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Animal activists have partnered local police to shut down an illegal dog slaughterhouse in China.
Animal protection group VShine worked with law enforcement in Dalian after a tip-off from a citizen.
According to the group, Dalian operates a zero-tolerance policy to the dog meat trade, and the slaughterhouse had only recently been opened by a man who lives outside the city.
Dogs rescued
The activists found seven live dogs at the property, including German shepherds, golden retrievers, and a Rottweiler. The dogs were surrendered by the slaughterhouse operator.
They were then taken to VShine’s shelter, which is supported by animal charity Humane Society International, so they could receive veterinary attention. HSI funding will help support their veterinary care and rehabilitation.
The group believes one of the dogs was a companion animal, as they were wearing a collar. Others are believed to be former guard or farm dogs who were either stolen or purchased from their humans.
Rare to serve dog meat
“We are very proud that in Dalian you will rarely find a restaurant serving dog meat, and generally citizens here care very much about their dogs and cats,” Dezhi Yu, of Vshine, said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.
“So when we received a call about this new slaughterhouse, we and the law enforcement officers acted immediately to shut it down. Whenever anyone dares to open such a cruel business here, they are very quickly reported and the police take immediate action.
“If all police across China were as active as Dalian police, we could crack down on the cruel dog and cat meat trade almost overnight.”
‘Progressive on animal welfare’
“Most people in China don’t eat dogs, but the city of Dalian is particularly progressive on animal welfare, and a shining example of what the whole of China could achieve if animal protection were taken more seriously,” added Dr. Peter Li, Humane Society International’s China Policy Expert.
“The dog meat trade is not welcome in Dalian, with the local police and animal activists using China’s food safety laws to eliminate this cruelty in the absence of any animal protection legislation.
“If all Chinese police acted the same, we could have a massive impact on the dog and cat meat trade. If China went further and introduced a robust animal cruelty law, we could eradicate the trade very quickly.”
