This is an excellent post from Salon.com on the very real differences between China and the majority of the world’s countries where dogs and cats are part of our families.
Please be aware that this article has some very upsetting points and information.
Thanks to Salon.com for this article.
An Olympic disgrace
The current spotlight on China’s human rights record fails to illuminate its cruel and inhumane treatment of dogs and cats.By Ted Kerasote
March 24, 2008On my first trip to China I met a dog who was a dead ringer for Lassie. He lived with a dozen other dogs at a remote training camp for Olympic skiers in Manchuria, where a friend and I were spending a few days as we explored the area’s backcountry skiing. In return for food and lodging we gave the Chinese athletes some clinics in American ski techniques.
The dog quickly became my friend. He would twirl happily in my arms before I headed up the slopes each morning and would be waiting for me when I returned. Dropping to my knees, I’d play tag with him, and he’d wag his tail so hard that his entire body would shimmy. The Chinese skiers paid no attention to the dogs.
On the day before we departed, at lunch, our translator stood and called the mess hall to silence. “To thank our American friends for showing us so much about skiing,” he announced, “our chef will prepare a special dish tonight.” He nodded to the head coach, who waved his hand toward the door. Two of the Chinese skiers, standing at the ready, opened it with a flourish, and the white-aproned chef stepped inside, holding aloft my friend, the collie, by his tail. He had been gutted from throat to groin.
Stunned, I couldn’t say a word, but that evening when a large platter of dog meat was put in the center of our table, I regained my voice. My ski partner, a better cultural ambassador than I, gingerly took a few bits of the dish with her chopsticks. I declined. “Please thank the head coach,” I told our translator, “but I can’t. I have too many friends at home who are dogs.”
