Donation includes kennels and night cameras that will contribute to law enforcement agencies’ investigative work
Humane Society International / Latin America
HSI
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica— As wildlife trafficking has become a threat to hundreds of species, Humane Society International/Latin America is supporting Costa Rican authorities in their fight against it by donating equipment needed in wildlife trafficking investigations
The equipment, which includes animal carriers, herpetological bags, animal handling gloves and cameras, is valued at more than USD $100,000.
The donated equipment will support work done by three parts of the government: the Judicial Investigation , the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Ministry of Public Security.
Andrea Borel, HSI/Latin America executive director, explained that this donation is part of a project funded by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and administered by HSI with the goal of improving Costa Rica’s capacity to combat wildlife trafficking.
“Wildlife trafficking is a major threat to species around the world, including endangered ones. These animals suffer greatly and end their days as pets, decorations or souvenirs, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, we are pleased to support authorities in their investigation and prosecution efforts to reduce wildlife trafficking that originates or transits through Costa Rica,” said Borel.
Shirley Ramirez, member of the National Commission for Biodiversity, said: “In recent years, we have detected an increase in cases of wildlife trafficking in Costa Rica, both aimed at national and international markets. The complexity and organization of these criminals evolves every day; hence, the importance of equipment, such as the one donated, that allows us to achieve successful investigations and subsequent legal processes.”
Wildlife trafficking is also one of the most lucrative illegal trades in the world. According to INTERPOL data, wildlife trafficking has an annual value of up to USD $20 billion. In Costa Rica, animals such as glass frogs, butterflies, beetles, birds and sea turtles are victims of the wildlife trade.
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Media Contact: Andrea Borel: +506 7300 5706; aborel@hsi.org
1,502,319 signatures were officially submitted to the European Commission calling for an EU ban on fur farming and sales
Humane Society International / Europe
Jo-Anne McArthur
BRUSSELS, Belgium―Today it was officially confirmed that 1,502,319 EU citizens have signed the Fur Free Europe European Citizens’ Initiative calling on the European Commission to ban fur farming and prohibit the placing of fur products on the European market. This marks the 10th successful European Citizens’ Initiative since the petition tool was launched, with seven of those 10 ECIs dedicated to animal issues. Fur Free Europe represents the most successful ECI for animal welfare, and the third most successful ECI overall. The ECI organisers will now meet with the European Commission and then attend a public hearing at the European Parliament, after which the European Commission must publicly respond to the initiative, before the end of the year.
The petition was launched in May 2022 with the backing of more than eighty animal protection organisations from across Europe, and closed on March 1st, more than two months earlier than its official deadline, thanks to a record number of unconfirmed signatures collected: 1,701,892 in less than ten months. The ECI also successfully reached the signatures threshold in twenty-one Member States, three times the minimum requirement of seven Member States.
“The overwhelming public support to this initiative has made one thing clear: fur must become a thing of the past. We are so proud to have achieved yet another step towards ending this cruel and unnecessary practice and now we call on the EC to use the new animal welfare legislation to make the wish of 1.5 million European citizens come true”, commented Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals, the organisers of Fur Free Europe.
“There could not be a clearer sign than this enormous petition that there is no place for the cruelty of fur farming in a progressive, ethical society,” said Dr. Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs at HSI/Europe. “The European Commission now has a duty to propose legislation to consign this outdated practise to history and make Europe fur-free. Such a move would strengthen Europe’s position as a leader in animal welfare and humane progress.”
On all fronts, the existence of fur farming holds no reasonable grounds. In fur farms animals such as minks, foxes and racoon dogs are kept in tiny cages, hindered from displaying natural behaviour and killed solely because of the value of their fur.
In addition, the farms pose a significant risk to animal and human health, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when outbreaks on mink fur farms caused variants to be transmitted from animals to humans. From an environmental perspective, the use of toxic chemicals in the production of fur also makes it a significantly polluting industry.
