- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
I'm a vegetarian, so it really gets to me when I see any animals going to slaughter. We pass the pig trucks on the interstate sometimes, and I just want to go save them all... and cows make me so sad! There's a cow on the farm where I keep my horse that used to be a milk cow, and she's the sweetest thing ever.
also, a few years ago a truck overturned by where I grew up - they were illegally transporting horses to slaughter. It makes me sick.
How is it any different than us eating cow? In indian cultures, that's considered a major sin.
It's not MY culture, but they also eat pigeons in many parts of the world. And beef liver. And animal hearts. How is that any weirder? Dogs are just an animal in the end...not that I"d eat one, but I completely get how some other countries do. Heck, I've eaten goat meat.
Though I can't see myself eating dog many people do and I don't see there being anything wrong with it....it's not much different than cows, pigs, chicken, etc being slaughtered. Yes, I know it seems wrong because dogs are domesticated animals, but you need to think that people can also have pigs as pets. I think it is a cultural thing and just because we see something as wrong in our eyes doesn't mean we should judge or criticize because what we do in our society is often considered wrong or inhumane in others.
I don't think it's any different than farm animals being slaughtered for meat. In fact, these puppies probably have a better environment than the usual factory farms.
I have several friends who have traveled or studied overseas and have eaten dog. It's just a cultural difference. I'm sure there are people here in the U.S. that would look at me like I'm crazy for eating deer.
I've eaten dog. Personally I get sick to my stomach thinking of people eating veal more than dog cause of how they're treated.
ps. dog tastes like chicken. :)
We saw cooked dog when we traveled to Vietnam last summer. As many other Bees have said, it isn't something I want to do, because I have an emotional attachment to dogs. But I don't think it is necessarily any more wrong than eating any other kind of animal.
EDIT: I have a strong attachment to rabbits, but I regularly support Heifer International by buying a trio of rabbits for impoverished families to raise for meat.
I think it's really different because dogs and housecats have been domesticated for thousands of years for human companionship. And it's laughable to say they have any regulations for these things. The images I saw where dogs chewing at the cages till their mouths bled.
Predator meat isn't very nutritional either. There's a reason we eat cows and not wolves.
Culture isn't an excuse for cruelty. Some Japanese eat whales. I'm not giving them a free pass because it's part of their culture.
@ ribbons: how is the meat of a predator less nutritious than the meat of an herbivore? For food chain reasons, herbivores are easier to raise en masse, but I'm not seeing your connection to nutrition. Most fish we eat are carnivores.
I dont think that just because dogs and cats have been domesticated makes their pain and suffering any different than the pain and suffering that any other animal experiences.
So is this post about cruelty of animal slaughter or the "ickiness" of eating a dog? I think they're both VERY different issues! Lots of animals are treated poorly before they are slaughtered.
I wish we had a little button for "agrees" or "likes" (we don't need a "disagree" or "dislike"), so I could just easily say I agree with ejs4y8.
I agree that they are two different things. I think the OP touched on both subjects.
Guangzhou, China (CNN) -- Dogs bark and whine behind high chain-link fences, some of them gnawing the wire so hard they bleed at the mouths while cats packed into crowded cages cower in fear if anyone approaches.
This isn't a pet store -- it's a meat market in Guangzhou, a city in southern China where eating cats and dogs is common practice.
At the Han River Dog Meat Restaurant in central Guangzhou, diners can choose from a long list of menu items, including dog soup, dog steak, dog with tofu and more. In the kitchen, the chef chops up meat for dog hot pot, one of the more popular dishes. Most customers like it spicy.
"Dog meat is good for your health and metabolism," explains Li, the hostess who declined to give her first name. "In the summer it helps you sweat."
Should cat and dog meat be banned?
But these local restaurants may have to find a new specialty. The Chinese
Professor Chang Jiwen of the Chinese Academy of the Social Sciences is one of the law's top campaigners. "Cats and dogs are loyal friends to humans," he said. "A ban on eating them would show China has reached a new level of civilization."
//
government is considering legislation that would make eating cats and dogs illegal.
