People throughout the world see dogs as “man’s best friend.” They are animals with deep feelings and they can be one of the most loyal and loving companions you could ever have. For most people, resisting a dog’s charm is simply impossible.
This fluffy ball of love is named Scout. He originally lived in China in the town of Yulin. However, now he lives in Washington D.C. with an American family.
That’s because his original owner was trying to slaughter and eat him.
There is a town in China called Yulin that celebrates a “dog meat festival” every year. Annually, restaurant owners and street vendors sell dog and cat meat to both locals and tourists. This tradition goes back generations as a celebration of the summer solstice.
It’s possible there was a point in history where this made sense or wasn’t an atrocity, but now animal rights activists are fighting against the slaughter of innocent animals in the name of this festival. According to CNN, many locals are still accustomed to eating dog meat:
Ask a local when the tradition of eating dog meat began and you’ll likely be met with a dumbfounded expression — it is akin to asking someone when people started eating beef. For many in the city, eating dog meat is a hard habit to break, despite changing attitudes about the treatment of animals in China.
Uncensored version here (warning: you probably won’t like it).
Thankfully, groups are attempting to change how people view dogs across China. Ending the consumption and sale of dog meat is an important… soon maybe this festival will come to an end.
Because of the controversy, dog meat prices are rising and the festival is being protests. In the future, pups like Scout will be safe. For now, I’m glad someone was able to take that lovable dog away from the street vendor that was trying to kill him. Visit the International Humane Society’s blog to learn about this terrible tradition.
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