The Yulin dog meat festival cannot be stopped. 2018's "festival" is already underway, with huge efforts around the globe failing to stop it. Thousands of dogs have already suffered from mindless and inhumane torture at the hands of the traders, showing that stopping the event, even with the volume of opposition, is almost impossible.

We must pick our battles carefully. Aiming to eradicate the torture that happens to these animals before they are killed must be a priority. Insisting that this is carried out in a humane, cruelty-free and painless manner is more likely to be achieved than cancelling the event is (which isn't even an official event and therefore difficult for the Chinese government to stop). The dog meat trade is a huge economy for the residents of Yulin, many of whom are living in poverty. Aiming to stamp out the cruelty would be a major victory and, although destined for the trade, these poor animals wouldn't suffer the heart-breaking level of sadistic cruelty inflicted on them prior to death. Residents of Yulin who rely on the trade and the annual festival as their primary source of income, can continue and this will no longer be an argument against making a change to the way the festival operates.

65% of China's residents are against the festival, with the majority of the supporting percentage made up of the older generation. The reality is, stopping the festival is most likely to happen in China's next generation of socially aware citizens. Help these animals avoid torture such as:

Skinned alive, boiled alive, burnt alive, stamped on, legs broken, eyes gauged out, jaws snapped open, squashed under vehicles and many other techniques that go beyond "necessary preparation of the meat" and enter the realm of sadistic, barbaric behaviour.

Please, sign this petition to help show the Chinese government that the torture must stop. No individual or nation has the right to tell another nation what to eat. However, the world recognizes that the manner in which the animals are killed needs to be regulated, so should China.

Thank you.