“Like anyone, I had pet dogs when I was a child,” said the man, who didn’t want to have his photo taken. “We distinguish between pet dogs and dogs for food. Dog meat is not our daily meal and most of us eat dog meat only a few times a year, on special occasions.”

Many residents complained to me that this tradition has been misrepresented by news media. Before I travelled to Yulin, a colleague had told me it might be difficult to take photos because of this feeling.

However my TV colleague and I were able to find a local resident called Xioa who was willing to show us around the town.