China reclassifies dogs as pets, not livestock, in post-virus regulatory push

 

FILE PHOTO: A man walks with his pet dog as he talks to a vendor who sells dog meat at a market during the local dog meat festival in Yulin, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

 

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China has drawn up new guidelines to reclassify dogs as pets rather than livestock, the agriculture ministry said, part of a response to the coronavirus outbreak that the Humane Society called a potential "game changer" in animal welfare.

 

Though dog meat remains a delicacy in many regions, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a notice published on Wednesday that dogs would no longer be considered as livestock. It uses that designation for animals that can be bred to provide food, milk, fur, fibre and medicine, or to serve the needs of sports or the military.

 

"As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilisation and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been 'specialised' to become companion animals, and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China," it said.

 

The coronavirus is widely believed to have originated in horseshoe bats, and could have been passed onto humans by intermediary species on sale in the markets of the city of Wuhan, where the pathogen was first identified.

 

China subsequently banned the breeding, trading and consumption of wildlife, and revoked all existing licenses. It has also promised to revise legislation to make the ban permanent.

 

The draft guidelines published on Wednesday, which have been opened to the public for consultation, listed 18 traditional livestock species - including cattle, pigs, poultry and camels.

 

It also added 13 "special" species that would also be exempt from wild animal trading restrictions, including reindeer, alpaca, pheasants, ostriches and foxes.

 

Dog consumption has become increasingly unpopular in China, and the southern city of Shenzhen became the first to ban it last month.

 

However, the Humane Society International, an animal welfare group, estimated that around 10 million dogs a year are still killed in China for meat, including stolen pets. The city of Yulin in the region of Guangxi holds an annual dog meat festival in June.

 

"This draft proposal could signal a game-changer moment for animal protection in China," said Wendy Higgins, a Humane Society International spokeswoman.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-09

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It sounds like people in power are finally catching on that something has to be done in China to have more modern control of the food distribution system. Classifying dogs as companion animals and not livestock should eventually have the desired effect of making them less desirable to future generations, although I've never seen eating dog meat to be a big problem -- offensive to me and my culture, but each to their own.  

 

As for revoking and banning all licences for the breeding and distribution of wildlife along with outlawing the consumption of it, that is a much more important step, and hopefully it will be carried in earnest. Even the Chinese who are set in the oldest and most socially dangerous ways have to now understand that some of their old habits have to stop. People may argue that the inhabitants of some regions have been eating bats for a long time, so why would they now suddenly start causing human illness? It's hard to say exactly why or even if, that was the cause of covid-19, but we do know that they are very prone to carrying rabies, and viral mutations can apparently occur, so those chances just can't be taken anymore, 

 

Edited April 9, 20206 yr by Inn Between

Great move would support 100%. But I want to clarify even from 90s, eating wild animal in China would face severe consequence; China also has the worlds most stringent ban of hunting/poaching since 90s, hunting activities( like these in US/Oz ) are unheard of. Now this new regulation is only the most strict food control, further limits what meat is edible to less than 30 species of land animal( within 31 listed livestock, some are only for leathery/tanning ). 

 

Even though Chinese love to joke about their cuisine themselves, in fact VERY few Chinese ever stumbled upon wild animal let alone eat any, anyone who flew over the populous Huabei plains would know there're little space left for wild animal, the entire area consisting massive population is like a giant continuous village. However it's true in several southern provinces there're some cuisine involved exotic/endangered animals( but NOT rumored bats, bats wasn't in ANY Chinese cuisine nor medicine ) and those animals happen to be some of the most infective to human. Even though less and less cases because strong enforcement( those caught eating pangolin always facing many years in prison and huge fine ), we wouldn't be complete safe until those animals are completely safe. 

 

Dogmeat have long became niche product( even in famously Xuzhou, Peixian, really hard find any dogmeat vendor nowaday ) or cultural travel attraction( Yulin and Peixian have tradition eat dog in ancient history, esp. when famine hit and any food are luxury ). I'm not personally support nor against dog meat, since my friend had pet piggy and I'm never dog person, but still this new regulation would simplfy things come to control potential virus transmission. 

 

Also I hope there would be more regulation on wet market, there's no point to see any animals are alive/fresh before eat - better totally adapt to modern distribution and better hygiene. But that would hurt lot of farmers - Although China already have massive modern food industry, still many farmers' live depending on local agricultural market, eg. wet market. But since this huge pandemic happened, guess they'll start plug the hole sooner or later.

