By Eric Vandenbroeck and co-workers
Chinese woman pretends to offer canines
a loving home...
A woman shop owner in
northeastern China who adopted stray dogs from rescue groups, then killed and
cooked them, has triggered a wave of outrage. An animal shelter in
Liaoning province recently received multiple reports from concerned dog
lovers. Whistleblowers claimed a local grain and oil wholesaler was taking
in stray dogs and making soup.
According to the
mainland media outlet Jimu News, the woman, who uses the alias Zhixuan,
contacted shelter staff via messaging apps asking about free adoptions.
The woman has adopted dogs from multiple animal
shelters and then posted videos of herself cooking them.
She promises to care
for the canines and agrees to follow-up visits, then takes them
home. Mainland reports said Zhixuan used the method to adopt and slaughter
multiple dogs from different shelters.
An animal shelter in
Liaoning province recently received multiple reports from concerned dog
lovers. Whistleblowers claimed a local grain and oil wholesaler was taking
in stray dogs and making soup.
Screenshots
circulating online show her posting videos of cooking dog meat on social media.
In one post, she
wrote: “Dog meat is almost ready. Perfect for a rainy day with a drink.”
Another shows her
child eating dog meat with the caption: “Only the best for the kid.”
Screenshots
circulating online show her posting videos of cooking dog meat on social media.
In one post, she
wrote: “Dog meat is almost ready. Perfect for a rainy day with a drink.”
Another shows her
child eating dog meat with the caption: “Only the best for the kid.”
Eating dog meat is
not banned in many parts of China; there is even a festival in Yulin in the
country’s south to celebrate its consumption, above.
Shelter staff discovered
her actions through the online posts and reported the matter to the
authorities.
Tan, a director of
the rescue group that received the reports, said he shared Zhixuan’s details
with local pet shops and shelters to raise awareness.
He urged the animal
welfare community to stay vigilant and stressed the need to thoroughly vet
people wanting to adopt animals.
Tan added that
Zhixuan had messaged him privately, refusing to apologize for her actions.
The incident went
viral on mainland social media, with related topics racking up more than 10
million views.
One online observer
said, “People like Zhixuan are despicable. Those poor stray dogs thought they
had found a loving home, only to be taken straight to hell.”
Another asked: “When
will China enact laws to punish those who show such blatant disregard for
life?”
On May 13, the police
confirmed that the shop owner had cooked and eaten dog meat.
The ownership of pet
dogs has risen dramatically in China over recent years, a fact that may explain
the furious online reaction to the woman’s actions.
A Market Supervision
Bureau official said the dog meat had been seized according to the law, and the
case was under investigation.
Zhixuan’s social
media account has been set to private, with all posts hidden and friend
requests disabled.
Eating dog meat is not banned in most parts of China.
Traditional beliefs
hold that it boosts male virility or helps with arthritis, but there is no
scientific evidence to support these claims.
Eating such meat carries significant food safety
risks.
In 2020, the city of Shenzhen
in southern China became one of the first in the country to ban the consumption
of cats and dogs.
Violators face fines
of up to 10 times the value of the goods.
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