Remarkable Stand Against Eating Dog Meat

A remarkable story in the news today reflects two trends in China: an increasing awareness of the importance of animal welfare, and the use of social networking to mobilise activists.

Here’s what happened: after spotting a truck packed with hundreds of whimpering dogs on a Beijing highway, a man put out a call on a microblogging site, begging fellow animal lovers to help him force the driver to release the animals, which were on their way to being slaughtered for meat. Around 200 people responded, blockading the truck at a toll booth for 15 hours until they finally negotiated the dogs’ release for £14,000, with the funds being donated by a pet food company and an animal protection foundation. Many of the animals were dehydrated, injured and suffering from a viral infection; at least 68 have been hospitalized. Now dozens of volunteers have gathered at the Dongxing Animal Hospital in Beijing where they are helping to clean cages, mop floors and disinfect visitors.

The incident reflects the growing awareness of the importance of animal welfare amongst the younger, wealthier Chinese. It follows other signs of discontent with the traditional utilitarian attitude to animals, including protests at government-ordered mass killing of dogs during rabies outbreaks, demonstrations outside government offices against the mass slaughter of cats, and successful campaigns aimed at phasing out bear farms where bile is harvested for traditional medicine. The first everChinese animal welfare legislation is currently being drafted; another sign of changing attitudes.

The use of social networking is perhaps the most worrying aspect for the authorities. In the Middle East, it began with the public suicide of a young protestor. In China, could the realisation of people-power start with animals being rescued?