 

 

Edited April 9, 20206 yr by Coremouse
grammar

Nothing can be done in China and nothing is un-doable in China. Very complicated people with deeply superstitious and bribing culture. 

Edited April 9, 20206 yr by Retarded

Anyone seen rover.... rover... ROVER..  

Great news but I fear many will ignore it and stubbornly carry on with their filthy habits.

2 hours ago, Inn Between said:

It sounds like people in power are finally catching on that something has to be done in China to have more modern control of the food distribution system. Classifying dogs as companion animals and not livestock should eventually have the desired effect of making them less desirable to future generations, although I've never seen eating dog meat to be a big problem -- offensive to me and my culture, but each to their own.  

 

As for revoking and banning all licences for the breeding and distribution of wildlife along with outlawing the consumption of it, that is a much more important step, and hopefully it will be carried in earnest. Even the Chinese who are set in the oldest and most socially dangerous ways have to now understand that some of their old habits have to stop. People may argue that the inhabitants of some regions have been eating bats for a long time, so why would they now suddenly start causing human illness? It's hard to say exactly why or even if, that was the cause of covid-19, but we do know that they are very prone to carrying rabies, and viral mutations can apparently occur, so those chances just can't be taken anymore, 

 

'' although I've never seen eating dog meat to be a big problem'' OK not wanting to be a hypocrite I would have to reluctantly agree, but the inhumane treatment of the dogs in the name of ''improving the taste'' or ''tenderising the meat'' or whatever excuse goes well beyond the pale and is extreme animal abuse of the highest order and has no place in this world.

4 hours ago, Retarded said:

Nothing can be done in China and nothing is un-doable in China. 

I'm feeling a little dense today and don't quite understand this. "Nothing can be done in China" just doesn't make sense to me as it seems clearly obvious that many things can be done in China. Then you say, "and nothing is un-doable in China."  I can only see the meaning of "un-doable" to mean to reverse an action, and that's always true everywhere in the world. Nobody can ever go back and change or "un-do" the past, so can you explain what you meant? I'm not trying to challenge you or be a smart *ss. I just don't really understand that sentence. My bad! 

 

Edited April 9, 20206 yr by Inn Between

I'm really curious why people can see cows as meat, and not see horses as salami meat?

 

Cows are clearly far more intelligent, far more dog like animals, thoughtful animals than horses.

 

So what is the point not to eat dogs, cows, horses pigs and chicken? 

 

Oh, did I just forgot to blank some of those animals from the list, just because I did not want to offend their cultural heritage. I guess I just did so.

 

Now do figure out, what type of meats are acceptable to eat and which are not.

 

Then expain each type by your own words.

 

This should be fun.

 

53 minutes ago, TheDark said:

I'm really curious why people can see cows as meat, and not see horses as salami meat?

 

Cows are clearly far more intelligent, far more dog like animals, thoughtful animals than horses.

 

So what is the point not to eat dogs, cows, horses pigs and chicken? 

 

Oh, did I just forgot to blank some of those animals from the list, just because I did not want to offend their cultural heritage. I guess I just did so.

 

Now do figure out, what type of meats are acceptable to eat and which are not.

 

Then expain each type by your own words.

 

This should be fun.

 

  Cows, pigs and chickens are good source of protein to the human race. Dogs are man's best friend. Horses you have a bet on.. I'm really curious where your from?.... 

This should be fun..........     

 

In China man's best friend is also men's best dinner...

Shenzhen may one day be the conscience of China.  The city has the most diverse population in China, best food, fantastic infrastructure, including more electric vehicles any place on earth, and is laid back with eateries opened all night.  It is more of a place to work and seek fortune than it is a place for relaxation.  

Edited April 10, 20206 yr by yellowboat

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilisation and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been 'specialised' to become companion animals, and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China," it said.

Dogs are not to be consumed as food for humans .

Cats neither .

But let's not forget where the virus originated from : a ' wet market ' that sold wild animals captured in the forest .

The animal that carried the Virus was probably a Pangolin ( the Pangolin itself came in contact with excrements from bats ) .

Pangolins are a protected species and should NOT be used for food or traditional chinese BS medicine .

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52048195

 

The wildlife should be protected in their natural habitat by law .

Violators need to be severely punished . 

