The Chinese government is developing new laws to ban wildlife trade and protect pets. (File)
Shanghai:
China’s famous dog meat festival opened in defiance of a government campaign to improve animal welfare and reduce health risks highlighted by the new coronavirus epidemic, but activists hope his days are numbered.
The annual 10-day festival in the southwest city of Yulin usually draws thousands of visitors, many of whom buy dogs for the pot that are on display in cramped cages, but activists said figures from this year had decreased.
The government is developing new laws to ban wildlife trade and protect pets, and activists hope this year will be the last time the festival takes place.
“I hope that Yulin will change not only for the good of the animals but also for the health and safety of its people,” said Peter Li, Chinese policy specialist at the Humane Society International, an animal rights group. .
“Allowing mass gatherings to exchange and consume dog meat in crowded markets and restaurants on behalf of a festival poses a significant risk to public health,” he said.
The coronavirus, which is said to have originated from horseshoe bats before entering humans in a market in Wuhan city, has forced China to reassess its relations with animals and has promised to ban the trade in wild species.
In April, Shenzhen became the first city in China to ban the consumption of dogs, and more are expected to follow.
The Ministry of Agriculture has also decided to classify dogs as pets rather than livestock, although it is not yet known how the reclassification will affect Yulin’s trade.
Zhang Qianqian, an animal rights activist who was in Yulin on Saturday, said it was only a matter of time before the ban on the dog meat festival was banned.
“From what we understand from our conversations with the meat sellers, the leaders said that consumption of dog meat would no longer be allowed in the future,” she said.
“But banning the consumption of dog meat is going to be difficult and will take time.”
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
