The Yulin Dog Meat Festival was established in 2010, when dog meat traders saw an opportunity to boost flagging sales of dog meat. During the Festival, dogs, mostly stolen pets and rural guard dogs, are shipped in shocking conditions over great distances and are brutally killed. This extreme display of animal cruelty not only subjects dogs to horrifying treatment, but also poses a threat to public health. These abhorrent practices are completely unacceptable, and I believe that through raising public awareness, and diplomatic pressure, they can be stopped, particularly given the strong desire by the Chinese people to see them end.
In January, I reintroduced H.Res.30, Condemning the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China, and urging China to end the dog meat trade. This measure has broad bipartisan support with over 160 of my colleagues in the House of Representatives co-sponsoring the resolution. Although some news outlets have reported that the Yulin authorities ordered a temporary sales ban of dog meat during the Festival, there has been no official confirmation of the ban. The resolution also addresses the much larger trade, impacting an estimated 10 million dogs a year in China. That is why I believe it critically important for the House Leadership to bring this measure to the floor for a vote without delay.
The resolution denounces the festival and also addresses the much larger trade, impacting an estimated 10 million dogs a year in China. It calls on the Government of China to impose a ban on the slaughtering and eating of dogs at Yulin’s festival, enact animal welfare laws banning the dog meat trade, and enforce China’s established food safety laws.
While the Yulin city government withdrew as a sponsor of the festival, they have taken no meaningful actions to enforce China’s existing laws and regulations, as it relates to the dog meat trade, on animal disease control, food safety, trans-provincial dog transport, or youth protection. The Yulin authorities can deter the transportation of dogs into Yulin by issuing a public notice aimed at all dog transporters to stop their actions. They can and should enforce the existing “one certificate per dog” regulation and authenticate health certificates of dogs entering the city. Finally, authorities should be incentivized to build government shelters for stray, stolen and confiscated dogs.
Even though dog meat is not part of the mainstream Chinese culinary practices, the government continuously fails to take meaningful actions, turning a blind eye to this cruel slaughter. H.Res.30 is not a condemnation of China or its traditions. In fact, millions of Chinese citizens voted in support of legislation that would ban the dog meat trade. Furthermore, it is abundantly clear that the animal protection movement is rapidly growing all across Asia, particularly in China.
I applaud the monumental steps recently taken by Taiwan, to ban the dog and cat meat trade and consumption of such meat, and hope this action will inspire others to do the same. By bringing H.Res.30 to the floor for a vote, the U.S. House of Representatives would continue that momentum and send a strong message to China, South Korea, Vietnam, and other countries, where the dog meat trade is still legal.
I stand with the millions of people across the globe and in China, who wish to see this horrific festival come to an end once and for all. I also want to thank the countless activists who continue their tireless efforts every single day in order to save and protect the voiceless. While this fight is not over, we must not lose hope, and we must continue our efforts together.
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings represents Florida’s 20th district. He serves as a Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation. Hastings reintroduced H.Res.30 on January 6, 2017.