Meerly lip service to the World.

China has to go on a massive propaganda spree to repair its much damaged reputation after the Covid Outbreak.

 

12 hours ago, Coremouse said:

Dogmeat have long became niche product( even in famously Xuzhou, Peixian, really hard find any dogmeat vendor nowaday ) or cultural travel attraction( Yulin and Peixian have tradition eat dog in ancient history, esp. when famine hit and any food are luxury ).

Cultural travel attraction?? So torturing dogs by blow torching and boiling them alive to "tenderize" the meat as they do EVERY year in the Yulin Dog Meat festival is your idea of a cultural tourist attraction. Let's not forget the horrible trade in Shark Fins, Sun Bears, Rhinos and Elephants. 

The mainland chinamen and their utter disregard for others, including nearly every animal on the planet needs to change. You don't see civilized Chinese in places like Taiwan or HK or Singapore eating dogs. They can't keep using that old excuse for how they ate dogs and such when Mao starved the nation during his Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward fiascos.

This whole Wuhan Virus is 100% their fault. They need to own it and change their behavior and join the civilized world. And yes call me a racist, I'm proud of it!

I'm not sure then\m being classified as pets is going to matter much.

This is really sad.

Only  taken over a century  to catch up to the civilised  world but still china needs to.be punished for 100 more years for.what it has done

what they should really ban, is eating bats. It looks like some pandemics started because of them anyway.

finally !!! but how many years before their idiots insane habits change ? I wish to these people the worst !!! especially the ones from Yulin !!

 

 

44 minutes ago, ReLo said:

finally !!! but how many years before their idiots insane habits change ? I wish to these people the worst !!! especially the ones from Yulin !!

 

 

Do consider that China only had 70+ years as an united country and about 40 years as a modern economy. Foreign invasions, civil wars, feudalism have impoverished China for thousand of years and eating a meal a day was a luxury. Some of those eating habits that they depended on for survival will change as the nation progress and join the global community, 

Why does all the last virus problems came from China? It's their culture of eating animals that can transfer virusus from animals to humans. There aren't so many beside bats and other species and china and the westen world know it. But to change chinese habits is the same like you want to change the moon into the sun!

 

Only if it is forbidden by law with "painful" sanctions!

This guy is gone

His essay that made him disappear is here:

 

http://credibletarget.net/notes/RZQ

Hey in Canada a fast food place has the heavily salted, Beyond Meat Burger, and

it seems popular with the vegetable eaters. Too much salt for my liking.

Geezer

So, by the Chinese gov't acknowledging that all this time dogs were considered livestock, the following is no longer considered a racist joke, and that anyone who called a person who told this joke a racist needs to apologize to them.

 

Q: what do you call a Chinese with 2 dogs?

 

A: a rancher

 

 

18 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Do consider that China only had 70+ years as an united country and about 40 years as a modern economy. Foreign invasions, civil wars, feudalism have impoverished China for thousand of years and eating a meal a day was a luxury. Some of those eating habits that they depended on for survival will change as the nation progress and join the global community, 

Impoverished for a thousand years??? What nonsense. Maybe your history should be something other than that provided by the Chinese Communist Party to serve their goals of keeping the people in the dark as to the true horrible nature of their rule. I have very intelligent friends in China who justify the state surveillance and oppression under the guise of keeping them safe.

The impoverishment you speak about was caused by Mao's idiotic policies that resulted in mass famine and millions of deaths.

28 minutes ago, phkauf said:

Impoverished for a thousand years??? What nonsense. Maybe your history should be something other than that provided by the Chinese Communist Party to serve their goals of keeping the people in the dark as to the true horrible nature of their rule. I have very intelligent friends in China who justify the state surveillance and oppression under the guise of keeping them safe.

The impoverishment you speak about was caused by Mao's idiotic policies that resulted in mass famine and millions of deaths.

Did your educated friends in China educate you on the history of China which goes back thousand of years of warlords and famines. China after Mao is a only a very short part of history. 

 

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99 cases reported yesterday in China. So the closing of borders doesn't seem to be working as that number is the highest for weeks or the numbers reported were not factual.

I chose the latter—numbers from China not factual (and never were).

Edited April 13, 20206 yr by Isaan sailor

call them what you want, if they're hungry enough, they'll eat camel turds, or, dog meat. What do they care the name or "classification".

Edited April 13, 20206 yr by i84teen