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Media contact: Yavor Gechev, communications director for HSI/Europe: ygechev@hsi.org ; +359889468098 ; +393515266629
Humane Society International
Vshine Dogs rescued from slaughterhouse on outskirts of Yulin, China, June 2023
BEIJING—Chinese animal activists have rescued 19 dogs from an illegal slaughterhouse in the outskirts of Yulin, a week before the city’s infamous annual dog meat festival, at which thousands of dogs and cats will be killed and eaten, is due to begin.
Shocking images show the bloody scenes encountered by the activists―traumatized dogs, standing in the blood of their slaughtered cage mates, dead dogs still lying on the floor where they had just been killed. They also found a de-hairing machine and piles of dog fur stripped from dead dogs, as well as dog carcasses being blowtorched ready for delivery to Yulin markets.
The dogs were severely dehydrated and malnourished, with filthy matted fur, and one dog had lost an eye. Most were small breeds typical of pet dogs in China, in addition to an extremely friendly golden retriever, and all of them responded to their rescuers with desperate affection, suggesting they were stolen companions. Most dogs and cats caught up in China’s meat trade are pets and strays snatched from the streets and from people’s backyards, often involving the use of poison and catch nooses. They are crammed into wire cages and driven for hours or even days across the country, before reaching the slaughterhouse where they are beaten to death.
The activists from Chinese group Vshine are the official partners of Humane Society International, which campaigns across Asia for an end to the dog and cat meat trades.
Teng, one of the Chinese activists, told HSI: “This was one of the filthiest and bloodiest dog slaughterhouses we’ve ever seen. The dogs had just arrived by truck that morning and we were devastated to find that we had arrived too late to save five dogs who had already been killed. Those dogs who were still alive looked traumatized by the slaughter they would have just seen, and the smell of blood and flesh was overpowering. Most of the dogs greeted us with excitement, pawing the cage bars for attention, while others were really subdued and shaken. Now they are all safe and receiving the medical care, food, water and love they so desperately need to recover from their frightening ordeal. They were moments away from being killed for the Yulin markets.”
Dr Peter Li, HSI’s China policy specialist, said: “The brutal slaughter of dogs and cats for the Yulin trade is morally indefensible and the heartbreaking images from this rescue show us why. These poor animals will have endured terrifying capture and exhausting transport only to end up at a filthy slaughterhouse and subjected to witnessing the brutal killing of other dogs. We are so grateful to the Chinese activists for taking a stand against this hideously cruel trade. Most people across China do not support this cruelty, and surveys show that even in Yulin most people are not opposed to a ban. It’s time to put an end to this misery.”
Three of the dogs are being cared for by a local Guangxi animal group, and the remaining 16 dogs have been transferred to Vshine’s veterinary shelter in north China, with HSI support.
A new survey released earlier this month reveals that only a small proportion of Yulin residents (19.3%) oppose a ban on the dog meat trade, while 70% say a ban would have no or no significant impact on their lives. Significantly more respondents (81%) did not express an objection to a ban when asked if Yulin should follow in the footsteps of mainland Chinese cities like Shenzhen, which implemented a dog and cat meat ban in 2020. Despite Yulin’s reputation for being a dog and cat meat hotspot, the survey results reveal that most Yulin residents (73%) only consume dog or cat meat very occasionally, and 18% of residents never consume it at all.
The World Health Organization has warned that the dog trade spreads lethal diseases such as rabies and cholera. Yulin has long been a city with one of the highest rates of human rabies cases in China, and the local trade undermines the Chinese government’s goal of eliminating rabies in China by 2025. Selling and processing meat from sick and dying dogs in Yulin and elsewhere is also a serious violation of China’s food safety law, and yet the trade is allowed to persist with relatively little legal sanction.
