comes to an end forever.
I completely believe what you say. I have witnesses the horrific acts on videos. As a past traveler to China, I will believe it when I see it.
Hopefully, it really will stop, but I’m reticent.
We all must realize that these atrocities are not only perpetrated on dogs and cats, it happens to other innocent creatures as well and in every country, including our own. We all have to make a difference. Unfortunately, there will always be cultural differences; however, we are all human beings, who have emotions and feel pain. There are evil people, who get sick enjoyment out of doing these things. The laws need to be very strict. Individuals who harm animals in these cruel ways will most likely not stop at doing the same to people.
Animals do not belong to us.
I totally agree and have been working tirelessly to SPREAD THE WORD TO THE WORLD , as so many of us were oblivious to such horrific torture BEFORE cooking our beloved animals ALIVE.I lost many So called “friends by sending them the videos..SO BE IT! If they like me can not be brave enough to throw up while the REALIZE that this DOES happen Then they are no longer my friends.It was by watching in sheer HORROR which angered me to the point to KEEP on signing oetirions and I went as far as fREE TRANSLATION ONLINE IN CHINESE and emailing EVERY single Chinese diplomat I could find PLEASE DO THAT I THINK IT HELPED . AS I RECEIVED ANSWERS SOME NOT SO NICE ..but they now KNOW the world is watching and I took it a step further and even in PERSON when meeting Chinese (ANF+D THOIS to TELL them that MILLIONS of us are boycotting China and Taiwan..by not traveling to those evil countries NOR BUYING anything from China and Thailand until this HORRIFIC practice is STOPPED…KEEP it UP ..THEY forget quickly unless you get them with their almighty $$ Keep on sending emails and sin=gning petitions,.TRY that Free translation online and SHARE OT AND SEND IT IN CHINESE language as many do not understand English
GOD PROTECT THESE INNOCENT BELOVED FURRY FACES WHO ARE FILLED WITH LOVE AND DO NOT DESERVE SUCH TORTURE. LET’S NOT STOP NOW..NOTE THE WORD TEMPORARY
THANK YOU ALL AND ESPECIALLY THE DONARS AND BRAVE TRAVELERS WHO HAD TO GO IN PERSON ..A THING SO VERY BRAVE TO DO GOD BLESS YOU ALL! Prayers from a rescuer of pets in Costa Rica
Amen
This is huge 👍 Hopefully can be a permanent practice .
ONLY if we keep up the Pressure also to THAILAND where the same torture happens before cooking them alive They also say “Torturing the terrified pets first , before cooking then ALIVE, so they are fresh..makes them TASTE BETTER,,WHAT A FRIGGING SICK MENTALITY.
I often watched while vomiting, videos of dogs with their mouths taped shut while being COOKED ALIVE WITH A BLOW TORCH ONLY sometimes the mouths are taped shut , while their little eyes BULGE from he AGONY when the jeering crowd preferred not to drown out the agony.as the jeering crowds prefer to hear and enjoy the Agonizing SCREAMING from the dogs..
t CHINESE and THAIS deserve no trade NOR RESPECT until this BARBARISM IS STOPPED PERMANENTLY and NOT TEMPORARARLY
I WANT TO MAKE SURE weALL read that you wrote its all true and i STOPPed buying all thai and chinese products because of this and we all need to do this to be sure they understand- they think if animals arent as smart its ok to act like hitler well it makes me say every spectstor should have ONE limb cooked off THEM w A ball gag in their mouth while WE Cheer!!! If you dont want it done to you – you cant do it to another living feeling loving being
oh Hell Yah!!!!! 😻😻❤💕🐕🐩
If a law about not eating the animals is coming in it’s still not stoping the torturing,.
Half of this killings is not just for eating but the more pain and suffering they can give a dog the higher their ” blessings and sexual performance “.
If the consumption alone get tackled the risk of continuing this cruelty is big cause they just won’t eat the animal.
The torturing will continue and the will not be a stop to it.
