It's 2016 and Dogs Are Still Being Killed For Meat
On June 21st thousands will gather in southern China for a yearly event marking the beginning of the summer solstice where only one item is on the menu... dog meat. The Yulin Dog Meat Festival sees tens of thousands of dogs mercilessly slaughtered for meat each year, despite a growing outcry from animal lovers worldwide.
It's 2016 and thousands of dogs are STILL being killed for meat
On June 21st thousands will gather in southern China for a yearly event marking the beginning of the summer solstice where only one item is on the menu... dog meat. The Yulin Dog Meat Festival sees tens of thousands of dogs mercilessly slaughtered for meat each year, despite a growing outcry from animal lovers worldwide.
In preparation for the festival the dogs are crammed into cages so small that they are often unable to move, and they are transported across the country by traders who see their lives as an opportunity for profit. Many of these dogs die in transport, with even more arriving with open wounds and broken bones.
The majority of the dogs killed at the festival are found as strays, or are abducted family pets - killed while still wearing their collars. Despite the horrific abuse endured leading up to the festival, many of these dogs maintain an unwavering trust in humans and are seen wagging their tails with hope until the moment of their death.
The dogs are killed in a number of ways, each more gruesome than the last. Some have their throats slit, others are electrocuted, and many are burned or boiled alive, while other dogs that have yet to be killed look on. This is a terrifying and undignified end for any animal, and cannot be seen as anything less than abuse.
Since global outcry surrounding this horrific and barbaric event began in 2013, dog meat sales have dropped by more than a third. This indicates that the increasing pressure to end the festival is making a difference, and it is important that we maintain this momentum.
More than one million animal lovers have added their names to a petition urging the Chinese government to put an end to this festival once and for all, and we encourage you to add your name. Click here to view the petition.
If you live in Ontario, a rally will be held on Saturday June 11th outside of the Chinese Consulate in Toronto. Please click here for information on how to attend.
Together, we can send a strong message that the world is watching, and that this continued abuse is unacceptable.