Fast facts about Yulin and China’s dog meat trade
Yulin’s so-called Lychee and Dog Meat Festival is not a traditional event. It was launched in 2010 by dog meat traders in an attempt to encourage dog meat eating and boost sales. Prior to 2010, Yulin had no history of commercial dog or cat meat sales.
When first launched in 2010, as many as 15,000 dogs were believed to be killed during the core Yulin festival days, but Chinese and international pressure has seen this figure reduce to around 3,000 dogs. However, many hundreds are still killed each day in the weeks leading up to the festival.
An estimated 30 million dogs a year are killed across Asia for their meat, some 10-20 million in China alone.
Dog meat is banned in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, as well as in the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and in 21 cities and regencies in Indonesia. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are still killed for meat across Asia. Opinion polls in South Korea show that the majority of citizens (87.5%) either do not consume dog meat or don’t intend to in the future. Both President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee have expressed support for an end to the practice.
Download photos and video from the Yulin rescue here
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Media Contact: Wendy Higgins, HSI director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org
Humane Society International/Canada applauds the passage of historic measures in Bill S-5 to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act
Humane Society International / Canada
Leila Coker/iStock.com
OTTAWA—Humane Society International/Canada is celebrating the passage of amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, aimed at phasing out the use of animals for chemical toxicity testing in Canada. The measures were included in Bill S-5, to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which passed third and final reading in the Senate today and will now receive Royal Assent.
Shaarika Sarasija, senior strategist, research and regulatory science for HSI/Canada, stated: “We are happy to see the passage of Bill S-5 with provisions to phase out chemical testing using animals. A concerted move away from animal-based toxicity tests could spare tens of thousands of animals each year and advance public health and environmental protection with more advanced and relevant tests for the benefit of all Canadians.”
Conventional toxicity testing involves poisoning rats, mice, rabbits, fish, birds and other animals with chemicals via force-feeding, inhalation or skin absorption for days, months or even years without pain relief, to see the extent to which it disrupts normal bodily functions. According to the Canadian Council on Animal Care, half of the more than 150,000 animals used for regulatory testing in Canada in 2021 experienced anywhere from “moderate to severe distress” to “severe pain near, at or beyond the pain tolerance threshold.” Many of these tests were developed decades ago and represent outdated science that provides incomplete or inconclusive data at best, while inflicting needless animal suffering.
Today’s toolbox of non-animal methods includes an array of sophisticated molecular biology tests that are more time and cost efficient and human relevant. The amendments in Bill S-5 promote their use, paving the way to reducing and ultimately eliminating animal suffering in chemical toxicity testing through technological progress. The new measures include:
Requiring new approach testing methods that do not use animals where scientifically justified and “practicable.”
Encouraging the timely development and implementation of alternative methods to animal testing.
Requiring the government to publish a plan, within two years, detailing steps to achieve these goals.
HSI/Canada is committed to working alongside the Government of Canada and other stakeholders to ensure that all use of animals in toxicity testing—including for pesticides, food and other regulated products—is ultimately relegated to the history books. Furthermore, HSI/Canada will work with these stakeholders to ensure that faster, more effective and relevant new approach methods that do not involve animals are developed and implemented within the Liberal government’s stated timeline of ending all toxicity animal testing by 2035.
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Media contact: Michael Bernard, deputy director for HSI/Canada: 438-873-5769; mbernard@hsi.org
‘Conservation can never be achieved down the barrel of a gun’, experts state ahead of House of Lords debate on a hunting trophy import ban
Humane Society International / United Kingdom
iStock.com
LONDON—A group of 103 wildlife conservation experts, scientists, government officials and community leaders who live or work in countries throughout Africa—including Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe—have sent an open letter to Members of the House of Lords urging them to support a bill to ban the import of hunting trophies to the UK ahead of a Parliamentary debate on the issue on June 16th.
