Saw this on Sky, http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1308739,00.html
Barbaric treatment of dogs, absolutely discaceful that this can go on.
The pictures are shocking.

Absolutely truly awful and shocking. The poor little faces and sad eyes did it for me. Feel disgusted by it.
But what can we do to stop it???

I cant even bring myself to look at the site.

the way in which they are treated is appaling, but (and i know i'm going to get yelled at for this) i can't disagree with the chinese eating dogs. its a traditional part of their culture and what right have we to argue with that? i used to work in a chinese restraunt and my boss used to eat dog when he went on trips back to china. the thing is that they see dogs very differently to the way we do, they are not held as dearly as pets. 

however i think that they really need to clean up their slaughter system etc- just as we need to with chickens etc

is that what i think it is on the plate ready for someone to eat?
Truly discaceful that they are treating dogs in this way.
Absolutely barbaric.

Not looking. I don't like Chinese food.

My dad was a butcher and still works in the meat industry so I have been brought up knowing that animals are bred as food and the treatment of the animals both as they are reared and the slaughter. As Astarte said dogs are not pets to the chinese and although we are horrified to them dogs are another food source, just as cows are for many of us yet many Hindu's would be appalled as cows are sacred to them. However, what is absolutely wrong is the way these poor dogs are being treated and something definatley needs to be done although unfortunately I doubt it will be. Very little difference has been made since the publicity in this country about how chickens are treated - supermarkets still sell the 'cheap' chicken and in large quantities and this will probably continue.

I am certainly against what the chinese are doing to these dogs and the conditions they are kept in but unfortunately I think it is going to continue :(

I agree with you pinkbrady - the Chinese just don't view dogs in the same way we do, and I although I would never eat dog, I can't criticise those who choose to, provided their raising and slaughtering methods are as humane as possible.

I worry about the way chickens are reared for food and eggs here, I did a rare shop at a supermarket last night, and couldn't see a single free range bird on the shelves. I asked a manager if they had sold out, but he said 'no, we just don't stock free range as there is no demand for them'. Now I know why I try to only buy chicken from our good local butcher.

I can't bring myself to look at the website in the link though - sorry I'm just too cowardly.

Claire

you obv didnt shop in sainsburys- there are loads of free range chickens there-  of course they are 3 times the price. i dont disagree with them wanting dog as food but do they have to truss them up like chickens whilst still alive? thats what makes me sick, we woudnt do that to a cow/sheep. i know it happens in philopines (spell) not sure about china

> ) i can't disagree with the chinese eating dogs. its a traditional part of their culture and what right have we to argue with that

I sadly have to agree.  It isn't the eating of dogs that needs to be addressed in china it is the treatment of the animal while it lives and the deliberate inhumane slaughter (it is believed to improve the meat in various ways as an aphrodisiac etc).

Which animals are eaten is entirely up to the culture, ti is their treatment rearing , and slaughter that has to be humane.

for example in Europe the eating of Horse meat is not uncommon, I have eaten it and found it very tasty.

We have a surplus of hoses in this country and eating the surplus wild ponies for example could actually aid their survival and viability, as they have to be culled to keep a healthy population, and landowners would be more sympathetic to their needs if they provided an income over and above the number needed for riding.

Many people now view Rabbits entirely as Pets, whereas I still view them as a food animal like a chicken, even though I used to keep them for show and made pets of my show stock, eating the surplus youngsters who were well fed and cared for but not made pets of.

I am sure thsoe who have show poultry view some as pets, but still eat chicken.

Agree with you Brainless re humane treatment as the foremost concern.

I don't place the Chinese eating dog (if reared and slaughtered humanely) in a different category from some owners of hunting dog packs in this country who dispense of dogs once they reach 5-6 years of age and slow down.   Neither see dogs as "pets".  They are either food or working tools. 

> We have a surplus of hoses in this country and eating the surplus wild ponies for example could actually aid their survival and viability, as they have to be culled to keep a healthy population, and landowners would be more sympathetic to their needs if they provided an income over and above the number needed for riding.
>
> Many people now view Rabbits entirely as Pets, whereas I still view them as a food animal like a chicken, even though I used to keep them for show and made pets of my show stock, eating the surplus youngsters who were well fed and cared for but not made pets of

very true, the looks i get of people when i say i really enjoy venison! people always say "oh my god you eat bambi!!"- damn right i do, delicious! deer are culled anyway as the massive numbers ruin forests etc, why not use the meat? horses and rabbits run riot in this country so i feel the same should apply to horse meat etc

though i'm pleased to say i have converted one of the girls i work with, she asked me what venisons like, and though sceptical she tried it- now is hooked :)

> the Chinese just don't view dogs in the same way we do

my old boss used to try and get me to sell him my dog (as a joke i think...)- he'd always say to me if he saw us out walking that there was good eating on him... then i told him how much he cost lol

on the other hand he also was considering getting a dog as his neighbours cats kept weeing on his veg garden, lol he asked my sis and i it would understand chinese :)

for those who've not looked at the link, it's not that graphic- just in case you wanted to look and were a bit scared to