Yulin 2017… steps towards a more humane future

Last month we were pleased to announce that the municipal authorities said licensed restaurants, street vendors and market traders near TongKou Markets would be prohibited from selling dog meat for a week in the run up to the YuLin Dog Meat Festival (15th-21st June). 

This was a very encouraging step in the right direction from the Chinese authorities who are reacting to international protests and local pressure. However, there have been concerns regarding enforcement and the ‘ban’ simply moving the trade elsewhere.

The issue of China’s dog meat trade – and indeed, most of it’s animal welfare problems – lies within the underpinning notion that animals are nothing more than moving objects, devoid of feelings such as pain and pleasure. This is obvious in China’s daily life and in videos such as this from a local market in Shenzhen (no graphic imagery is shown) 

Ms Pei Su, co-founder and Executive Director of ACTAsia states “What we have to do is change behaviour. It’s not going to be quick, and it certainly won’t  be easy but education is the only way to influence how people think about animals.”

ACTAsia is working hard, 7 days a week, 365 days per year to educate children. Children are tomorrow’s adults but they also have a great impact on their families. In addition, the educators trained to teach ACTAsia’s ‘Caring for Life Education’ are also key stakeholders in the community. 

This ‘ban’ is a result of power struggle and therefore it is not long lasting. When people understand animal sentience, they will no longer consider it acceptable to eat dogs and long lasting change will occur from within the country itself. A more humane future not only for the dogs in Yulin but all animals in China.  

Please watch our video for more information – we promise there are no graphic images!