The signatories, who include Lt Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama, former President of Botswana; Farai Maguwu, director of Centre for Natural Resource Governance, Zimbabwe; and David Kabambo, co-founder & executive officer, Peace for Conservation, Tanzania, directly challenge the “grossly over-simplified and unsubstantiated” pro-trophy hunting narrative promulgated by a small number of UK-based academics, and condemn the “Western-conceived, profit-driven trophy hunting industry that perpetuates colonial power dynamics”. The letter comes ahead of the June 16th House of Lords’ 2nd reading of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill and is being shared exclusively by animal protection organization Humane Society International/UK, which campaigns to end trophy hunting.
The African experts, who also include Bantu Lukambo, director general, Innovation for the Development and Protection of the Environment in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Timothy Kamuzu Phiri, executive director of Mizu Eco-Care in Zambia; and Boniface Mpario, Maasai elder, Kenya; alert Peers to the fact that the trophy hunting industry “has displaced local people, obstructed opportunities for community land ownership and management of natural resources based on indigenous knowledge and facilitated corruption.” They urge Peers to reject trophy hunting activities as “colonial relics” and end the UK’s involvement in the “selfish, destructive and myopic business of trophy hunting.”
The letter is signed by a number of community representatives from Tanzania, where the government has forcibly evicted thousands of Maasai to make way in part for trophy hunting. Signatories state: “We are people who live and work in Africa; we are scientists, industry representatives, conservationists, academics, sustainable development experts, economists and wildlife stakeholders. We experience the trail of greed and destruction left by trophy hunters both personally and through the work we do every day. We recognize both the immediate and long-term damages that the industry and its apologists ignore. This Bill stands in solidarity with the views of millions of Africans who believe trophy hunting to be a morally reprehensible and insulting waste of our remarkable nature, and who believe that conservation can never be achieved down the barrel of a gun.”
The letter continues: “We are well aware that a small number of UK-based academics have been extremely outspoken in the UK media in their defense of trophy hunting in Africa and their associated opposition to this Bill. Although they purport to speak for Africa, they present grossly over-simplified and unsubstantiated arguments, and it is critical for Honourable Members of the House of Lords to acknowledge that they do not represent the views or experience of many scientists and community members living and working throughout the African continent. […] We wholly refute the claim that trophy hunting is a “necessary evil,” as promulgated by certain conservation scientists, many of whom have proven funding ties to the trophy hunting industry. […] We also reject the fallacious proposition that banning trade in hunting trophies is neocolonialist or racist. The irony of this claim is that it is in fact the Western-conceived, profit-driven trophy hunting industry that perpetuates colonial power dynamics and continues to drive social and economic inequalities every day across many communities.”
Noma Dube, founder of Zimbabwe Elephant Foundation, said: “Trophy hunting creates major equity challenges for African rural communities. Every year trophy hunters deposit vast sums of money into foreign bank accounts of hunting companies in order to kill the biggest, rarest animals. That money never returns to African communities, and only a fraction of the amount paid for licence fees and permits is ever received by the communities whose land was set aside to create hunting concessions on the boundaries of National Parks. In the case of elephants, when trophy hunters kill the biggest and often older animals, this typically leaves social groups destabilised which can significantly increase the likelihood of animals coming into conflict with nearby communities. It is insulting to suggest that trophy hunting is in any way good for conservation or African communities.”
Timothy Kamuzu Phiri, executive director of Mizu Eco-Care in Zambia, said: “Nothing bothers me more than the use of African ‘representatives’ to defend the supposed ‘benefits’ of trophy hunting. The true victims of the perils of trophy hunting as an unethical ‘conservation tool’ remain voiceless in rural African communities. Sadly, the local African communities are not the true beneficiaries of trophy hunting. The actual beneficiaries are the hunters and business operators, and hunting businesses which are largely in private hands and so-called, self-proclaimed ‘defenders of African conservation’, who in most cases are not based in Africa. These individuals wear the label of conservation experts or academics and weaponize pre-determined studies they call ‘science or evidence based’ against indigenous knowledge systems.”
Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “Government officials, scientists, conservationists and community leaders from across the African continent have a clear message for the House of Lords: trophy hunters are robbing African countries of their most irreplaceable wildlife. Motivated by self-interest, those defending the practice are selling a lie, wilfully overlooking the corruption and mismanagement that underpins the industry, and the damage it causes. We urge Members of the House of Lords to put an end to this cruel colonial hangover, and protect threatened species by passing the Bill into law.”
The open letter and full list of signatories can be viewed here.
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Media contact : Wendy Higgins, director of international media, Humane Society International whiggins@hsi.org
Notes
A YouGov poll carried out in December 2021 found that 82% of the British public think importing animal body parts as hunting trophies should be made illegal.
The Bill, which passed its Report Stage and Third Reading in the House of Commons on 17th March 2023, would prohibit the import into the UK of hunting trophies of animal species listed with the highest level of protection in Annex A or B of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations (2018).
In recent years, UK trophy hunters have imported trophies from some of the world’s rarest species, including polar bears, rhinos, African elephants and leopards.
Since trophy hunting rose to prominence in the colonial era, there have been catastrophic declines in populations of some of the world’s most iconic species – including elephants, lions, rhinos and giraffes – many of which are under increasing pressure from loss of habitat, climate breakdown, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.
Humane Society International / Latin America
Claudio Ramirez for HSI
CHILE—More than 300 people took part in a webinar on disaster response organized by the Responsible Ownership Program of the Undersecretary of Regional and Administrative Development of the Chilean government and supported by Humane Society International/Latin America.
The webinar came after the fires that affected Chile between December 2022 and March 2023, when Humane Society International in Chile distributed veterinary first aid equipment, medicine and food to local organizations in support of the rescue and care of wildlife, domestic animals and farm animals.
The webinar, “Animal Dimension in Disaster Response: International Experiences and Global Learning,” was held on June 1, with participants from countries including the United States, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and a large number of municipal officials from different regions of Chile.
“We are pleased to participate in this type of initiative since it is our duty to extend the learning acquired in each animal disaster response experience. We hope that the lessons shared will strengthen and inspire the work of people in Latin America who are on the front lines helping animals,” said Adam Parascándola, vice president of Humane Society International’s Animal Rescue Team.
“One of the strengths of this seminar was the discussion between the different stakeholders involved in the prevention, attention and mitigation of disasters. We learned that an animal rescue manual has been developed in Chile and that the discussions on the Animal Dimension are within the framework of ‘One Health’. It was interesting to hear, for example, that, during the Seminar, the Municipality of Chañaral committed to making an annex to its disaster care plan to include rescue and animal care in an emergency,” said Dr. Claudia Edwards, regional coordinator of disaster response for Humane Society International/Latin America.
“In highly vulnerable countries like Chile, we believe that the way to advance and grow is to work collaboratively with the authorities, and with the relevant stakeholders at the local level. This seminar was an example of collaboration that allowed us to extend the knowledge that HSI has acquired over time and raise awareness about the importance of considering animals in disaster response plans,” said Daniela Sánchez, country director for Humane Society International in Chile.
During the day, speakers shared their experience in disasters such as the eruption of the Fuego Volcano in Guatemala, Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, earthquakes in Mexico and Türkiye, fires in Australia and California, and the war in Ukraine. Topics included HSI’s global disaster response program, community preparedness, veterinary work and the rescue of wild and domestic animals.
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Media Contact: Daniela Sanchez: (+56 9) 62181089; dsanchez@hsi.org
Humane Society International
David Paul Morris HSUS
PARIS—The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has, for the first time, included animal welfare in its Guidelines for Multinational Enterpriseson Responsible Business Conduct, urging businesses to uphold animal welfare in their policies and practices. These guidelines, regarded as a global benchmark for ethical business practices, could have far-reaching positive implications for animals across the 38 member countries of the OECD, which collectively account for approximately three-quarters of global trade.