The law must ban any abuse and cruelty not just for consumption.
Otherwise what is the use, they will find a way around it.
SO VERY TRUE ,,as we have managed to get a law passed this week here in Costa Rica due to many animal rights marches and Petitions to polotitons to pass a law to JAIL and/or FINE heavily anyone who tortures a dog or cat or other animal to be protected and not to suffer..
Thank you for all you do !
❤️✌🏼
Please please let it be ban forever . It is such a vile thing to eat something which is so loving and loyal . So cruel., looking into those sad eyes , it break my heart .
This is the BEST NEWS EVER! I hope it is confirmed. Thank you so much to HSUSI and HSUS and for all your extremely hard endevours to make this barbaric “Festival” go away for good. Dogs being boiled alive, I saw a picture of dog trying to get out of cooking pot of boiling water, these dogs and cats are so tormented even before they are killed, how can so called “humans” do this to animals. I pray this year is the end of “Yulin Festival”..
While this is good news, eating dogs is no different from eating any other species of animal. Every slaughterhouse that kills pigs or chickens or fish is just as bad as the dog slaughterhouses, only our prejudice allows us to think different.
We don’t boil or skin our animals alive. Huge difference. Not saying the things we do to animals aren’t cruel but what they do is so far beyond cruelty, it’s sickening. No person or animal should ever feel the pain of being slowly cooked to death.
It is wonderful news that this ban is in place. I am wondering where those dogs are going to end up? Will they be saved, by who? I want to know how those animals will be accounted for?
stop!yuurin
The most dangerous predator on earth is a human without a conscience. And when that is compounded with a lust for money, the result is pure evil.
Thank you to those who have witnessed all the horrors to bring us the truth. It’s unbelievable that such gruesomeness, in the name of “tradition,” could get a foot-hold in an enlightened society. My respect goes out to the leaders of the country who now try to stop this horror.
Stop YULIN DOG MEAT festival
絶対廃止にしてほしい。
There is a word beginning with the letter N – and it it sounds like eve at the end.
Education is of far more need. A ban will, push it underground and – if you know that region – will a ban even be enforced?
But, tradition, belief, religion and history, can’t be ignored equally. Hopefully education – and action will eradicate demand.
Ivory and tusk demands, all points to it being too late for our larger species. For cats and dogs, it may just be a reprieve…
stop
défense des animaux
This is a step in the right direction. But, this must END! And a lot is still to be done to eradicate this brutal torture of cats and dogs before they are eaten 😢Promises have been made before, so the world is watching! We won’t stop shouting till the end.
Put all these abusers in jail where they belong
I am so happy to read this news, happy and crying ,thank you very much for your great work .I am from spain.
My prayers are that the ban on dog and cat meat will endure.
What about the cats?
I am so happy that they are addressing the dog meat situation, but I understand that there are many CATS involved in this too and they don’t seem to be addressing it.
One of the most horrible photos I saw on Dodo.com last year involved the dogs, but there was a beautiful long hair cat, terrified, climbing the barb wire fence, trying to escape and it was haunting and horrible. Will they just get more CATS in the festival if they can’t have dogs?
The whole thing is just nightmarish and blessings to Wayne and his people for helping to stop this nightmare bloodbath, so ironically named a festival.
This news really is so amazing! I pray this ban will continue forever!! Thank you to the HSUS!!!!
This horrific habit and wicked festival only symbolizes praises to anti-world peace. I certainly hope for the sake of that wicked population that adore to kill what the majority of the world adores, come to a stop to all and any form of animal cruelty. Thus, I hope that the government of these dog/cat eating countries end all and any form of the dog/cat meat industry. This dietary habit is evil and it is not okay.
So happy to hear this wonderful news…may God bless each one who has worked so hard to make this happen….
Yes, this is good news and progress is being made, step by step, little by little… BUT, let’s not forget for a moment that dogs and cats are tortured and eaten EVERY SINGLE DAY throughout parts of Asia. This practice of eating companion animals will take years and years to slow down or end until the older generations die out and are replaced by the younger, hopefully more enlightened, compassionate, and educated generation of people in these parts of the world.