Gallery: Cat and dog meat in China//
Eating dog meat is a long-standing culinary tradition not just in China, but also Korea. Cat meat can be found on the menu in China, Vietnam and even parts of South America.
The Chinese government has signaled a willingness to take the meat off the market. To avoid upsetting international visitors during the Beijing Olympics, officials ordered dog meat off the menus at local markets. Officials in Guangzhou have warned vendors to stop selling it ahead of the Asian Games which will be held there later this year.
The ban on eating dog and cat meat is part of a larger proposal to toughen laws on animal welfare. Individual violators could face up to 15 days in prison and a small fine. Businesses found guilty of selling the meat risk fines up to 500,000 yuan ($73,500.)
The legislation is gaining support from China's growing number of pet owners. With living standards rising and disposable income growing, more Guangzhou residents are investing in house pets.
"I would never eat dog meat," said Louisa Yong, as she clutches her pet cocker spaniel. "It's so cruel!"
Meat vendors have a different view.
"The dogs you raise at home, you shouldn't eat," said Pan, a butcher who also declined to give his first name. "The kind raised for eating, we can eat those."
Many of the dogs and cats sold for meat are specially raised on farms. But Chang said there is always a chance they're someone's lost or stolen pet.
In anticipation of the new ban, dog and cat meat has become more difficult to find, though some vendors say they will keep selling it as long as they can.
"The legislation will definitely affect our restaurant," said Li. "We'll just wait to see the result."
And it seems restaurants don't necessarily need to change their menus anytime soon. According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the law prohibiting cat and dog meat could take as long as a decade to pass. Until then it's a la carte, from the cage into the kitchen.
I'm not trying to discriminate against the people who believe it's normal because obviously for a lot of people in China eating dogs and cats are normal to them but in my personal opinion it's sick and it's something I don't personally agree with. I have a dog and I could never imagine someone eating her for dinner. The norm for a lot of folks in this world isn't to eat dogs and cats. Do I think it's sad what they do to other animals? Yeah but it's a more personal thing for me, having grown up with dogs and cats my whole life. It worries me that they can just find lost dogs that belong to people and they just scoop them up and cook them. Like some of the people said in this article dogs and cats are peoples companions and have been domesticated for many, many years so cooking them just feels wrong.
@ribbons i agree with you 100000%
@Busybridetobe - I can understand how you can be upset since you have personal experiences with these animals as pets. But I also think that it helps to step back and disassociate yourself from these personal experiences and think how slaughtering dogs and cats for meat is really any different from slaughtering another animal for meat.
It's a shame that some of these dogs and cats may have belonged to people as pets, and I think that's a different issue altogether. I think it's more of a shame that they are being slaughtered in general, because I don't think any animal being slaughtered for meat is right.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's understandable that this hits home for you more than other animals being killed for meat. But I believe that cruelty is cruelty, regardless of who or what it is directed at.
Cats aren't actually as domesticated as dogs, but I digress...
I think that some cultures eat things I do not or would not. I think that leaving a dog in a cage until it gets slaughtered is the same as leaving lobsters in a tank at a restaurant (only in the US they put rubber bands on their claws so they can't maim each other in the process). I think that animals are treated inhumanely before slaughter in EVERY country in the world, INCLUDING the US. (Remember the footage of the cow with two broken legs being rolled into a pen by a forklift??)
Does this footage/article surprise or outrage me? No. That's how it is done there. And nothing I do or say will change how they see the food they consume, and it isn't my right to determine which foods they ought consume. That just begs the question!
Like ejs said, I think two different issues were brought up:
1. Is eating dog gross?
I think no more than eating scorpions or grubs or guinea pigs.
2. Is eating dog morally or ethically wrong?
Culture dictates. And Chinese culture accepts it. So it's ok in China.
well said tulip
ps.. I am a dog owner and can't say I would ever eat dog, but I would never call someone sick for eating dog. I actually work with a lot of people from China, who have had dog as part of their diet while in their own country....this doesn't mean they would plan to find a lost dog and cook it up for dinner.
Yeah I think its "sick" but not because of what type of animal they are. Just the fact that they are slaughtering animals in the first place. I am a vegetarian and don't eat any meat, I try not to eat eggs either. But if I do I always, always make sure they come from free range farms, (LOCAL) and cruelty free. I am not pushing my opinion on anyone by the way. My FI eats meat and loves it. I just make sure that when we buy it, it is local, organic, hormone free, free range.. the list goes on. The cruelty they show to chickens, cows and horses in slaughter houses in the U.S. is disgusting. So it is my choice to not eat it.
EDIT: If I did eat meat, as long as the animal was well taken care of before slaughter. IE: Good living conditions, being well fed, not being wasteful. Using every part of the animal they can. I wouldn't care if it was dog, cat, horse, chicken, donkey (Which I hear is amazing for those meat eaters) or what not. I choose not to eat meat because I love all animals, and really I just don't like the taste of meat. It really grosses me out.
soo apparently i'm not allowed to have an opinion on this lol i was just asking how you all felt about it.
BusyBride, you asked how people felt about it, and they answered. Nobody said you aren't allowed to have your opinion.
Me personally, I don't believe that it's any more morally or ethically wrong to eat dogs and cats than any other meat. I wouldn't eat dog, because I've got a cute little French bulldog snoozing on my feet right now, and I've spent my whole life in a culture that views cats and dogs as pets & companions, not food. Other people in other areas of the world don't share that view, and I have no problem with that.
I also agree that while the descriptions of how the dogs and cats are held in cages in China is really sad, and I don't like to think about animals suffering and feeling fear in general, we have to keep in mind that the USA has not exactly set the gold standard in treating our food animals humanely either. I am conscious of the fact that the animals I eat probably also suffered and felt fear before they died. I don't like it, and try to eat humanely-raised meat when I can, but I do participate in continuing that industry. Food for thought. (PUN!)
I don't like the fact that it happens, but that's just because I have come to view certain animals (including dogs and cats) as domesticated household pets, and therefore have a problem with the idea of eating one. When it comes to meat, I'm not very adventurous, and only stick to what I have grown up accustomed to eating: Chicken, beef, turkey, pork & fish. Here in the US I know that a wide variety of meat is available for consumption that I don't like the idea of eating for the simple fact that it's not what I consider the norm: Buffalo, lamb, deer, quail, pheasant, squirrel, etc
That being said, I do understand that cultural differences abound, and if that's what someone eats, then that's what they eat. I love animals, and have a hard time thinking about the slaughter that any animal must endure to become the food that's on my plate, BUT I am definately not a vegetarian and don't plan on becoming one anytime soon. I don't think it's fair to judge or criticize a particular culture or person for the type of food that they eat, but it's ok to think it's gross (for instance, I think brussel sprouts, cabbage, blue cheese & mayonaise are disgusting).
As far as the OP's original posting about dogs and cats, I did see a documentary that suggested that they are skinned alive before slaughtering.
In my book, that is NOT ok. That is cruel and unecessary torment.:( I understand that Lobsters are boiled alive (I don't eat lobster personally) which I feel bad about, but I also understand it is because of a poison that has to be boiled out before it can be consumed. I seriously doubt that is the case with dogs & cats.
*raises hand* I've eatten dog.
(and I disagree that it tastes like chicken - the meat texture is similar to dark meat chicken, but the flavor, IMO, is totally different. Like any meat though, it depends largely on how it is cooked)
I live in China, and want everyone to understand that while several asian cultures do use dog as a meat food source, it doesn't mean they don't share your affection for the fuzzy animals. MANY of my Chinese friends have pet dogs.
I think it's easy to forget that culture in the West is significantly younger than culture in the East. The Chinese have been eating dogs since long before the Europeans ever domesticized them. It's an animal. When you have to work 14 hours a day (refering to ancient aggrarian China now, not nowadays) to produce enough food for your family to survive, you don't think about whether Fido is cute - you think about whether he's a viable food option. Just like every other animal.
It's easy to be 'grossed out' by it if you've never lived in a cultural setting where dogs are viewed as anything other than pets, so I don't think your opinion is wrong, but I do think it's important to consider WHY things are done, not just how they make us feel. :)
I think it's totally fine to be saddened/upset - especially when you see a documentary showing cute little puppies and kittens. But that's kind of the point of the documentary so it's doing it's job.
Off-topic: Has anyone seen an eel skinned alive to make eel-skin stuff? That's pretty scary.
Some of you bees are really focused on how these cute, adorable dogs are poorly treated. Being locked up,chewing at the chains,barking excessivley, etc. Then, cooked for dinner.
How about the cute adorable puppies locked up in the puppy mills here in the United States? No exercise,no space in their crates,barking,living in their own filth,etc. And unfortunatley a lot of those dogs don't get adopted out due to lack of socialization so they're just put down.
So as far as making decision on whether you think eating dog is cruel, you may want to stroll into your local pet shop.
I wouldn't make dog my first decision, however, if we had some huge world wide devastation where food was VERY scarce, then yea, I probably would eat one if it meant survival.
That's just my two cents.
Do I think the eating of dog is wrong? Nope, but I wouldn't eat dog myself.
I think its cruel to keep animals like that before slaughter but meat producers in the U.S. keep animals in deplorable conditions...so are you just as worked up about our meat sources?
@Wendy - I'm kind of confused at to how the two relate. Yes, puppy mills are cruel. At least in the circles I run in, that's a well known fact.
I mean, I don't think dogs should be eaten. But I personally don't think any animals should be eaten, which is why I'm a vegetarian. I also only adopt from shelters, rescues, the BLM, or from existing owners.
I wouldn't want to take away anyone's right to eat meat, but I do think it's horrible how the majority of animals for consumption and dairy are treated, here and overseas.
I think that using the words "sick" and "disgusting" are kind of harsh because it's quite judgmental. Your entitled to your opinion (as I am to mine) but I don't really think these discriptions are fair unless:
1) You are a vegetarian and you apply this thinking to eating all animals.
2) You are opposed to the way they are raised (not the type of animal) and you apply this thinking to all animals that are raised in inhumane environments (like most of the meat in America).
Of course, you don't have to eat it if that's not what you find appealing. I personally don't have a big issue with eating different types of animals but I don't normally eat organ meats because they aren't appealing to me. Since I'm lucky to live in a world of many options there's no reason I should be forced to eat things that don't appeal to me and you shouldn't have to either.
I find the dog meat industry (at least in Korea) appalling, but I don't see anything wrong with eating dog per se. I'm a vegetarian, have been for 16 years - so meat is meat to me (cows, chickens, silk larvae...it's all the same!)
However, dogs (at least in Korea) are slaughtered in a horrible way ie. beating the dog to death (often while they hang upside down). There is still a strong belief (my 20 year old students also repeat it) - that dog meat stew is a 'stamina food' for men. Therefore, men believe the dog must be beaten and tortured to death because that adrenaline is what gives men their stamina. I'm all for the dog meat industry being regulated and for dogs to be slaughtered in a humane processing plant (if that even exists for other animals); however, I do not think dog meat would be popular if dogs were killed in this manner because that would take away the cultural impetus for eating them in the first place.
My cats are actually from a shelter run by Koreans. My babies didn't come from the slaughter market, but when I adopted my first, there was a group of cats which had been just rescued by the Korean shelter staff from the meat market. But that's another whole story...
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| MrsOliveBird | 11 |
| aussiebee | 10 |
| janetsnakehole | 8 |
| j_jaye | 5 |
| Rivendeler | 5 |
| simpleandchic | 4 |
| kat2014 | 4 |
| Scottish_lassie | 4 |
| MrsMSmith | 4 |
| Adalita | 4 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| MabelleBliss | 1 |
AS I'm flipping through the channels I come across CNN and they're covering a story in China about cooking dogs. It's disgusting and sad. Right when I turned on the channel they were showing these dogs about to get slautered and then it showed a restaurant cooking them. They're showing the journalist with some puppies for sale on the side of the street right now. Adorable fluffy puppies..about to get chopped up and eaten >:-o :-( What do you think about this?!