Shenzhen, in southeastern China, will become the first city in the nation to ban eating cats and dogs if a draft regulation to restrict the consumption of wild animals is approved.
On February 24, 2020, the National People’s Congress of China, issued an order to put tighter restrictions on the wildlife trade nationwide and to ban all consumption of wild animal meat. The measures are anticipated to be preserved in China’s wildlife protection law by the end of 2020.
The decision comes after the Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) outbreak, which is thought to have originated from wildlife sold at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, Hubei province, in early December. The market shut down on January 1 for sanitary procedures and disinfection. Samples were taken from the market and its animals, with 33 out of 585 environmental samples showing evidence of Covid-19. The market had an extensive list of wildlife animals it sold for consumption, including dogs, bats, snakes, peacocks, rats, koalas, turtles, and much more.
The government of Shenzhen stresses that the potential ban on dog and cat meat isn’t outlined as part of an effort to reduce transmission of disease, but rather as an aspect of the bond between pets and people. The government has called this the “consensus of all human civilization.”
Deborah Cao, an animal protection expert in China, said:
Shenzhen might just be able to do it, as it is a progressive city in many ways. I really hope so.
Consumption of cat and dog meat has become less acceptable over time. However, China is not the only country that eats them; there are other nations who eat dogs and cats, including Nigeria of West Africa, Indonesia, Switzerland, Vietnam, and South Korea. In 2017, Taiwan forbade the consumption of dog and cat meat.
Wendy Higgins, international media director at HSI, said:
Dog eating has become increasingly controversial in China, with frequent violent clashes between dog thieves and angry dog owners. There is a growing and vocal Chinese opposition to the dog and cat meat trade, and young people in China are far more likely to think of dogs as companions than cuisine.
The draft regulation was in a public comment phase, which ran until March 5, 2020. No timeline has been established for the final determination. If the ban is approved, any animals that are identified as potentially carrying disease could be included on the list of animals prohibited for consumption. Some of these animals might consist of snakes, turtles, some birds, and insects. The ban would set fines ranging from 20,000 to 200,000 yuan ($2,854– $28,544) for restaurants serving illegal animals.
HSI (Humane Society International) has estimated that every year between 10 – 20 million dogs are killed for their meat in China. At the annual Chinese dog meat festival, which began in 2009, the ten-day festival involves the slaughter and consumption of thousands of dogs. As for cats, protection group Animals Asia estimated 4 million a year are killed for their meat.
Higgins explained:
The vast majority of dogs caught up in the trade in China are stolen pets and strays snatched from the streets. After being stolen or snatched, the animals are crammed in small cages in their hundreds, unable to move, and piled on the back of trucks, packed so tightly they can break limbs.
Hopefully, Shenzhen will inspire other cities in China and even nations to follow. Dogs and cats are not meant to be eaten; they are meant to be our friends.
