BUG PEOPLE DOG EATING FESTIVAL BEGINS
>The government is drawing up new laws to prohibit the wildlife trade and protect pets, and campaigners are hoping that this year will be the last time the festival is held.
>“I do hope Yulin will change not only for the sake of the animals but also for the health and safety of its people,” said Peter Li, a China policy specialist with Humane Society International, an animal rights group.
>The coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in horseshoe bats before crossing into humans in a market in the city of Wuhan, has forced China to reassess its relationship with animals, and it has vowed to ban the wildlife trade.
>In April, Shenzhen became the first city in China to ban the consumption of dogs, with others expected to follow.
>The agriculture ministry also decided to classify dogs as pets rather than livestock, though it remains unclear 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 dog-meat festival was banned.
>“From what we understand from our conversations with meat sellers, leaders have said the consumption of dog meat won’t be allowed in future,” she said.
>“But banning dog meat consumption is going to be hard and will take some time.”
Hard to believe anyone would have a difficult time giving up dog meat.
https://archive.is/WAueg
