[Svel]

When it comes to animal cruelty, puppy mills, etc., the CS community has a lot to say. However, I'm surprised I haven't seen a lot about the something I'm going to talk about next, something that is also quickly approaching.

I'm talking about the highly controversial Yulin Dog Meat Eating Festival. Now, just to clarify: I'm not saying those who enjoy eating dog meat, or even participate in this festival are "bad guys". I'm talking about the festival as a whole, and the ethical issues about this festival.

This festival is to take part on June 21st this year (2015). During this time, hundreds and thousands of canine lives will be sacrificed to continue this barbaric tradition. Here comes the ethical considerations: Many dogs are brought up, only to be slain for this festival, promoting puppy mills and inhumane conditions for the dogs to be raised in. Dogs are beaten up, then skinned like ducks. It's also most disturbing that some dogs are brought to this festival with collars - your dogs who ran away a week before the festival? They'll most likely have lost their lives.

Dogs were brought up and domesticated to be our companions, not to be brought up in harsh conditions, to be slaughtered and eaten. Want to help? Here's a petition you can sign!

Oh, and for those cat lovers - according to Express and The Inquisitr‎, China is ignoring requests to stop this event, and is also adding cats to the menu.

The small progresses that have been made in stopping this festival:
According to Xinhua and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (The below is quoted from SPCA's website) "As of the morning of June 17 – in light of the huge pressure from the public - the Yulin government announced that the government would withdraw from hosting the festival and that the slaughtering of dogs is no longer allowed to be carried out in public. This means that the festival is no longer “official" and that it is now just the action of commercial businesses and individuals."
Note that this festival is still allowed, and there is still a long way to go to ending this cruelty, but these small steps, and all our input shall help improve animal welfare as a whole!

(Sources mentioned above not linked, for some contain images which some might find disturbing)

[LINCOLNCLAY]

This is beautiful.