Kamis, 20 Februari 2014

Yes, cats and dogs are special – they deserve our protection in China


There's no welcome like it when To Zhai and Muppet come hurtling towards me, after I return home to our bear rescue centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province. These incredibly sociable and outgoing dogs have, thankfully, forgotten that they were both once destined for the dinner table in China.


To Zhai was found trembling in a cage in a market in southern China, as she and other dogs around her were waiting for slaughter. We saw her at the end of an investigation of markets, restaurants, slaughterhouses and dog and cat meat stalls, and rescued her there and then. Muppet was rescued from a truck containing more than 900 caged dogs, in transit from the north of the country to the south, which was intercepted by a brave animal welfare group in Chengdu. The dogs were quickly confiscated when the driver couldn't provide the appropriate licences to the police, who had been called in. Interceptions such as this are now commonplace in China, where activists increasingly understand the law and the licences required, and use their knowledge to call in the authorities, alert the media and have the dogs legally taken into their care.


These dogs are the lucky ones. So many suffer a cruel fate each year - being bludgeoned over the head, having their throats slit, or being plunged, still alive, into boiling water to remove their fur. The trade is steeped in illegality, and our investigations over the past two years have shown that many of the animals used in this trade of consumption are, in fact, stolen pets.


Later this year a report by Animals Asia will show evidence of this, and highlight other aspects of the trade, such as the unhygienic slaughterhouses, preparation methods that would turn the strongest stomach, the tricks of the traders, and the illegal chain of sale. In addition, we have placed advertisements in subways, on high-rise buildings and at bus stops across the country warning the public that the dog and cat meat they may be tempted to eat has come from a stolen family pet, or a diseased animal snatched from the street.


Thankfully, the situation is slowly changing and our work with the authorities on dog management programmes and forums are an important tool in changing current practices and reversing old ideas. Relevant government departments have an important role in China's dog management work: they are responsible for policies and protocols for domestic and stray dogs, and rabies prevention. During the past five years, Animals Asia has conducted annual symposiums, encouraging local governments to develop humane standards.


On a more practical level, we encourage people to share experiences and advice on running a successful animal shelter - and, while there is still a long way to go, we can see a marked improvement in the shelters themselves compared with how they were run even a few years ago.


Some may ask if we have the 'right' to object to the consumption of dogs and cats when so many practices in the west are equally egregiously cruel. In truth, we don't believe that dogs and cats deserve kind treatment because they are pets, but rather because they are friends and helpers of humankind. Both species are cherished as 'therapists' in hospitals and homes for the young and elderly, in recognition of the psychological and physical benefits they can bring. Papers abound with evidence of animal therapy reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and enhancing the immune system. They point to the fact that many of us owning animals are healthier than those who do not.


We can now relate this evidence to other animals typically farmed for their meat: if dogs and cats can improve our emotional and physical health, then the natural progression is to show the equal sentience and intelligence of farm animals, and lobby for better treatment of these species, too. In short, companion animals can be the springboard in showing how disgracefully we treat so many food animals.


This is why it is so important to continue adding to the momentum we've already created in China, with programmes of animal welfare. Irene Feng, our cat and dog welfare director, remembers wanting to change her career from business to the charity sector in 2005. As she says: 'What I like best about my job is that it's not working for money but for something meaningful for animals: helping to free cats and dogs from cruelty. Of course I know that I can't help them all, but the more our team works on this issue, the more the animals will benefit. I learned so much from my own dog, Maomao, and am proud of how much our welfare team has achieved to improve the lives of dogs and cats in China in the past 10 years.'


* This article was commissioned after a suggestion from Leopold1904


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