Dogmeat Festival gets underway in China

21-06-2016 04:48PM #1

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-36583400

An annual dog meat festival has begun in southern China, amid widespread domestic and international opposition.

About 10,000 dogs and cats are expected to be killed and eaten during the controversial 10-day festival in Yulin.

What's your opinion on this?

The idea of dogmeat makes me feel physically sick. But isn't it hypocritical to get upset about this, when we happily munch on other domesticated animals?

I am heading for a burger later this evening, with zero apologies. I'll happily drink a pint of milk with dinner, even knowing the cruelty inherent to the dairy industry.

Dogmeat, however, just seems wrong. Or is it?

Barry Badrinath · 21-06-2016 04:50PM

I dunno

A sausage dog would be nice.

LightsStillOn · 21-06-2016 04:50PM

China are just ahead of the curve. In 100 years when all the resources start to run dry cats & dogs will be the first on the menu.

21-06-2016 04:51PM

I'd be curious to see what dog and cat taste like.

gramar · 21-06-2016 04:52PM

McGruber wrote: »

I dunno

A sausage dog would be nice.

Better than a Shih tzu anyway.

gramar · 21-06-2016 04:53PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd be curious to see what dog and cat taste like.

I dunno about dog but pussy is nice.

_Brian · 21-06-2016 04:57PM

When I've been In China I've eaten dog, TBH it's not a great meat at all, in a sort of stew with peppers and chillies.

Now the little seahorses deep fried on sticks, I tried that but couldn't do it.

Interesting thing a guy in China said to me in the spring when I was there.

When a Chinese person sees an animal for the first time their first thought is....'how will I cook that"

I think we shouldn't get caught up on what meats are eaten in other countries, it's just cultural difference. My concerns are that the animals are reared well and dispatched humanely. It's not always the case and that makes me angry.

There's one, pigs face, I tasted that but it's not a thought I really like. We keep pigs to kill for the freezer and while they're nice and the kids love playing with them, they're food, damn tasty food.

LightsStillOn · 21-06-2016 04:57PM

gramar wrote: »

I dunno about dog but pussy is nice.

An awful taste of trout if you don't get a fresh one though!

_Brian · 21-06-2016 04:57PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd be curious to see what dog and cat taste like.

Dog is like a chewey cheap cut of beef.

IvySlayer · 21-06-2016 04:59PM

The primary concern is that the animals are skinned and cooked alive in certain cases.

Ms Doubtfire1 · 21-06-2016 05:00PM

wrong or right can be either way.However, the fact that these animals are boiled alive, often skinned while still alive and beaten to death with clubs because the adrenaline caused by fear of death makes my blood boil.They are often stolen pets,with collars still on so..my answer sis a resounding NO to this festival.If you want to see gorey details..just google the festival and look for pictures...just keep a bucket handy

_Brian · 21-06-2016 05:05PM

IvySlayer wrote: »

The primary concern is that the animals are skinned and cooked alive in certain cases.

Imdeed, and I can't understand it.

With the likes of cattle and pigs you want the animal as calm and relied as possible when they are being dispatched. Huge surges of adrenalin and other hormones taints the meat and ruined its flavour.
We usually give our pigs a few pints of Guinness slops on the morning of their last journey, they go off very relaxed. Last two had a wee sleep in the abattoir just before being dispatched, was a very calm affair altogether.

suicide_circus · 21-06-2016 05:12PM

Great bunch of labs

2Mad2BeMad · 21-06-2016 05:15PM

_Brian wrote: »

Imdeed, and I can't understand it.

With the likes of cattle and pigs you want the animal as calm and relied as possible when they are being dispatched. Huge surges of adrenalin and other hormones taints the meat and ruined its flavour.
We usually give our pigs a few pints of Guinness slops on the morning of their last journey, they go off very relaxed. Last two had a wee sleep in the abattoir just before being dispatched, was a very calm affair altogether.

If Humans are ever on the menu feel free to have me if your still offering pints of Guinness when it comes to it.

21-06-2016 05:15PM

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

wrong or right can be either way.However, the fact that these animals are boiled alive, often skinned while still alive and beaten to death with clubs because the adrenaline caused by fear of death makes my blood boil.

Adrenaline taints meat, it doesn't improve it.

There's a distinct smell of BS off any story about skinning animals alive, or boiling them live.

I just don't see the benefit.

The only exception is lobsters, which are boiled alive due to rapid decay after death. That doesn't apply to mammals though.

Badly Drunk Boy · 21-06-2016 05:19PM

Some sickos in Ireland have oyster festivals! How depraved is that?!?

Summer wind · 21-06-2016 05:33PM

I could never eat a dog or cat. I think it's 100% wrong and disgusting.

Shenshen · 21-06-2016 05:34PM

Honestly can't say I approve of it, but I generally don't eat meat or fish anyway.

RobertKK · 21-06-2016 05:37PM

heads out to garden to get some snails for the dinner...if lucky may find a frog.

Fr_Dougal · 21-06-2016 05:53PM

Obvs not vegan.

ScumLord · 21-06-2016 05:55PM

I guess it's hard to complain, pigs are almost as cute and intelligent as dogs yet we have no problem eating them. I don't think we'll ever see the likes of it here. I think in general it's not a good idea to eat predators because environmental toxins tend to build up in predators because of their position at the top of the food chain. Cattle, sheep and pigs would be easier to deal with too, dogs would require intensive farming, you couldn't just let them out in a field. With Chinese people getting more and more access to alternative foods they may well abandon the practice, I can't imagine dog is anywhere near as tasty as bovine.

21-06-2016 06:33PM

ScumLord wrote: »

I think in general it's not a good idea to eat predators because environmental toxins tend to build up in predators because of their position at the top of the food chain.

That's a good point, but could equally be deployed in objection to our consumption of tuna (eg the mercury link).

I'm not sure what toxins might be specifically relevant to dogs, though

Dave0301 · 21-06-2016 06:38PM

Summer wind wrote: »

I could never eat a dog or cat. I think it's 100% wrong and disgusting.

That is because of the environment that you were brought up in and how you consider them to be pets and not a food source.

Eating beef here is acceptable, but would be considered taboo in India.

Different strokes for different folks and all that jazz. Although I do agree with posters saying that it should be humane.

eviltwin · 21-06-2016 06:40PM

It should be humane but apart from that I've no issues with it. Hard to be outraged when we consume plenty of meat ourselves.

eviltwin · 21-06-2016 06:41PM

Summer wind wrote: »

I could never eat a dog or cat. I think it's 100% wrong and disgusting.

Why?

ScumLord · 21-06-2016 07:40PM

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

That's a good point, but could equally be deployed in objection to our consumption of tuna (eg the mercury link).

I'm not sure what toxins might be specifically relevant to dogs, though

And we probably shouldn't eat that much tuna, in small amounts the benefits probably outweigh the risks.. I'd guess though that toxins that would build up in land mammals would be more relevant to our health than toxins that might build up in fish. It seems like every animal on the planet comes with an innate ability to consume fish. They are one of the original foods.

Dave0301 wrote: »

Eating beef here is acceptable, but would be considered taboo in India.

Even in India they still use the byproducts of cattle. They make great use out of it's feces, and they use the milk. Cattle produce many other byproducts, there would probably always have been a dilemma in olden times, between the day to day value of a cow verses the immediate value of it's meat.

Dogs are more like a tool than something that produces valuable byproducts, so it's still quite bizarre to link them to food. It's a bit like eating your bow and arrow.

Sapphire · 21-06-2016 08:03PM

eviltwin wrote: »

It should be humane but apart from that I've no issues with it. Hard to be outraged when we consume plenty of meat ourselves.

That's the way I see it too. I can understand someone who is a vegan or vegetarian not liking the idea but the person who happily tucks into rashers and sausages has no business judging another nationality for the meat that they eat.

Other nations nearby regularly eat other types of meat like rabbit, horse that wouldn't be all that common here.

aaronjumper · 21-06-2016 08:46PM

No hot dog jokes? For shame.

eviltwin wrote: »

It should be humane but apart from that I've no issues with it. Hard to be outraged when we consume plenty of meat ourselves.

This is pretty much how I feel about it. I think some people have their blinkers on because they would be thinking of their pets.

Dravokivich · 21-06-2016 08:53PM

Dont tell the the Indians we use beef in their curries.

Summer wind · 21-06-2016 09:14PM

eviltwin wrote: »

Why?

I don't eat much meat just chicken now and then. I see dogs and cats as being a part of the family. I could never look at a dog or cat and think they'd be nice in a stew.

eviltwin · 21-06-2016 09:59PM

Summer wind wrote: »

I don't eat much meat just chicken now and then. I see dogs and cats as being a part of the family. I could never look at a dog or cat and think they'd be nice in a stew.

That's a cultural thing. It's no more disgusting to eat a dog than it is to eat a cow or a sheep or indeed a chicken.

Dogmeat Festival gets underway in China

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