A major annual festival kicked off last Wednesday in a small Chinese city to celebrate the pleasure of eating. Marred by controversy and criticism, this is no ordinary tribute to gastronomy and self-indulgence as it involves consuming canine meat.
The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, better known as the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, has been taking place annually since the summer solstice of 2009 in Yulin, a city in southeastern Guangxi province. Despite rumours of a ban and petitions from campaigners to stop the festival this year, the infamous feast perseveres, with piles of canine carcasses seen hanging from meat hooks at stalls in the Dongkou and Nanqiao markets.
Humane Society International reported before the festival began that it was not "business as usual" at the Nanqiao market as authorities closed the dog meat stalls. But a last-minute compromise was reached whereby vendors were allowed to sell only two dog carcasses per stand.
While it is socially unacceptable and stigmatised in some countries, consuming dog meat is not illegal in China. The practice dates back 500 years and is rooted in cultural beliefs that doing so can bring good health by inducing bodily heat to allay freezing winter conditions.
The 10-day celebration of devouring dog meat, and cat meat to a certain degree, produced a staggering death toll of around 1,000 animals in 2016, according to Animals Asia. In previous peak years, the figure had reached 10,000.
Additionally, it is estimated that in China alone, 10 million dogs and 4 million cats are slaughtered for the meat trade each year -- a grim indicator of how man treats his supposed best friend.
Setting aside the debate over whether dogs should be prioritised over other commonly eaten livestock or banned for human consumption, the discussion, in my view, should focus on government regulations, animal cruelty and public health, and on using scientific findings to question traditional norms.
Testimony about the delicate taste of dog meat is subjective and debatable, but it is certainly cruel and inhumane to use inefficient slaughter techniques or to torture dogs in the baseless belief that this method would improve meat flavour. Torture also encompasses catching and transporting ill-fated canines in cramped cages.
Sourcing the dogs is also controversial. Claims that these dogs are farmed are a fallacy based on a four-year Animals Asia investigation in eight provinces across China. It uncovered no evidence of any large-scale breeding facilities. In fact, it found that strays and stolen domesticated pets were the victims.
"Our investigations strongly point to what everybody familiar with the industry has long suspected -- that the vast majority of China's dog meat comes from stolen companion animals and that misinformation and illegality is rife at every stage of the industry supply chain," said Jill Robinson, the Animals Asia CEO.
Besides animal cruelty, hygiene and public health are serious issues. Dog slaughterhouses in China are notoriously unclean and unregulated, as video by animal welfare organisations has shown. If the majority of slaughtered canines are strays and stolen pets, one also has to ask how many might be unvaccinated, potentially contracting deadly diseases such as rabies and cholera, and passing them on to humans. It's a potential recipe for a deadly epidemic.
Some animal rights activists resort to buying dogs to rescue them, but this does more harm than good. It only fuels the trade by increasing profits for traders who benefit from increased demand and can ask higher prices. Lack of care and responsibility could result in the death of rescued dogs, while failure to provide proper shelter could create a vicious cycle where those canines would be caught again for the meat trade.
Putting pressure on the Yulin festival could help save dogs from being butchered, but this alone will not help enhance animal welfare in the long run. Legislation is the answer to limit cruelty and regulate this infamous industry.
A draft animal protection law in China was proposed in 2009 but it has yet to enter the legislative process of the busy Chinese National People's Congress. The delay speaks to the lack of political will to guarantee adequate animal welfare and rights in the country.
Still, strict enforcement and regulations need to be in place if a law is eventually passed. Creating public awareness of animal welfare and rights as a social norm is equally important. It could be a long and muddy road ahead, but change will not happen if a small step is not taken.