This move aims to speed up the adoption of business practices that respect animal welfare by multinationals—regardless of size, ownership or sector—that operate in or do business with OECD member countries. It builds on the OECD’s longstanding focus on animal welfare in its Test Guidelines Programme for chemicals and has the potential to positively impact billions of animals in farms, laboratories, in the pet industry and in the wild. The revamped OECD guidelines embrace the World Organisation for Animal Health’s definition of animal welfare, effectively recognizing the sentience of animals. Although not legally binding for industry, the OECD’s 38 signatory governments are obligated to establish a complaint mechanism. The text’s power to inspire change is significantly amplified by the inclusion of provisions that empower civil society to voice their concerns through the grievance mechanism and directly engage with enterprises, holding them accountable for their neglect of animal welfare throughout their entire value chains.
Jeffrey Flocken, president of Humane Society International, says: “When we compare the OECD’s groundbreaking guidelines with the grim reality that billions of animals endure for corporate profit, the need for immediate action becomes all too obvious. Millions of animals in laboratories are forced to inhale massive doses of chemicals without any pain relief,mother pigs on factory farms are confined in narrow metal crates that deprive them of basic movement, and millions of animals on fur farms and in egg production endure a monotonous existence in tiny wire cages devoid of any enrichment whatsoever. For the OECD’s global standards to have real impact for these animals, they must serve as a rallying cry for both corporations and governments to take action to eradicate these inhumane practices.”
Marian Ingrams, director of OECD Watch, a global network of non-governmental organizations that led civil society’s advocacy to update the OECD Guidelines, says: “The meaningful inclusion of animal welfare is one of the most positive and most significant improvements, along with the inclusion of strong language on climate change, that we have been able to secure in the updated OECD Guidelines, and long overdue. We are thrilled to have collaborated with Humane Society International and other allies to secure this important success for animals, people and the planet.”
The OECD’s latest guidelines reflect a larger trend where more investors, companies and institutions are actively prioritizing the welfare of animals. Within the last several years, many financial institutions have adjusted their public environmental, social and governance policies and internal procedures to include animal welfare. This list includes large institutions like the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Rabobank and Standard Chartered. In 2011, around 50 companies committed to ending the purchase and production of eggs from caged hens. Now, over 2,000 companies worldwide have joined this pledge. The OECD’s inclusion of animal welfare is one of many signals indicating the importance of animal welfare in basic principles for good business conduct.
Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval (They/them), international media relations coordinator for Humane Society International: cbodinduval@hsi.org
These endangered birds returned to their natural habitat, thanks to HSI/Latin America and ARCAS Rescue Center
Humane Society International / Latin America
Mauricio Mota/Humane Society International
PETEN, Guatemala—Thirty-six parrots (Amazona autumnalis, Amazona albifrons and Pionus senilis) were released in the Rio Azul National Park, in Peten, Guatemala, on May 25, after being rescued from illegal trafficking and going through a rigorous rehabilitation process.
The birds’ release resulted from a joint effort by non-governmental, non-profit organizations, Asociacion Rescate y Conservacion de Vida Silvestre and Humane Society International/Latin America, who have been working together since 2007 in wildlife protection and conservation in Guatemala.
Under the guidance of the National Council for Protected Areas (in Spanish: Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas, or CONAP), ARCAS Wildlife Rescue Center and HSI staff facilitated the return of the 36 parrots of different species to the forest. Some of the parrots were victims of wildlife trafficking and others experienced negative interaction with humans.
According to ARCAS director, Fernando Martinez, the rescue center carries out physical, medical and ethological rehabilitation of the different species that enter as a result of illegal trafficking, under strict scientific management standards. The animals are later released in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve.
“The Rescue Center’s mission is to reinforce existing wildlife populations, to prevent the extinction of species, and thus ensuring that there are healthy populations capable of adapting and reproducing in their natural habitat,” said Martinez.
