PLEASE HELP Stop China's "Yulin Dog Meat Festival" - Cruelty and Torture!
 

{--Click for UPDATE for 2016--}

{{{ This article is from the Huffington Post here (warning, graphic pictures via link) about an event called the "Yulin Dog Meat Festival" that occurs in China on June 21st. It's abhorrently cruel - where 10,000+ dogs are killed - often skinned and boiled alive for human consumption. There are no words for this, as this is beyond barbaric and SICK. PLEASE take a moment to pass this on, post it elsewhere, tweet it, instagram it, sign the petition at the end of the article...please do something. I'm posting it here in the General area so that it gets more attention. This is not a judgment against other cultures, this is a plea to end pointless torture of our fellow beings. Thank you. }}}

Gruesome Yulin Dog Festival Must End! You Have a Voice

The world is full of cruel, barbaric acts and images -- what with ISIS beheading people on video and human traffickers said to sell more people into slavery than in the 19th century. Some of this we can do little about as one single person, despite our hope to the contrary.

Yet, one inhumane tradition happens each summer in southern China that can be stopped -- and must be stopped -- with voices from you and I. It is as simple as 1+1+1 = the tsunamia of social media.

Each June 21, the Yulin Dog Meat Festival takes place in Guangxi province. It is real, despite local government protests to the contrary. In it, the meat from thousands of dogs and cats are consumed.

These nearly 10,000 sentient animals arrive to Yulin in appalling conditions -- often stuffed into cages and dragged on poles -- and the manner in which they're killed, skinned and eaten is horrific, with many clubbed, burned, electrocuted and some skinned alive, according to local activist reports. It is simply torture.

The people of Yulin have celebrated the Summer Solstice with this festival since the 1990s, and use the dog and cat meat to eat with lychees and drink grain alcohol. They do not consider any of the above conditions an issue, not even the way the animals arrive or are killed, cooked and consumed.

Animal rights groups and acivitists for years have been trying to stop the festivities. Yet, despite huge social media protest inside China, it's scheduled to happened again this June.

Just recently, Twitter globally alit with the horrifying images of the event with hopes to shame and put pressure on local authories to stop the festival.

Learn what you can about this event. CNN has done some good reporting on it. Other media outlets have, as well.

Keep up the pressure! Western consumers of Chinese products and Chinese tourism have a good deal of power. Let us use it.

TIME reports it well: TIME.

Sign the petition demanding the festival be stopped here.

Another good petition from Humane Society Int'l, here.

Here's the non-profit -- the Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project - working hard to stop the festival here.

A detailed article on Chinese Animal Activists fighting to stop Yulin from Humane Society International

A Facebook group tirelessly working to stop the event

Frequently asked questions about the festival here.

A firsthand, heart wrenching account from someone who has seen these poor animals in person, here.

Thank you for bringing this to everyone's attention. As you wrote, there are no words adequate for this. Truly awful.

I will sign and share.

Thank you Ann, this is so disgusting, I hope we can show them that this will hurt their bottom line and it makes me sick so many American manufactures are buying things there. They make a bundle from Americans a dog related products.

I understand that different places have different cultural norms but sheesh! I just can't!

I've signed the petition as well. There are many petitions for this and I've signed them all. I also retweeted and share on all of my social media pages. One day we are going to wake up and find that all of the animals have just disappeared. There only hope is for humanity to cease to exist. When will humans learn that we need animals more than they need us. We should be putting them all on a pedestal for without them, we cannot survive. And I don't mean just for food but animals play an important role in the ecosystem.

Animals have live for millions of years without the existence of human. Humans wouldn't survive one year without animals and the ecosystem and yet here we are trying our best to destroy the ecosystem.

How do you look at something in pain and not have a reaction to it......that is what is scary. For people to see the pain they are causing and not care.

................omg..............

