Thousands of terrified dogs many of them stolen pets are butchered for human consumption at the annual dog eating ‘celebration’.





Forced to travel long distances and crammed into crowded wire cages, the dogs languish without food or water as they await their fate. They watch on as those before them have their throats slit. Many are reportedly beaten even burned or boiled alive.





The Yulin dog eating festival actually only began in 2009. It was started by dog meat traders as a way to boost business, but has quickly attracted the ire of the international community.





As distressing as the news is, there is comfort to be found in the extraordinary mainstream media coverage and the public outrage that is accompanying it. Worldwide, concern for animals and their welfare is on the rise as is the public’s determination to force positive change.





Brilliant campaign work by Animals Asia and Humane Society International has given global recognition to the victims of this event. This follows years of investigations and on-the-ground work by Animals Asia to end the trade of dogs and cats for food.



So intense has the international pressure become that last year the city of Yulin vowed to not support the festival. It still went ahead. But fortunately, fewer dogs were slaughtered.





Since then, Yulin authorities have attempted to appease the international community by claiming this year’s event would be cancelled entirely but investigations have revealed that preparations for the cruel festival were still underway and on June 21 the slaughter went ahead, unhindered.





With high profile celebrity support and petitions now reaching the millions the unprecedented international pressure on Yulin to permanently cancel the dog eating festival may soon be successful.