Mauricio Mota, advocacy officer for ESAP, supported by HSI/Latin America, explained that keeping parrots as pets is a frequent activity in Guatemala, and they are obtained mainly through illegal wildlife trafficking, which puts populations at risk.
“That is why HSI/Latin America and ARCAS work to ensure a successful rehabilitation of these animals and thus give them a second chance to live in freedom. Also, we urge everyone to refrain from buying these animals as pets, to not purchase objects that contain parts or derivatives of wild animals, and to report to the authorities any suspicious activity regarding wildlife,” said Mota.
The parrots will be monitored during a couple of weeks after the release, through sightings on trails and on observation platforms.
Media Contact: Mauricio Mota: 502-324-38475; mmota@hsi.org
Yulin’s dog and cat slaughter must end, says Humane Society International
Humane Society International
AP Images for HSI
—With the summer solstice approaching on June 21, when the slaughter of thousands of dogs (and cats) for meat begins in the city of Yulin, south China, a new survey shows that only a small proportion of Yulin residents (19.3%) oppose a ban on the brutal trade, while 70% say a ban would have no or no significant impact on their lives. Significantly more respondents (81%) did not express an objection to a ban when asked if Yulin should follow in the footsteps of mainland Chinese cities like Shenzhen that implemented a dog and cat meat ban in 2020.
The survey conducted by Chinese polling company Suzhou Zhongyan Science and Technology Inc was commissioned by Vshine, the Chinese partner group of Humane Society International which campaigns globally to end Asia’s dog meat trades. HSI and Vshine hope the survey results will demonstrate to the Yulin government that there is broad support for taking enforcement action to eliminate the dog and cat meat trades, which are largely sustained by a small but vocal minority of dog meat traders.
Despite Yulin’s reputation for being a dog and cat meat hotspot, the survey results reveal that most Yulin residents (73%) only consume dog or cat meat very occasionally, and 18% of residents never consume it at all.
Survey results summary:
The majority of Yulin residents (73%) only occasionally eat dog or cat meat (once or several times a year). Relatively few people (24%) eat it regularly (at least once per week or month).
18% of Yulin residents eat neither dog nor cat meat.
Significantly more respondents (81%) did not express an objection to a ban in Yulin on the dog and cat meat trades (16.3% agree with a ban, 22.3% don’t object to a ban, 42.1% have no opinion on a ban), compared to those who oppose a trade ban (19.3%).
Only 19.3% of Yulin residents disagree with a ban on dog and cat meat sales.
70.3% of residents say a Yulin ban on the dog/cat meat trade would have no impact (17.3%) or no significant impact (53%) on the lives of them or their families.
Only 21.3% said a ban would have a negative impact.
67% of those who eat dog meat, consume it in restaurants or places other than the home, confirming that dog meat is not a household food.
Dr Peter Li, China policy specialist for Humane Society International, which supports the care of dogs rescued from China’s meat trade, said: “The brutal slaughter of dogs and cats in Yulin is ethically indefensible and is the source of significant discord nationally. These survey results show that most people in Yulin don’t oppose government action to eliminate the dog and cat meat trade or feel such action would have a significant impact on their lives. We hope the Yulin authorities feel emboldened by this survey to use existing laws to crack down on the Yulin dog meat festival, consistent with the actions of cities like Shenzhen and Zhuhai that have banned the dog and cat meat trades and in accordance with national policy that does not recognize dogs and cats as animals for human consumption. For too long, Yulin has been held hostage by a small but vocal minority of dog and cat meat traders who clearly don’t represent the majority of Yulin residents. Dog and cat eating hotspots in south China not only cause suffering to tens of millions of dogs and cats but also jeopardize China’s anti-rabies control efforts by allowing the mass movement across the country of dogs and cats of unknown disease and vaccination status. It’s time to put an end to this misery.”
