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China to Ban Eating Dogs, Cats

First animal abuse law will take dogs, cats off the menu

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 27, 2010 2:07 AM CST | Updated Jan 27, 2010 6:06 AM CST

(Newser) – China plans to end thousands of years of culinary tradition by taking dogs and cat meat off its menu. A law being drafted against animal abuse—China's first—calls for the country's thousands of dog butchers and dog meat restaurants to be closed down. Stiff fines will be imposed on anybody caught eating dog or cat meat, the Times of London reports.

The debate over eating dogs and cats has sparked fierce disagreements between the affluent, pet-owning middle classes and sticklers for traditional values. Dog meat is a traditional winter dish and practitioners of Chinese medicine extol its health benefits. Cat meat is less widely eaten—largely due to a superstition that holds the cat will return by night to seek vengeance—although it remains popular among the famously omnivorous residents of Guangdong province.

Dogs wait to be slaughtered  at the Xinyuan wild animal market in Guangzhou, China.
Dogs wait to be slaughtered at the Xinyuan wild animal market in Guangzhou, China.   (Getty Images)
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I hear a lot of people saying dog shouldn’t be eaten, but here in Guizhou, dog meat is a famous traditional dish. It’s a stew and very delicious - A worker at the Wan Family Dog Meat Restaurant in Guiyang, Guizhou province

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 34 comments
Nugs
Apr 8, 2011 7:26 PM CDT
While this is good news, we (Americans) should not act like the way we treat animals is superior. There are domesticated animals like rabbits and horses that are abused right here in this country and used as food as well. Dogs and cats are still being used for testing beauty products, even though there are better alternatives to this. Most of the dog meat consumption in China is on the Korean border, and not in the more modern cities like Beijing.
victoria8
Sep 3, 2010 7:31 PM CDT
If you read the article it says it is a new law....finally!....Here in the united states and all civil countries have laws protecting domesticated animals.....thank God!....the older people in china will soon die off and the younger generation will be better.....score this one for the animals!
Guest
Feb 4, 2010 5:22 AM CST
Now only if the Japanese stop killing dolphins and whales for food (sure it's for research).

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