Warning: Graphic content

Dogs sit in a cramped wire cage awaiting their fate (Picture: Animal Equality)

Animal activists swooped in and bought as many dogs as possible before they were eaten at a controversial festival in China.

The festival, which has been around for centuries, takes place in the city of Yulin around the summer solstice every year.

Live dogs are caged and bought by those partaking.


The animals are later slaughtered and eaten.

Animal activists purchased dogs to prevent them being eaten (Picture: Reuters)

But protesters have been slowly gathering for weeks in a bid to stop the festival.

They pounced on cages and bought as many dogs as they could afford.

Around 2,000 dogs were thought to have bee consumed on Saturday.

Dead dogs on sale ahead of the dog meat festival (Picture: Reuters)