Among the many strange festivals around the world, China’s annual dog meat festival is no less astonishing. However, this time dog meat consumers are facing strong opposition from animal rights organizations. Activists working for animal rights have claimed that they saved thousands of dogs brought in for slaughter during this week’s “Yulin Dog Meat Festival.”
It is worth noting that Yulin is a city in China where an annual dog meat eating festival is held. People participate enthusiastically in the event, which is why thousands of dogs are killed there each year during the festival.
According to an international human rights organization, it intercepted a container filled with dogs that was being transported to a slaughterhouse in Yulin city.
An activist named Hsi, who works for human and animal rights, stated that the truck loaded with dogs had come from the southern city of Gansu. After traveling 1,948 kilometers, the truck was seized in Guangzhou. The dogs had reportedly been stolen from people’s homes and loaded onto the vehicle.
Due to hunger, thirst, and suffocation, the dogs were in a severely weakened condition, and thirty had already died.
Eyewitnesses said the truck driver attempted to escape by presenting fake documents, but police took him into custody. They also reported that the driver failed to provide any justification for purchasing such a large number of dogs.
Despite protests from human and animal rights organizations, the Yulin festival continues, and hundreds of dogs have already been slaughtered and their meat sold. There are increasing calls to ban this notorious festival, as it also serves as a source of illegal dog meat trade.
At the festival, dogs are openly slaughtered, their meat cooked, and consumed. Local people celebrate it as a summer seasonal festival.
Although Chinese authorities had imposed a strict ban on the sale of dog meat, the dog meat festival continues despite the restriction. Local officials argue that since it is a traditional festival, it would not be appropriate to interfere with it.