This is great! Even though I have two cats, I grew up with dogs. I respect the Chinese but those people ANYTHING! I’ve even slowed down considerably on my consumption of and other pork simply because after hearing and seeing disturbing videos, I don’t like how they treat those animals.
Please treat every life with respect
Someone from one of my Vegan websites just posted that right before every dog meat festival the “rumor” is put out there that the asian government supports a ban. This is done every year to deflect negative media which might intensify the weeks leading up to this mind blowing cruel, barbaric practice. Us this true? I’m heartbroken…..
And let’s all take a minute to remember the millions, if not billions, of farmed animals that are raised and slaughtered in horrifically cruel ways throughout the world. I’m glad to hear about the Yulin ban, even if it’s a temporary one, but it doesn’t stop the slaughter of cats in Yulin, and we continue to raise and slaughter farmed animals in horrifically cruel ways as well. I guess I’m just greedy—I want all animals to be free from captivity, cruelty, and slaughter.
I have spread the word about Yulin, and it’s herendis “party” they have with these animals. I’m thrilled that this festival is shut down. Now to find homes for these dogs is another challenge, let’s hope we can find forever homes for these street dogs. These dogs some were stolen from their owners, how cruel can that be? I have followed this story, and seen pictures of the horror, and brutality of this festival, and also see how so many rescued dogs there have been. I always like to watch large rescue video, and the tails wag because someone is there to take them away from the horrible life they have “lived” if you want to call it that. I’m amazed that these dogs don’t bite the person who rescued them. There are zillions of people who follow HSUS, but really can’t give a donation. We are greatful for all the love that is given to these animals, and their health needs, seeing a vet, smelling fresh air, a clean place to sleep, food and fresh water , it’s amazing. LOL
Please watch this.
It is 14 minutes short film.
https://vimeo.com/135424470
Thank you
The message Mr. Ching of AHWF wants to communicate to the public, is that this is when your words matter most.
“I feel so sad for the dogs that will die and suffer because of these mistruths. Usually there is huge intentional pressure before the coming days of the festival, but this year there is not. The only way we will see Yulin end, is by people continuing to stand up to speak for the animals.”
HUmane Society International and others have spread the lie that the festival was banned: thanks a lot!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213236484647895&set=a.1027328444693.2004482.1269777534&type=3&theater
Stop forever Yulin.
Do that people have feelings, or heart?
I cried and cried when I saw the pictures, it is tearing my heart, how can people do this to these poor helpless animals. The picture of the dog wanting to play only ending up being prepared for slaughter, the govt needs to stop this. Tears are rolling down my face as I am typing this, I plead to the govt of Canada, U.S. to force the Chines govt to put a stop to this!!!! Please everyone, dogs and cats at meant to be kept as loving pets, not this!!
I am reading that this Yulin Festival is NOT stopping this dog meat/cat trade..just as of yesterday June 15 2017.
It can’t happen fast enough. God have mercy on the animals that it is still happening to.
Marc Ching of Animal Hope and Wellness just live streamed their rescue of dogs, cats, and pigs who were crammed in cages on their way to Yulin. His team intercepted trucks full of these animals who are on their way to the festival that had been “cancelled”. Where are you guys?
Thankyou!
Please help me understand, this is an honest post and not trolling. Can someone explain why dogs are to be protected more than other animals? I would understand more if someone is a vegetarian and opposed to consumption of meat of any kind, but how can someone be vehemently against serving dog meat, then order a cheeseburger right afterwards?
I get that when some people look into the eyes of their pet they feel emotion that can’t be measured… but no one wants to eat your dog. Someone feels this same way about a pig somewhere, so are you completely insensitive, barbaric, possibly psychopathic if you eat bacon? And if so, why not protest the meat industry in western nations? It’s much more pervasive than the dog meat market in China.
Thank you