Road to 5**：Consumption of dog meat
【明報專訊】◆News summary
On 8 April 2020, China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs published the National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources (Draft for Solicitation of Comments) and launched a one-month consultation exercise. The Catalogue covers a total of 31 types of livestock and poultry that the Animal Husbandry Law(《畜牧法》) is applicable to, legalising the use of these animals for consumption as well as other commercial activities. Dogs are not on this list: they are referred to as companion animals and should not be included. Experts believe that this is the equivalent of outlawing the sale of dog meat, a crucial step towards the prohibition of dog meat consumption.
◆Source A
After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were once again calls for the prohibition of wild game(野味)consumption on the mainland. On 24 February 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress declared a total ban on the consumption of wild game, expressing clearly that ''terrestrial animals with great ecological, scientific and societal value'' protected by the state, as well as those bred artificially, are not to be consumed. Shenzhen took the lead in prohibiting wild game consumption on 31 March, passing the Total Ban on the Consumption of Wild Animals, which is to come into effect on 1 May and will includes cats and dogs on the list of animals not to be consumed.
Despite the long-standing controversy over the consumption of dog meat, many places still uphold the local tradition of dog meat-eating. The Dog Meat Festival, which has been held annually in Yulin, Guangxi since 2009, has long been criticised by both domestic and foreign animal rights organisations and activists. In June 2020, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration issued guidelines to the handling of wild animals, including releasing them into the wild and non-edible legal uses, all of them aimed at decreasing the harm caused to the animals. Bamboo rats, porcupines and masked palm civets, in particular, are advised to be released into the wild and disposed of carefully.
Source: Ming Pao, 2020.05.04
■Mock examination question
With reference to the information provided, identify two factors the mainland government may consider in promoting the prohibition of consuming dog meat.
Key words: prohibition of dog meat consumption, factors
Factor One: Maintaining public health
The outbreak of COVID-19 is suspected to have been linked to the consumption of wild game, which led the mainland government to once again urge citizens to refrain from eating wild game and curb the spread of the virus domestically. In addition, prohibiting the consumption of dog meat will also help improve public health conditions. Therefore, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress declared in February 2020, that the consumption of wild game shall be prohibited.
Factor Two: Social value of dogs
Although there is a tradition of dog meat-eating in many places, the social value of dogs has changed with the mainland's social development and increases in education levels and living quality. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs pointed out that dogs are now referred to as companion animals, which shows how the mainland government has taken into account the change in the social value of dogs and promoted the prohibition of dog meat consumption.
Translated by Terence Yip
[通通識 第667期]
