A woman in China reportedly paid over $1,000 Saturday to save 100 dogs from being killed and eaten during a dog-meat festival in the southern city of Yulin.

The festival, which occurs annually during the summer solstice, has faced increasing backlash from activists who say the event is cruel, reports Agence France-Presse.

Yang Xiaoyun, 65, was seen in photographs browsing through a market where dogs were kept in cages, before paying about $1,100 to rescue scores of canines.

In the past, animal-rights activists have traveled to Yulin to demonstrate against the festival and have been known to buy dogs to save them from being eaten.

According to Hong Kong–based charity Animals Asia, the majority of dog meat in China comes from stolen pets and strays.

The group says many of the dogs are treated inhumanely, kept in tiny cages and poisoned or beaten to death. Nevertheless, eating dogs is legal in the country.

This year, animal lovers including British comedian Ricky Gervais are decrying the festival under the hashtag #StopYulin2015.

[AFP]

Warning: Some viewers may find the contents of the video distressing.

Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Now Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com.