2008 South China animal consumption incidents
Encyclopedia
In 2008, numerous incidents occurred in the People's Republic of China
, mostly in southern China's Guangdong
region, over the selling of dog
and cat meat
. Both stray and domestic animals were taken to butcher shops in large quantities. Some pet owners even worried that their pets would be stolen to be sold for profit.
daily. About 5,000 cats were sent via shipments from Nanjing to Guangzhou
. Other places such as Shanghai
and Hangzhou
also rounded up cats to be shipped. According to the Chengdu Business Daily, people in Guangdong ate 10,000 cats a day. Votes were also conducted by Southern Metropolis Daily to see the people's responses on the matter.
In Guangdong
, stray dogs were captured, chained and beaten with bats. They were then skinned and deceptively sold as expensive lamb meat for profit.
. Animal activist group PETA
also issued a statement decrying the cruel treatment.
The protesters noted that a virus that caused Severe acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS) is suspected to have been spread to humans by civet
s. In 2004, Guangdong supposedly banned the raising, selling, killing and eating of civet
s. SARS was first reported in Guangdong in November 2002, and killed 774 people worldwide before subsiding in July 2003.
One cat owner in Guangzhou commented that pet owners were afraid to let their pets leave the house in fear that they would be kidnapped. He said "It's never been this bad. Who knows, it might be because of the bad economy." He also feared that the cat business might be run by gangs.
after it was discovered the traders were operating without a license. 149 dogs were taken to the rescue center. One dog suffered from distemper
and had to be euthanized.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, mostly in southern China's Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
region, over the selling of dog
Dog meat
Dog meat refers to edible parts and the flesh derived from dogs. Human consumption of dog meat has been recorded in many parts of the world, including ancient China, ancient Mexico, and ancient Rome. According to contemporary reports, dog meat is consumed in a variety of countries such as...
and cat meat
Cat meat
Cat meat or cat flesh, meat prepared from domestic cats for human consumption , is varied in its acceptability as a food source in different parts of the world...
. Both stray and domestic animals were taken to butcher shops in large quantities. Some pet owners even worried that their pets would be stolen to be sold for profit.
Incidents
A story was run in the Southern Metropolis Daily that said about 1,000 cats were transported to GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
daily. About 5,000 cats were sent via shipments from Nanjing to Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
. Other places such as Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
also rounded up cats to be shipped. According to the Chengdu Business Daily, people in Guangdong ate 10,000 cats a day. Votes were also conducted by Southern Metropolis Daily to see the people's responses on the matter.
In Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, stray dogs were captured, chained and beaten with bats. They were then skinned and deceptively sold as expensive lamb meat for profit.
Reactions
A group of 40 protesters unfurled banners in a tearful protest in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. Animal activist group PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
also issued a statement decrying the cruel treatment.
The protesters noted that a virus that caused Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
(SARS) is suspected to have been spread to humans by civet
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
s. In 2004, Guangdong supposedly banned the raising, selling, killing and eating of civet
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
s. SARS was first reported in Guangdong in November 2002, and killed 774 people worldwide before subsiding in July 2003.
One cat owner in Guangzhou commented that pet owners were afraid to let their pets leave the house in fear that they would be kidnapped. He said "It's never been this bad. Who knows, it might be because of the bad economy." He also feared that the cat business might be run by gangs.
Rescue effort
On the last day of 2008, a rescue effort was funded by the Animals Asia FoundationAnimals Asia Foundation
Animals Asia Foundation is a Hong Kong-based charity that seeks to end cruelty to animals in Asia.The AAF was founded in 1998 by Jill Robinson, who felt compelled to create the organisation after learning of the plight of the Asiatic Black Bear known as the “Moon Bear” because of the yellow...
after it was discovered the traders were operating without a license. 149 dogs were taken to the rescue center. One dog suffered from distemper
Canine distemper
Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects animals in the families Canidae, Mustelidae, Mephitidae, Hyaenidae, Ailuridae, Procyonidae, Pinnipedia, some Viverridae and Felidae...
and had to be euthanized.