The yulin dog meat and lychee festival

Every year on June 21st (the hottest day of summer solstice) yulin holds an event called, “The Yulin dog and lychee festival”. It is labeled by society as “yulins torture fest”. This event is ten days and ten nights of eating large quantities of dog and cat meat while dining together, conversing and laughing with one another while getting drunk. Around 10,000 dogs and 4,000 cats will be violently and inhumanely tortured, then eaten during this horrifying 10-day event. The preparations for this “festival” start at the beginning of June. There are many illegal slaughterhouses in operation. In order for the dogs and cats to get there, the dog traders bring them in on over packed trucks. That is only when the legal quarantine documentation is obtained; real or fake. They are smuggled in discreetly on motorcycles, if the dog traders to not have the documents. Sadly, there are citizens who no longer want their pet and will sell them to a butcher for profit. However, the majority of the dogs and cats are stolen family pets, that are taken from their own yards by dog thieves. There have been videos of dogs being stolen from their property with darts. The rest are strays that are captured from the streets.
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The brutal torture begins at the beginning; at the time of a very cruel capture when they are forced into cramped cages so tightly together, they can hardly breathe. They are exposed to the weather without shelter of any kind, regardless if it is the sun, rain, wind, heat, cold. They are deprived of food and water the entire 1000+ mile trip. Due to the lack of oxygen, food, water, and space, it causes extreme anxiety among the animals. At times, fights then occur. Not at ANY TIME during all of this, do either the butchers or dog traders have any concern or regard to these poor animals, even while transferring them off the trucks. Therefore, they are thrown so hard, the impact often causes their bones to break even before being tortured. To prevent the dogs from struggling, the butchers attempt to make them unconscious by bludgeoning them in the heads, which often has to be done repeatedly. They have their snouts bound with wire so tightly in order to prevent them from biting in defense of their horrible fate they sense is about to occur. The bound snouts are also to prevent them from screaming and crying out in agony. To drain their blood, their throat or chest is slit while alive, because the blood will drain quicker if the heart is still beating. They are thrown into a contraption, still ALIVE, manufactured by samsung corporation, that de-furs and “tenderizes” their bodies. This "device" spins the dog around so fast they are unable to move, as the spikes on the inside, tears their fur from their flesh. Another form of removing their fur, is by hanging the dog from a hook and then skinning them ALIVE, because they are still warm. Another method, is using long metal tongs to clamp the necks, submersing the animal in and out of boiling hot water, over and over; then rubbing off the fur by hand. They are tied to the back of vehicles and dragged through the city so the abuse tenderizes their bodies. They are nailed to the ground through each paw. They often have each paw severed with dull kitchen knives, to ensure that they are unable to escape. They are electrocuted anally and/or in the mouth. They are blow torched ALIVE and boiled ALIVE. They are hung and released over and over to produce more fear. Any form of torture possible, these dogs and cats endure. They are also intentionally tortured in front of their fellow cage mates, so that it will produce even more fear. The torture itself is brought on upon the absurd belief that the more adrenaline running through the blood of the animal, the better tasting and more tender the meat will be. TORTURE, FEAR, AND AGONY IS ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED FOR THESE DOGS AND CATS.

Because of the considerable amount of advertising and commotion by the citizens and businesses of yulin, people travel from other areas of China as well, to attend this so called festival. While yes, eating dog and cat meat has been in the chinese culture for many years, the torture brought upon the animals, has not. It wasn’t until 2009, that one butcher discovered he can profit more by ensuring the meat was “fresh” by slaughtering the animal in front of the buyer. It didn’t take long after this “custom” was established, that is became a supposed “ancient tradition”. It has been convinced to many chinese that consuming dog meat at the festival during summer solstice is a way to keep cool during the summer, stay warm during the winter (if consumed during summer solstice itself), and produces more fertility in men. Yulin china has therefore refused to put a stop to this horrific event because the businesses have made a higher profit since it first began. They not only refuse to stop it, but they decorate the streets in decorations throughout the town. Yulin, China is in an autonomous region called Guangxi, in the People's Republic of China, therefore it is not governed the same way as the rest of China. Which means there are few select people who have the authority to shut the festival down.

If it is necessary to look at the negative outcomes, from a different aspect, other than the welfare of the animals, then there is also the health problems for the citizens of china. Rabies has become a severe problem in china. Yulin has the highest number of outbreaks than any other part of china. Dogs are smuggled in from beyond the city and risk spreading diseases to the local dogs. Dogs and cats contain a higher number of parasites, toxins, and viruses, than any other “meat”. Gastrointestinal problems caused by parasitic worms in both dogs and cats have also been discovered. Diseases such as anthrax, brucella canis, hepatitis and leptospirosis can also be transmitted by dogs. Even diseases such as cholera can be triggered by eating dog meat. The health problems that the chinese eat dog meat to TRY and prevent, such as fertility, heart issues, and fatigue actually does the opposite.

Animal rights activists around the world are working hard & doing what they can to not only ban the festival but to ban the dog & cat meat trade as well; vastly on social media where pictures, videos, and petitions of the Yulin festival are very prominent. Awareness seems to be the key to getting this festival stopped for good. With enough awareness and bad publicity directed at china, hopefully the pressure will finally push the government to ban this horrific and inhumane event for good.

Media has been involved to an extent. However, the most important and serious aspect has been left out almost every time; the torture. Articles and segments can be written and filmed all day every day, but unless the bigger picture and the main concern is publicized, how can it be addressed. A big issue with society is the fact that they are in denial that it really exists, concerned about hurting their own feelings if they see the truth, therefore they ignore the truth right there in front of them and refuse to take action to help us fight this. If you truly love dogs and cats then quit caring more about your own emotions and think of what these poor babies go through, all while you could have been helping but haven’t. While yes, the united states has a lot of involvement with china economically and financially, that doesn’t mean they are above us or can control us. It’s time the United States Government speaks up for what’s morally right. How come in the United States an animal abuser period, is considered a statistical serial killer, but when torture and murder of the most incomprehensible ways, occurs in china, it isn’t even addressed? Yes, a majority of dog meat eaters are from the older generation where it is acceptable, they still teach THE YOUNGER GENERATION THAT IT IS NORMAL AND OK TO DO. Then, what happens when that generation decides to come here, to America? They will bring their beliefs and brutal acts to this country where dogs are faithful companions as well as police and service dogs. It is time the government and society opens their eyes to the severity of this whole matter and do something to help. It takes nothing to write a letter, make a phone call, sign a petition, or whatever else that can be done to help. Come on America, quit proclaiming to love dogs and cats but turn your backs on the innocent ones that are being violently tortured. As for the government, you KNOW this isn’t right, you KNOW you can help stop it. Don’t be intimidated by a country that needs to mutilate and torture animals for money, control, and greed. Your partnership with this country can be beneficial in speaking for these innocent creatures. All you have to do, is do what’s right. Imagine that each and every one of those babies were YOUR FAMILY PET! STEP UP, TAKE A STAND, AND HELP THEM!