Thousands of dogs and cats are brutally slaughtered for human consumption in Yulin for the summer solstice, but this represents just a fraction of the year-round trade across China. Most of these animals are stolen pets and strays grabbed from the streets. Over the years, the Yulin authorities have attempted several crack downs on the trade, including roadblocks to stop trucks entering the city packed full of live dogs and cats. In 2020 the two major cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai implemented bans on the consumption of dog and cat meat, and China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs made an official statement that dogs are companion animals and not “livestock” for eating. Despite this progress, the authorities in Yulin have not implemented robust measures to ban the trade, even though the supply of dogs and cats relies primarily on criminal activity.
Fast fact:
Yulin’s so-called Lychee and Dog Meat Festival is not a traditional event. It was launched in 2010 by dog meat traders in an attempt to encourage dog meat eating and boost sales. Prior to 2010, Yulin had no history of commercial dog or cat meat sales.
A 2016 survey showed that 69.5% of people across China have never eaten dog meat.
Summertime also sees an increase in dog meat eating in South Korea where dog meat soup or “bosintang” is often eaten by older citizens to beat the heat. Opinion polls show that the majority of South Koreans (87.5%) either do not consume dog meat or don’t intend to in the future. Both President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee have expressed support for an end to the practice.
Dog meat is banned in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, as well as in the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and in 21 cities and regencies in Indonesia. An estimated 30 million dogs a year are still killed for meat across Asia.
Green Connect has already taken steps toward its commitment by collaborating with its in-house farm production brand Larva Yum. In response to consumer demand for animal welfare and environmental sustainability, Larva Yum introduced “Trung ga 3 Moc,” its free-range egg product. As of April 2023, Larva Yum raised 6,500 hens in both free-range and cage-free barns, allowing the hens to freely engage in their natural behaviors such as perching and dustbathing.
Phuc Huynh, the CEO and founder of Green Connect, shared, “Working on animal welfare and the circular economy is a key vision of our business, as at Green Connect our team has a passion for creating something that is not only good for consumers but also respects our planet and other species.”
Hang Le, regional farm animal welfare manager for HSI in Southeast Asia, says: “Major brands like Mondelez International, Fusion Hotel Group and Pizza4P’s are all committed to sourcing only cage-free eggs in Viet Nam no later than 2025. Green Connect is providing what consumers and businesses want by no longer selling eggs from cruel cage production systems, which confine hens in tiny cages made of wire, so small that the birds cannot even fully stretch their wings.”
With this current project, Green Connect will scale up its cage-free production as consumer demand is increasing.
Le added, “Humane Society International applauds Green Connect’s commitment and is working with them and other cage-free pioneers to improve animal welfare and make a cage-free future for laying hens a reality.”
Food companies and producers in the region are spearheading efforts to improve animal welfare. In Viet Nam, 40 international and local food corporations committed to go cage-free. Recently, Mondelez International launched its first product line to use 100% cage-free eggs. In addition to moving hens out of cages, Humane Society International is working with pork producer Nguyen Khoi and eight food retailers to eliminate the production or procurement of pork from systems that confine mother pigs to crates so they are unable to turn-around for the majority of their lives. A crate-free production system provides mother pigs with more space to move and turn around compared to the intensive and long-term confinement of gestation and farrowing crate systems. These examples show how companies are responding to Vietnamese consumer demand to end some of the most inhumane practices inflicted on animals.
Facts:
In 2021, Viet Nam had nearly 77 million hens who laid 8.2 billion eggs, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. There are thousands of egg producers in the country, with varying sizes of production.
Humane Society International’s Farm Animal Welfare and Protection program works with companies, producers, financial institutions and other stakeholders to implement higher welfare for farm animals in production now and to increase availability, accessibility and affordability of plant-based and alternative proteins.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Humane Society International in Viet Nam: Phuong Tham, HSI Viet Nam Country Director; phuongth@hsi.org
