Friend or food Dog meat trade divides China

Peter Li is a China policy specialist at Humane Society International. He is also an associate professor of East Asian politics University of Houston Downtown. The views expressed here are solely his.

(CNN)Yulin's dog meat festival where some 10 000 dogs are slaughtered and served up as meals is often wrongly assumed to be an ancient Chinese tradition.

In fact the festival only dates back to 2009 when it was launched in the city in China's southwest to celebrate the summer solstice.

The consumption of dog meat does have historical precedence in China.

At its height during the Han Dynasty (202 220 AD) dog meat was considered a delicacy.

Yet dog eating soon lost favor and by the Sui Tang dynasties (581 907 AD) dog eating had been rejected as an indecent habit.

Subsequent dynasties valued dogs as helpers and hunting buddies.

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Losing battle

In the 21st century dog eating is facing strong criticism inside China. Three decades of economic expansion has spawned a growing army of animal lovers and pet owners believed to be 30 million strong.

Of China's estimated 130 million dogs at least 27 million are urban pets according to research group Euromonitor.

As more young people move into the cities they look to companion animals for comfort in the absence of the family unit.

With their new found bond with animals this new generation of Chinese see cats and dogs as thinking feeling individuals deserving of compassion. Most importantly they are friends not food.

I believe the dog meat industry is fighting a losing battle.

My own investigations and those of Chinese activists and journalists all confirm its downward spiral as the cruelty involved is exposed.

Guangzhou a city well known for eating dogs cats and exotic wildlife just closed a dog meat restaurant that had been in operation for 51 years according to local reports.

Likewise brutal dog slaughter used to be everywhere in Beijing's suburbs less than 10 years ago but it has now virtually disappeared.

In 2011 local authorities shut down the Jinghua Dog Meat Festival following nationwide condemnation.

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How long can Yulin authorities remain defiant of Chinese and international public opinion

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Rabies risk

The dog meat trade is a serious threat to human health and Chinese authorities have every reason to stand by the animal advocates.

China has the world's second highest incidence of rabies in humans. And according to China's ministry for public health Guangxi province where Yulin is located has the largest number of cases in China while Yulin is one of China's top ten cities for cases of human rabies.

READ Chinese city kills 5 000 dogs to control rabies

Eating dog meat of itself does not cause rabies but the handling and slaughter of vast numbers of unvaccinated dogs exposes the traders to a high risk of rabies infection.

Transporting the dogs to the festival is an intrinsically brutal operation. Dogs for Yulin come from as far as central and north China's Henan and Shandong more than 1 000 miles away.

They are crammed into wire cages unable to extend their limbs denied food and water for days during the exhausting trip. The dogs arrive at their destination malnourished and underweight dehydrated often dying from injuries or from being poisoned during capture. Others are already dead.

Food safety disaster

This isn't solely an animal welfare issue it's also a food safety disaster.

China's food safety regulations ban the processing selling and serving of products from diseased or dead animals of unknown causes.

And yet the Yulin authorities seemingly ignore these rules allowing dog meat from unknown sources to be sold to consumers and in so doing prioritizing the profits of dog meat traders over consumer health.

When contacted by CNN a spokesperson for the local food and drug administration declined to answer any questions.

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The average Chinese citizen finds public dog slaughter inexcusably offensive.

Dogs are openly killed in crowded marketplaces on the streets and most shockingly next to elementary schools imposing bloody and cruel practices on vulnerable members of the public.

Such public slaughter risks creating an indifferent and morally defunct society.

Beating and killing these struggling crying dogs in full view of other terrified dogs showcases an industry that is devoid of humanity.

Additionally the criminal activity of dog theft sustains much of the dog meat industry with often violent confrontations between angry dog owners and the thieves.

Changing culture

Opposition to dog eating is not about interfering in the food choices of dog meat eaters nor a challenge to Chinese culture.

No culture is stagnant it evolves and progresses.

During my most recent trip to Yulin in May I sat down to have tea with five dog meat traders. I asked them if they wanted their children to step into their shoes. They answered a resounding No.

Their children were ashamed of their parents' profession. The 19 year old son of one trader asked Why are you doing this out of all the jobs out there

It is a question resounding throughout China and the authorities need to listen.

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