There are some topics of discussion that are guaranteed to ignite controversy, such as politics, religion and whether dogs or cats are better. But now, dog and cat people can join for a common cause – the ruthless and unethical slaughter of both animals at the notorious Yulin Festival in China. Animals are burned and skinned alive, beaten, cramped in filthy conditions and snatched from the streets of China. Though supporters of the festival have given numerous arguments as to why the events are justifiable, most of their arguments are ostensively unsound.
However, one question supporters have raised does not have a simple, clear cut answer: why is it wrong to eat dog meat, but not beef or poultry? As disturbing as this question is, and as much as I hate to admit this, it is legitimate. But the answer to this question arises amidst the crimes and shadiness surrounding the Yulin Festival. Though the supporters claim it is their right to eat dog meat, the majority of the Chinese population and the government do not back this assertion.
Rabies is not just a problem in China. It is an epidemic. China is ranked second in the world for the most cases of rabies, and the region in which Yulin is located has one of the highest levels of cases within China. Though eating dog meat does not cause rabies, the unsanitary manner in which the meat is handled at the festivals creates a high risk for the traders and buyers. Handling meat in this manner is against Chinese law, which dictates that meat of unknown origin or meat in which the animal died of unknown causes cannot be sold for human consumption. Dogs and cats with unknown causes of death include those that are contorted into metal cages and crammed into filthy, hot trucks. Animals that were kidnapped off the streets fall under the category of unknown origin.
Though the slaughter of pigs and chickens and cows is debatably unethical, it is not so corrupt and disgusting that the United States government has publicly condemned it. Meat in the U.S. has been known to transfer certain diseases, but this is not because the animals have been kidnapped off the streets where they were exposed to unknown environmental factors. Meat factories inject animals with antibiotics and hormones, but their actions are legal.
Due to the negative attention the Yulin festival has received, the Chinese government has separated itself from the festival, claiming that it is not a sponsor. The government also claimed that it would be closely regulating the trade and preparation of the meat to determine if any food safety regulations were breached. The Yulin Municipal People’s Government also attempted to dissociate itself from the festival, claiming that it is not an actual, organized event, but rather small gatherings of locals at which dog meat is consumed.
Unless the locals were ridiculously hungry, it seems unlikely that ten thousand dogs would be slaughtered for some casual get-togethers. Even though this statement is probably untrue, the message it conveys is powerful. The governments of both the country and the region acknowledge the horrors of the Yulin Festival and have attempted to insulate themselves from its controversy. If the Yulin Festival were truly a cultural celebration in China, the government would support it.
The practices of the meat traders and distributors in Yulin are illegal and criticized by both the government and its people. In 2011, the Jinghua Dog Meat Festival was shut down because of nationwide disapproval. That demonstrates the increasing opposition that eating dog has encountered in China. Festivals like Oktoberfest, where specific sausages and meats are prepared, are supported and adored by the public, not shut down due to contempt.
If eating dog were really the same as eating popular meats, it would not be dangerous, illegal or denounced by the government and the people. So the real question is not why eating chicken is okay but eating dog is not. The real question is why the global community is sitting back and allowing man’s best friend to be murdered in masses.