The cruelty of humans never ceases to appall me....and we call ourselves civilized? There are sooooooo many barbaric, brutal, cruel behaviors going on all over the world, some against animals, some against humans......I am afraid it is against all hope to correct such behavior that so many societies do not even consider brutal or cruel, but just a normal way of life for them.

Isn't it mind boggling? It's SO beyond my comprehension. In China, they also skin dogs alive for their fur (I've seen the videos, horrific!)...and I cannot wrap my brain around how *anyone*, anyone at all, could be willing to perform an unconscionable and purposeful act of torture willingly.

Totally hear you, it's so beyond anything. So well beyond. To torture a living being is just abhorrent to everything I'm about.

But don't lose hope...or at least try not to...someday in the future there will be change. It will be slow and painful to watch, but things *will* change. Every/any little thing you do toward that effort counts. It truly does. The more we talk about it, face it, be totally honest about it, and try to change it....the more it gets out there into the collective consciousness.

I think I saw the same video. It haunts me to this day. In all honesty, it is more likely the US is behind the fur trade. Americans will not give up their fur even fake fur. Most people don't know that faux fur is really dog or cat hair. You have to look for the stitches to tell the difference.

Even with this information, so many Americans don't care that animals are being skinned alive for fashion. They will still buy it. I no longer buy anything that is made from animals that I know of or I try my very best not too like with shoes. I'm not sure who is sicker. Every time I pick up an item now the first question I asked is "were there any animals harmed in the making of this garment?'.

I am even beginning to question my lifestyle as a meat eater and have been eating less meat. I now eat beef and chicken only a few times a week now. I eat mostly fish but now even the fish are beginning to disappear. Maybe it is time for a reset. This is going to end very badly.

I'm sorry but I didn't read the post... If I do, I won't be able to sleep for a while. However, I share your passion regarding these type of issues. Signed the petition and donated right away.

I'm truly thankful to all those that work hard to save these poor animals.... And I hope whatever support we offer can aid them in any way possible.

I think, yes, we may have seen the same dog fur video; I've seen a lot of undercover animal cruelty footage in my life - but that particular video, by FAR, is the worst thing I've ever, ever seen. And while it was/is probably important for me to see it, the memory of it haunts me often and it just kills me to know this happens in our world. I can't imagine what that dog in that video experienced, my God, it's insane to consider.

Yes, many people don't realize that "faux fur" here in the US just may be dog fur - you have to really know your textures and textiles to make sure it's truly faux.

The thing that makes me especially crazy about fur is that it's just *so* easy to give up, ya know? SO EASY. So why people still buy it, it boggles my mind.

As far as what you mention about eating meat...I haven't eaten meat in 20+ years now, and it's honestly not much of a loss. It was pretty easy to give up. I still eat seafood occasionally, but even that bothers me and I really do wish I'd just give it up for good...maybe some day. I'm not weird about the meat thing though, I never push it on others and I'll still cook meat for others if they want it - as it's really their choice and I respect it. Btw, you're still doing a good thing by just eating less meat or whatever - this contributes less and less to the big Ag/slaughterhouse industry and that's always good. Another option is to buy free range / cruelty free meat.

Totally understand on not being able to read the post - I'm the same way on many days...sometimes, I just cannot take it into my head/heart. This one was super tough for me to hear about given it's particular abhorrent cruelty...and I hate knowing that it happens. But I suppose the only way to stop it is to know about it, sigh...so sad to know these things. Thanks for signing the petition and donating :)!

I signed. I could not read the article as I watched the video from years ago skinning live dogs for their fur and was haunted by the images. Thank you for making us aware and advocating for these innocent beings.

Bumping....only 4 more days to try to make a difference for these innocent dogs...:(

Signed, Ann....but sorry I, too, couldn't read it. Just seeing those dogs terrified faces on the petition page...

I signed it also. Realistically, we are not going to stop it. My heart weeps for those poor animals.

It may not be stopped this year....but someday, we *will* stop it. I know it will happen...so we have to keep being part of the solution by doing something and spreading awareness.

