The Chinese parliament will soon have the opportunity to outlaw the sale of cats and dogs for human consumption.  Pressure to end the ancient practice is coming from a surprising source – a newly emerging, pet loving middle class.

The idea that eating dog and cat meat is repugnant to the western world is a concept that hasn’t taken hold in China until recently.  The custom is centuries-old and restaurants abound throughout the country.  Dog in particular, is considered to be a delicacy that is believed to have “warming properties.”  It is popular in the northeastern part of China where winter months are frigid.  Cat meat is more popular in southern China.

The proposed legislation, which will be reviewed by the National People’s Congress in April, is part of a larger bill to stop animal abuse in the country.  If the law is passed, people who are caught eating either domestic animal will be fined as much as $730 and spend up to 15 days in jail.  Restaurants and retailers involved in the practice will face fines from $1,500 to $70,000. 

The law will also obligate legal authorities to respond to hotline calls from the public about violations and force them close down thousands of dog restaurants and butchers. 

In the past several years, the tradition of eating companion animals has become increasingly unpopular in China.  A new middle class of affluent and pet loving citizens has emerged and have become the backbone behind the new way of thinking.

This educated group has become very vocal about ending the practice.  They initiated online petitions that attracted tens of thousands of signatures.  And they posted videos showing the abuse cats and dogs endure in the industry.

This wave of public awareness has spurred the creation of outspoken animal rights groups in many Chinese cities. 

Zeng Li, the founder of the Lucky Cats shelter in Beijing said, “I support this proposal. Whether you judge this as a question of food security or emotion, there is absolutely no necessity in China for people to eat dogs and cats.  We need something more than moral pressure.  Beijing’s dog restaurants get their meat mainly from vagrant and stolen dogs.  In the suburbs, dogs are hung and slaughtered in front of buyers.”

Activists regularly block trucks carrying hundreds of cats to meat markets and break into cages to release animals outside of restaurants.  Their actions have created strong social tensions that have led to several recent murders.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has been studying the changing public opinion for the past year.  “We are proposing that all dog and cat eating should be banned because it is causing many social problems,” said Chang Jiwen, a law professor at the Chinese Academy. 

Chinese citizens who uphold traditional values seem bewildered by the new regard for cats and dogs.  A comment posted by a reader on the Xhinua news agency website said, “This is absurd.  Why only dogs and cats?  How about pigs, cows and sheep?”

The proposed “pet meat ban” has created a lot of controversy, even before Chinese legislators have read it.  It was originally part of a more comprehensive law about animal rights that was scaled back to the prevention of animal abuse.  Many Chinese are more concerned with fixing human rights in the country before tackling the rights of animals.  Experts think there is a 50:50 chance that the ban on cat and dog meat will become law.

Please sign the Care2 petition to help see that this proposition becomes law.  Click Here.