Comments on: CHINA: Eating dog meat

By: kabelo

kabelo — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:09:06 +0000

dog meat try it? im about to through up! down here in Botswana, Southern Africa, dogs are pets and guards (especially at the cattle post). they guard mostly goats to protect them agaist jackals! the next thing next to a dog ive seen being eaten is some sought of a wild cat. Not in towns though, in the deep jungle. Ive tasted one myself, taste’s better than chicken, i can promise you that!

By: hayley

hayley — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:28:39 +0000

its a discrace the way they kill the dogs before eating it and this is the main reason u would never catch me in china it makes me sick to the stomach

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:07:33 +0000

I am in the process of writing an essay for my degree on the dogmeat trade in China and I can assure you, it is not an enjoyable subject to research. I agree with you, to an extent, that we should all make an effort to indulge and embrace different cultures, and I do think that many Westerners feel the need to critisise anything outside of their Western bubble. However, I think the extremes go both ways and that some people are so intent on being “culturally open minded” that they forget the main reason as to why a particular thing is frowned upon in the first place.

For instance, one might say that if you travel to Asia and see Tiger on the menu, why not try it? You don’t want to offend anyone and would like to get a true sense of the traditional cuisine. What you might be forgetting or ignoring is that there is a damn good reason why we don’t eat tiger and that is the fact that it will be extinct before long if we continue to do so!

The same goes for dog meat. In theory you might say, why is one animal suitable for eating and another not? The fact of the matter is that, as mentioned by one of the people above, methods of both farming and slaughter are agonising for all dogs involved, there is no animal welfare legislation in China to prevent cruelty and dogs are not considered livestock and so farming is unregulated. And whilst we’re on the subject of farming, how exactly would you propose a method of farming dogs humanely? Stick a hundred of them in a field to fight with each other over scraps? Dogs aren’t prey animals, they’re carnivores; which is the exact reason why most of the world accepts them to be an impractical source of food.

May I suggest, while you’re being open minded and culturally accepting in your food choices, that you actually sit down and consider why something might be frowned upon by the Western world, as there may be a good reason for it?!

By: Robby

Robby — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:38:06 +0000

I agree with what you are saying, but I totally disagree with some of the ways these industries kill the dogs. Some are put through a horrible process of being skinned alive. You can’t imagine what this must feel like. If China and other Asian countries choose to keep eating dogs, they need to come up with a way to kill the dog without putting it through pain.

By: SunnyWorld

SunnyWorld — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:02:06 +0000

Simone, I lived in China for a long time, are you sure the following statement is true?

What upset me the most is the lies that are associated with consuming dog and cat meat and the method of abuse used before slaughtering the animal.

By: Simone

Simone — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:05:52 +0000

I respect all cultures and their belief up until I foung out that people in Asia ( meaning Vietnam, China, Korea) were consuming dogs and cats. What upset me the most is the lies that are associated with consuming dog and cat meat and the method of abuse used before slaughtering the animal. They beat,strangle,electricute or beat the animals to an inch of it’s life for about an hour or so. While this is happening the poor animals is suffering horrendously. (Not to mention that the other dogs are witnessing this as well). The belief is that it suppose to make the meat sweeter due to the andrenaline of suffering the animal undergo. There is no proof that eating dogs and cats have medicinal purposes such as helping men with their virility or arthritis cure when consuming cat tonic. Also they believe that consuminh dog soup in the summer cools the body down. Well eating any type of hot soup in the summer has the same effect. All these reason for consuming dogs and cats is unacceptable and untrue and it is used only for the purpose of brainwashing people. I would rather you tell people you enjoy it instead of lying to people about the medicinal properties associated with consuming dog and cat meat to get people to eat it. I would never try it and anyone who eat dogs and cats are only perpetuating the practice to continue unabated. I am not saying that the western culture is any better because we too have a few idiots in the United States who have worked in slaughterhouse who have been caught abusing animals who are being sacrificed for our nourishment. I think we should treat any animal with dignity and respect instead of abusing them when their lives is already hanging from a thread. Would you keep beating someone while they are already down? No. Why is it o.k for animals to suffer in that manner as well.

By: sanami

sanami — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:50:23 +0000

“I don’t agree with people’s blanket disapproval that it’s “wrong” based on their own cultural comfort level.”
You are the first person to say this and I THANK you very much!!! This just made my day and year just so much better….. I have met so many north americans in Europe and Asia who just can’t stand seeing the head on an animal they are eatting. Some people will say they are vegetarians just to avoid eatting certain things. Food is a culture you travel so far so why do you need to eat what you can eat in your home country when you can eat something new. People will take great pleasure (taking up a lot of their time and perhaps finances) in making something just for their guest – you – to eat. I believe just as you do to try everything at least once because you cannot say you don’t like it when you never tried it. Thank you for a wonderful blog!! cheers

By: are you gonna eat that?

are you gonna eat that? — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:05:34 +0000

Karen: Ha. I’ve never heard that one before. I’m going to have to go with nope.

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:52:28 +0000

My translator, Kizito, told me that if you eat dog, other dogs will be able to smell it on you and they’ll react. Have you noticed the ankle-biter dogs in Calgary snarling at you recently?

By: Lucy

Lucy — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:20:35 +0000

I am Chinese and I used to eat dog meat but not now, since I like dogs now especially little dogs. Indeed many Chinese like eating different animals, I just have to say that there are many reasons on forming this.