I so hope you are right. I'll keep signing the petitions and spreading the word of these atrocities.

I'm a dog lover, but that's their culture and what they eat. We treat chickens, pigs, and cows the same way. In India cows are holy animals. So they must think we're barbaric as much as we think the Chinese are to dogs. Since I love my hamburgers and BBQ, I won't sign the petition as that would make me a hypocrite.

I have to agree, you put it more eloquently than I was thinking though. I no longer eat cow, chicken, pig which is normal within the U.S., but I know if I told some of my friends they were barbaric because they do it would be a problem. Don't some raise a breed of dog specifically for meat though? My great grandmother is of Asian descent and I recall my mother saying something about that.

Nureongi is the main dog used for meat in Korea, although I'm sure some keep them as pets. I remember my husband telling me his aunt kept a pig and goat as a pet which was odd to me since they eat pig, goat, cow, sheep...

From what I know about China, there's not a type of breed. They will eat practically any breed. However, they're more superstitious so the colors matter. Black dogs are more desired and White dogs are the less desired and usually kept as a pet.

Well that explains a bit. I know in Caribbean culture eating guinea pig and goat is normal. While some people keep them as pets most people that grew up with that culture won't. To some people that aren't familiar with my culture I may be seen as barbaric or ignorant which is not the case at all.

We don't skin cows alive.

Is it the fact that some of the dogs are skinned alive the problem? Or is it because it's a dog period?

So you love dogs, but you're fine with torturing living beings bc "that's the culture"....? If so, your idea of the world really frightens me.

Though we don't skin and boil animals alive (except, perhaps, for lobsters, which I also don't believe in), I actually believe our treatment of factory farm animals is abhorrent and barbaric - and I speak out against that as well.

Btw, I also think it's barbaric that we euthanize 3-4,000,000 pets per year also. Do you think that's okay, btw, bc "that's our culture"....?

I think it's hypocritical to say one loves dogs, but doesn't care about animal torture bc it's "cultural". Something being cultural does NOT make it okay. If so, I guess stoning women to death in other countries is not something we should blink an eye at either.

What on earth is "eloquent" about rubber stamping animal torture???!! WOW. My mind is blown, and in the worst way. :thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown

Eloquent as in what I was thinking was "what they do in their culture is essentially their business as long as they're not hurting anyone". That's what I was thinking. I happen to think tphan put it better than I would have. I don't see how that's a problem whether or not you agree/disagree with it. If they skin their meat source alive, yes I happen to think that's wrong. Using dogs as a source of meat? I wouldn't eat it, but I don't believe it's my business to tell someone they can't eat dog, goat, sheep, frogs but can eat cow, pig, and fish. Now I'm done for the day because although I'm against animal torture of any kind, I'm not one to be disgusted with someone's culture because I wasn't raised in it.

While I openly admit I love dogs and I am biased on anythings dogs, how can anyone condone skinning alive and burning alive any creature??? Hiding behind the "culture" curtain is BS. As Ann said is it OK to stone women because they held hands with a man in public? To mutilate the genitals of a 12 year old girl? Come on, there some lines that should never be crossed. Wrong is wrong, no matter where, when or why it happens. I signed that petition and I LOVE my ribs and steaks. I am NOT a hypocrite.

You just said above this: "what they do in their culture is essentially their business as long as they're not hurting anyone".

They ARE hurting "someones". That's the entire point.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Wish I could give this 1,000 thumbs up.

You are absolutely not a hypocrite for eating meat...and this is coming from a non-meat eater, just for full disclosure. Being a meat eater doesn't equate to being okay w/ cruelty, nor does it preclude one speaking out against it.

We don't skin cows alive, but we prod them with electricity until they faint then we stab them with a hook and hang them alive. When they wake up hanging upside down we cut their throat and let them bleed out alive. Pigs have it worse, they don't get prodded by electricity, instead they get head over the head with a hammer and knocked out. I can go on and on.