Since 1990, the Yulin festival, where dog meat is consumed, has been practiced in southern China. There are many activists who fight every year for the end of this "tradition", however the Chinese government (which observes the popularity and media generation of such an event) does not consider at all to stop practicing it.
In this news item on our site we will review the history of dog meat consumption, since we Europeans and Latin Americans are not so far from this phenomenon: our ancestors also fed on pets already either by famine or by habit.
We will also analyze the irregularities carried out in said festival and the concept that many Asian residents have about dog meat. Read more about the Yulin festival in china, where dog meat is eaten:
History of dog meat consumption
Currently we find dogs in practically any home in the world. For the same reason, many people find eating dog meat an aberrant and monstrous act: they do not understand how human beings can feed on such a noble animal.
However, it is also a reality that many people have no qualms about eating foods that are taboo for other societies, such as cows (a sacred animal in India), the pig (prohibited in Islam and Judaism) or the horse (very reprehensible in the Nordic European countries). The rabbit, the guinea pig or the whale are other examples of taboo foods in other societies.
Assessing which animals should be part of our diet and which ones shouldn't is a controversial and contentious issue that not only has to do with our habits: culture and society push us to one side or the other of an imaginary line of acceptance.
In which countries has dog meat been consumed?
Knowing that the ancient Aztecs ate dog meat may seem distant and primitive, a reprehensible but understandable behavior depending on the time. But does it seem just as understandable if we discover that this practice was experimented with in the 1920s in France? Or in the Switzerland of 1996? What if dog meat was used as food to defray the arctic famine? Does it seem less cruel to us?
Yulin Festival Story
The Yulin festival began to be celebrated in 1990 and its objective was to commemorate the summer solstice from July 21st. A total of 10,000 dogs are slaughtered and eaten by Asian residents and tourists. It is considered to promote good luck and he alth for those who consume it.
However, this is not the beginning of dog meat consumption in China. Previously, during the wars that caused hunger among the citizens, the government decreed that dogs should be considered a food, not a pet, and for that very reason breeds like the shar pei were on the brink of extinction.
Current Chinese society is divided because the consumption of dog meat has its detractors and its supporters. Both sides fight for their own beliefs and opinions. The Chinese government, for its part, washes its hands stating that it does not promote the event, it also claims to act forcefully in the face of theft and poisoning of those who are considered as pets.
Why is it so controversial?
Eating dog meat is a controversial, taboo or despicable subject depending on the opinion of each person. However, during the Yulin festival investigations carried out state that:
- Many dogs are abused before death.
- Many dogs are hungry and thirsty waiting to be eaten.
- There is no sanitary control of these animals.
- Some dogs are stolen pets of citizens.
- There is speculation about a black market for animal trafficking.
Every year the festival brings together Chinese and foreign activists, Buddhists and animal rights defenders against those who practice the slaughter of dogs for consumption. Large amounts of money are spent on rescuing dogs and even serious altercations occur. However nothing seems to stop this despicable event
What can you do?
The practices carried out in said festival horrify people from all over the world who do not hesitate to get involved to stop the next festival Characters audiences like Ricky Gervais or Gisele Bundchen have also asked the Chinese government to put an end to the Yulin festival.
Stopping the festival is impossible if the current Chinese president does not intervene, however, small actions can help change this reality, we propose some ideas:
- Help with the signature drive on Change.org: Stop the Yulin dog meat food festival.
- Boycott Chinese fur products.
- Join the protests that are organized during the festival, either in your country or in China itself.
- Go to China during the festival to pay for dogs that have not yet been euthanized: organizations from all over the world flock to prevent the death of said dogs. This practice, although well-intentioned, we must remember that it encourages the continuation of Yulin itself.
- Promotes the Kukur Tihar dog rights festival, a Hindu festival in Nepal.
- Join the fight for animal rights.
- Join the vegetarian and vegan movement.
We know that none of these measures can save you and end with the Yulin festival. Do you have any proposals? Can you think of how we could help them? Comment and give us your opinion:
