<p>China’s notorious dog meat festival has opened in defiance of a government campaign to improve animal welfare and reduce risks to health highlighted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.</p>

<p>The annual 10-day festival in the southwestern city of Yulin usually attracts thousands of visitors. The dogs are crammed into wire cages and driven for days without food to slaughterhouses and their carcasses are hooked up at meat market.<br />
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-joins-pact-to-regulate-weapons-after-trump-decides-to-quit-307708">Also Read: China joins pact to regulate weapons after Trump decides to quit</a><br />
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The law in China says, " Dogs are classified as companions, not livestock." The government is drawing up new laws to prohibit the wildlife trade and protect pets, however, Yulin dog festival is being held despite new guidelines&nbsp;over 10,000 dogs will be slaughtered this year as well.</p>

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<p>Many of these dogs are often sick or injured, many die on the transport trucks because of dehydration, shock, suffocation, and heatstroke and the ones that survive the journey often suffer from low immunity.</p>

<p>The coronavirus is believed to have originated in horseshoe bats before crossing into humans in a market in the city of Wuhan and&nbsp;there is a hypothesis that Beijing's second wave of cases emerged from a salmon stall.</p>

<p>Allowing mass gatherings to consume dog meat in crowded markets is a public health risk. In February, following a global backlash China put a temporary ban on exotic meat markets, but the Yulin festival is proof that there's no real reform.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Reuters)</em></p>

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China’s notorious dog meat festival has opened in defiance of a government campaign to improve animal welfare and reduce risks to health highlighted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

China’s notorious dog meat festival has opened in defiance of a government campaign to improve animal welfare and reduce risks to health highlighted by the novel coronavirus outbreak. The annual 10-day festival in the southwestern city of Yulin usually attracts thousands of visitors. The dogs are crammed into wire cages and driven for days without food to slaughterhouses and their carcasses are hooked up at meat market. Also Read: China joins pact to regulate weapons after Trump decides to quit The law in China says, " Dogs are classified as companions, not livestock." The government is drawing up new laws to prohibit the wildlife trade and protect pets, however, Yulin dog festival is being held despite new guidelines over 10,000 dogs will be slaughtered this year as well. × Many of these dogs are often sick or injured, many die on the transport trucks because of dehydration, shock, suffocation, and heatstroke and the ones that survive the journey often suffer from low immunity. The coronavirus is believed to have originated in horseshoe bats before crossing into humans in a market in the city of Wuhan and there is a hypothesis that Beijing's second wave of cases emerged from a salmon stall. Allowing mass gatherings to consume dog meat in crowded markets is a public health risk. In February, following a global backlash China put a temporary ban on exotic meat markets, but the Yulin festival is proof that there's no real reform. (With inputs from Reuters)

China's annual dog-meat festival opens despite new guidelines

Animal rights activists calling for an end to the slaughter and eating of dogs at a Chinese festival delivered a petition with 11 million signatures to authorities in Beijing on Friday.<br />
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The two dozen activists were accompanied by dogs, and unveiled banners with pictures of the animals above the message &quot;I&#39;m not your dinner&quot; as they presented the petition at the representative office of Yulin city, where the festival is held.<br />
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The annual festival, which is set to begin on June 21, sees residents of the southern city consume dog meat with thousands of dogs expected to be slaughtered.<br />
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Supporters of the festival say dog meat is good for your health at the hottest time of the year and eating the animals is no different from consuming any other meat.<br />
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But pictures of caged or slaughtered dogs posted online have outraged many people, with domestic and international organisations behind the petition calling for the festival to be stopped.<br />
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The campaign against the festival has received celebrity backing from British comedian Ricky Gervais and U.S. actor Ian Somerhalder.<br />
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In 2014, the Yulin government distanced itself from the festival, saying it was staged by private business people and did not have &nbsp;official support.

Thousands of dogs expected to be slaughtered at Yulin gala. Supporters say meat is good for you, no different from eating any other meat

Animal rights activists calling for an end to the slaughter and eating of dogs at a Chinese festival delivered a petition with 11 million signatures to authorities in Beijing on Friday. The two dozen activists were accompanied by dogs, and unveiled banners with pictures of the animals above the message "I'm not your dinner" as they presented the petition at the representative office of Yulin city, where the festival is held. The annual festival, which is set to begin on June 21, sees residents of the southern city consume dog meat with thousands of dogs expected to be slaughtered. Supporters of the festival say dog meat is good for your health at the hottest time of the year and eating the animals is no different from consuming any other meat. But pictures of caged or slaughtered dogs posted online have outraged many people, with domestic and international organisations behind the petition calling for the festival to be stopped. The campaign against the festival has received celebrity backing from British comedian Ricky Gervais and U.S. actor Ian Somerhalder. In 2014, the Yulin government distanced itself from the festival, saying it was staged by private business people and did not have official support.

Just say no: Protesters against China dog meat festival deliver petition with 11 million signatures to authorities

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China's annual dog-meat festival opens despite new guidelines

Just say no: Protesters against China dog meat festival deliver petition with 11 million signatures to authorities