Chinese legal experts call for ban on eating cats and dogs

[Analog]

• Environment
• Food

Chinese legal experts call for ban on eating cats and dogs

Widespread and ancient practice of eating dog meat increasingly distasteful for China's growing affluent, pet-loving middle class

Caged cats after being rescued by China Small Animal Protection Association from a market in in Beijing where cats are traded for meat and fur. Photograph: AP

Chinese legal experts are proposing a ban on eating dogs and cats in a contentious move to end a culinary tradition dating back thousands of years.
The recommendation will be submitted to higher authorities in April as part of a draft bill to tackle animal abuse.
In ancient times, dog meat was considered a medicinal tonic. Today, it is commonly available throughout the country, but particularly in the north where dog stew is popular for its supposed warming qualities.
In recent years, however, such traditions are increasingly criticised by an affluent, pet-loving, urban middle class. Online petitions against dog and cat consumption have attracted tens of thousands of signatures. Videos showing the maltreatment of farmed dogs have spurred protests at markets where the animals are bought and sold.
But the drafters of the new proposal want far more drastic measures, which would oblige law enforcement authorities to close down thousands of dog restaurants and butchers which supply the meat.
According to the draft, illegal sale or consumption of pets would incur a maximum penalty of 15 days in prison for individuals or a 500,000 yuan fine for businesses. Public security bureaus would be obliged to respond to hotline calls from the public about violations.
"We are proposing that all dog and cat eating should be banned because it is causing many social problems," said Chang Jiwen, a law professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who heads the drafting team.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/26/dog-meat-china

 

[citan x]

This is stupid. Where else are you going to get the meat to feed so many people. Let the Chinese eat what they want. Farming of any animals to eat is cruel. Treating them nice is just hypocritical. Your just going to end up chopping them.

 

[Newbian]

Awww, now where will they get their pussy from?

 

[Tsaico]

Awww, now where will they get their pussy from?

China has an abundance of it... So much they even export it to display them in movies across the globe.

As for the OP, I agree, who cares if people are eating the animals? There are all sorts of animals that don't get eaten just because they are considered cute. It is cultural issue that doesn't need to be kowtowed too.

 

[Hacp]

This is stupid. Where else are you going to get the meat to feed so many people. Let the Chinese eat what they want. Farming of any animals to eat is cruel. Treating them nice is just hypocritical. Your just going to end up chopping them.

Wow, I was thinking the same exact thing. You practically took the words out of my mouth .

 

[Tristicus]

No! Where else am I going to go when I want to eat a cat or dog?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Good, about time...

 

[Cal166]

No! Where else am I going to go when I want to eat a cat or dog?

There's always rats...

 

[UncleWai]

Awww look at those cute little kittens, so tasty.

 

[Throckmorton]

This is stupid. Where else are you going to get the meat to feed so many people. Let the Chinese eat what they want. Farming of any animals to eat is cruel. Treating them nice is just hypocritical. Your just going to end up chopping them.

It takes more resources to grow a cat to eat than a goat, because cats eat meat themselves.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I still remember that thread about this one guy complaining about an Asian family moving into his neighborhood and all the cats disappearing.

 

[Regs]

Old traditions usually die fast when ecnomy is on the rise. Slowly, their culture will become more like ours be that by civil war or coup.

 

[ShawnD1]

There's always rats...

What about the brack prague?

 

[ivan2]

no food ban has ever been success in China.

none.

 

[FelixDeCat]

no food ban has ever been success in China.

none.

What about MSG? Was that great success?

 

[Newbian]

no food ban has ever been success in China.

none.

Well except for people...

Wait, soylent green is people!!!

 

[ivan2]

What about MSG? Was that great success?

there wasn't a ban of MSG that i know of...

 

[crab]

Oh noes! They better not eat cattle...someone set us up the CH4!

 

[destrekor]

China has an abundance of it... So much they even export it to display them in movies across the globe.

As for the OP, I agree, who cares if people are eating the animals? There are all sorts of animals that don't get eaten just because they are considered cute. It is cultural issue that doesn't need to be kowtowed too.

It is definitely a cultural issue, and cultures change.

Middle class and importing the cultures from around the globe, much to the dislike of the Chinese politicians, is definitely changing things. A true middle class tends to be where cultural changes come into play. And a middle class is pretty rare for countries of such political style, so China might just have some good things happen in the next century. Cultural revolution, if you will.

And oddly enough, that is something I have yet to consider in my predictions of China.

Pets are typically a middle class thing. The poor cannot afford them, and the rich do whatever the fuck they want. The middle class likes to do what they can to emulate the upper class's successes, while also doing what they want to flaunt the nose at the poor.

Pets are something we consider a norm here, so seeing other countries do things we dislike to animals we call domestic is shocking, but... our love for pets is cultural. And hardly universal even within our cultures that are accepting of pets.

Why the need to ban eating domestic animals though? Do we (the USA) ban eating cats and dogs? I honestly don't know that, and find it weird.
Personally, I myself, and many others, couldn't eat the remains of their loved pet, but hell... it'd be an efficient practice.

"I love you so much Mr. Bigglesworth, that now you'll find the best love one could have: tasty barbecued love."

Hmm, that actually does sound appalling, but that's our culture - we don't eat a loved one. And pets we often love like a family member.

 

[RbSX]

Holy shit, change in china!