China bans the 600 year old dog eating festival after public uproar. The dog eating festival, which has been a popular event in Qianxi, China for centuries has been banned due to public outcry. The dog eating tradition came about as the result of an army battle in which the invading army killed all the dogs in the avoid being exposed by their barking. After taking over the town, the army celebrated by eating the dogs.The dog eating festivals have been taking place since that time.
Recently, photos of the unique Chinese festival have surfaced on the internet causing strong reactions from the global community and animal rights groups across the world. With pressure from global internet audiences and local Chinese citizens, the Chinese government banned the dog eating festival.
Aside from the festival ban, eating dogs and cats is a common, socially acceptable practice in China. Many Chinese people believe that eating dog meat offers health benefits. Traditionally, dogs and cats have always been ‘food’ and not household pets. As a matter of fact, keeping dogs as pets was banned in China during the Cultural Revolution.
The dog eating festival, which lasts for three days, leads to the slaughter of about 15,000 dogs each year. Many of the dogs are kept in terrible conditions and killed in cruel manners. After being kept in crowded cages too small to stand up, dogs are often thrown in large pots of boiling water. Some dogs are stabbed or strangled to death. Such treatment of dogs is no longer acceptable, especially since some Chinese citizens are now keeping dogs as pets.
For more information about the Chinese dog eating festival ban, visit the Psychology Today website.