please speak out against horrific cruelty to dogs
A long time ago, I watched a PBS show about dogs. At the end, there was a short segment about the domestic canines' suffering from human maltreatment or neglect. That segment included a short piece on the trade in dog meat for human consumption. In one image, faraway and a bit blurred, I saw something I will never forget. The sickening image - living dogs had been stuffed into a cage like building blocks or pairs of socks - is burned into my brain.
Today I received email from HSI Canada that recalled that hideous image. In China, some people are preparing for the notorious Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Thousands of street dogs will be rounded up, and dogs will be stolen from homes. The animals will be held under the most horrific conditions, then beaten to death while other dogs watch.
Don't talk to me about cultural differences. That's how people once justified slavery. That's how people once justified (and in some communities, still do) men's supposed right to beat their wives, and parents' supposed right to abuse their children. Cruelty against animals, be it seal slaughter or fox hunting or bullfighting, is wrong. Surveys show that most Chinese people oppose the dog-meat trade anyway. Opposition to the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is organized locally by Vshine Animal Protection Group, a Chinese organization.
And please, don't talk to me about hypocrisy. I do my best to minimize my negative impact on animals. More importantly, cruelty is not an all-or-nothing proposition. If we can prevent some cruelty against sentient beings, we should.
Please join me in speaking out against the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. You can read more here and sign a petition here. (Warning: graphic photo on that page.)
I don't know if signing this petition will help. I know it can't hurt. And not signing it certainly won't help.
Today I received email from HSI Canada that recalled that hideous image. In China, some people are preparing for the notorious Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Thousands of street dogs will be rounded up, and dogs will be stolen from homes. The animals will be held under the most horrific conditions, then beaten to death while other dogs watch.
Don't talk to me about cultural differences. That's how people once justified slavery. That's how people once justified (and in some communities, still do) men's supposed right to beat their wives, and parents' supposed right to abuse their children. Cruelty against animals, be it seal slaughter or fox hunting or bullfighting, is wrong. Surveys show that most Chinese people oppose the dog-meat trade anyway. Opposition to the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is organized locally by Vshine Animal Protection Group, a Chinese organization.
And please, don't talk to me about hypocrisy. I do my best to minimize my negative impact on animals. More importantly, cruelty is not an all-or-nothing proposition. If we can prevent some cruelty against sentient beings, we should.
Please join me in speaking out against the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. You can read more here and sign a petition here. (Warning: graphic photo on that page.)
I don't know if signing this petition will help. I know it can't hurt. And not signing it certainly won't help.
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