Seven Dogs Rescued from Illegal Slaughterhouse After 'Outraged' Citizen's Tip Leads to Shutdown
Many Americans have very distinct lines in the sand when it comes to what kinds of animals are acceptable to eat. Most people regularly consume beef, chicken, pork and fish without much hesitation.
Depending on your location, you may have access to more exotic kinds of meat, and there are some people who feel that no animal should be eaten.
Most of us would agree, though, that eating dogs and cats is not acceptable. Those two classes of critter are so firmly entrenched in the “pet only” category that considering using one for food is devastating.
Not all places have the same pet vs. food distinction, and China has been one of the biggest examples of that. Part of the issue is that the dog and cat meat trade is notoriously cruel, adding insult to injury.
Thankfully, many parts of China have been making strides to ban the use of dogs and cats as food, and according to the Humane Society International, one illegal dog meat operation was just recently shut down.
Thanks to the concern of one reportedly “outraged” citizen from Dalian, China, authorities were able to bring an end to an illegal slaughterhouse.
VShine, an animal protection group, was present during the operation. They managed to rescue seven dogs, mostly larger breeds, including golden retrievers, German shepherds and Rottweilers.
Many times these dogs intended for slaughter are stolen from people. One of the seven dogs was still wearing a collar, which suggested that it had been someone’s pet.
Authorities are guessing that the remaining six dogs were likely bought or stolen, as well.
The Humane Society International’s China policy expert, Dr. Peter Li, said that Dalian is a model city.
“Most people in China don’t eat dogs, but the city of Dalian is particularly progressive on animal welfare, and a shining example of what the whole of China could achieve if animal protection were taken more seriously,” he said.
“The dog meat trade is not welcome in Dalian, with the local police and animal activists using China’s food safety laws to eliminate this cruelty in the absence of any animal protection legislation.
“If all Chinese police acted the same, we could have a massive impact on the dog and cat meat trade. If China went further and introduced a robust animal cruelty law, we could eradicate the trade very quickly.”
One of VShine’s members, Dezhi Yu, also issued a statement echoing the doctor’s sentiments.
“We are very proud that in Dalian you will rarely find a restaurant serving dog meat, and generally citizens here care very much about their dogs and cats,” he said.
“So when we received a call about this new slaughterhouse, we and the law enforcement officers acted immediately to shut it down. Whenever anyone dares to open such a cruel business here, they are very quickly reported and the police take immediate action.
“If all police across China were as active as Dalian police, we could crack down on the cruel dog and cat meat trade almost overnight.”
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