Please note: Before you read this article, please understand that I do not condone the harm of animals in anyway.

Background

Albert Wang and Leo Zhao both Chinese international students were charged in late 2015 for an incident related to the beating of animals, here is a link to the video (NSFW). Wang was charged with community service, a fine and a ban on owning animals.

Wang’s purchase of another Husky emotionally triggered Claudia Baker to start a change.org petition to deport the offenders. At the time of writing this article the petition has already reached around 5500 signatures, quickly closing on it’s goal of 7500. I do not know why 7500 is the goal, perhaps it is Peter Dutton’s favourite number.

Stereotyping When It’s Not Needed

Mrs Baker was perhaps overly emotional due to her love of animal and justice as such in her first open Facebook post about the issue she needlessly stereotyped all Chinese people, all 1.3 billion and perhaps more (depending on your political leaning) as lacking care for animals.

“THIS IS NOT FUCKING CHINA ASSHOLE, WE HAVE LAWS PROTECTING OUR ANIMALS.” “He’s lucky I’m too busy with the business, or I’d be flying to Queensland to dish out some more suitable justice.”

Mrs Baker, you do realise just because a country does not have animal welfare laws, does not mean that everyone in that country abuses animals?

“I might not be able to save all the animals suffering around the world, but I’ll be damned if I let those whom come from countries that have no animal abuse or right laws in place, come to my country and they can ABUSE an animal in our own backyard, then blatantly disregard our laws, and disobey the courts orders here.”

Okay, I get it. Wang has failed to adhere to the punishments he was given but why hashtag the #Chinesestudent in there?

Mrs Baker assumes that people just go around abusing animals in China, just because they are in a country that lacks animal welfare laws. As a person of Chinese descent and someone that has owned pets, I feel offended and yes, triggered.

Chinese People Do Care About Animals

It might be a surprise to Mrs Baker but most Chinese people were also appalled by the behaviour of Mr Wang and Mr Zhao. As the story made it round the Chinese social media platforms on WeChat, Chinese netizens in Australia came out in force to proclaim their anger.

“Signed multiple times, get him out of Australia” “Here is the link to the petition for people who want to sign, currently there are 5197 signatures”

A quick of screenshot of the petition shows that in the many of the recent signatories were of Chinese background. If Chinese people do not care about animals then why would they also be outraged?

Feeling Like A Perpetual Foreigner

Some Chinese netizens were similarly annoyed like me at Mrs Baker’s remarks in regards to Chinese people.

“Why do you have to point out a person’s nationality? Are you a China expert? Just because a country that does not have animal welfare laws, does not mean that all people in that country lack morality. People who abuse animals in China also get punished too “

“All violence is wrong. However, why does the it seem like that the author of the petition has discriminatory views. Why say “this is not fucking China?”. When you’re looking after animals, please also look after your own language.

“I can understand everyone’s feelings on this matter but I still think Australia really is kind of special. I still remember last year that a Chinese youth nearly got beaten to death and yet Australians did not care at all. Yet a dog nearly getting beaten to death and all the Australians get into a fuss.”

To be honest I can understand the last poster’s feelings, as a few of Claudia’s own Facebook friends, including Claudia herself implied some type of vigilante justice towards Wang.

Yes, an eye for an eye, just keep beating each other up, like that solves everything.

All People Are Different, Don’t Be Divisive

You really can’t let the actions of a few represent a population of billions. Mrs Baker needs to remember that China is a developing, a nation where it is looking to improve it’s own people’s welfare. A nation that has suffered a century of famine, war and devastation until very recently. Yet it is also a nation that has time to care about animals. For instance Yao Ming’s campaign to end the sale of sharks is working miraculously in China, with shark fin sales plummeting.

Yes, certain populations in China and Korea do eat dogs and millions more people in China also care for dogs and love dogs and other animals. You have to remember, China is the third/fourth largest country in the world, every region has it’s own distinct culture and peculiarities. There is nothing wrong with eating dogs, I don’t eat them but what is there in difference between eating dogs and say eating a cow? Yes, the methods of execution and cooking for dogs is wrong but that is only a certain population of people doing that. Would Mrs Baker be happy to be wrongly labelled into the same group of people in Australia who bash kangaroos or slaughter sleep inhumanely? No, she would not.