Please send your group's supporting statement

[Guest guest]

Dear Colleagues

 

I am sure that you are all appalled by the recent tragedy of the mass

killing of dogs in Mouding County, Yunan Province, in south west

China. Over 50,000 dogs were killed by inhumane methods, and although

they appear to have stopped, on Friday another city, Jining, in

Shangdong province, stated that it is planning to take the same

approach as a reaction to 16 rabies cases in the province over the

last 8 months.

 

I am sure that your organisation has been doing its best to help with

this tragic incident. I have been in close contact with the local

animal protection groups since the killings began, and I wanted to

inform you of the positive action being taken within China on this

issue, and also to ask for your assistance on behalf of the local

groups.

1) Local groups are working individually, and together through the

China Companion Animal Protection Network (CCAPN), and they are going

to issue a joint statement to protest the mass culling and send their

statements to the local and central governments.

 

2) The mass culling in Yunan Province is not a single incident, it

actually happens in China every year in different parts of the

country. The local groups recognise that they should use this

incident as an example to urge the government to have a humane policy

and methods for rabies elimination and dog control. They are

currently preparing a document for the government on this issue.

 

3) A peaceful anti-culling event will be held later this month in

China to condemn the mass culling in the country. The event has been

initiated by 28 local animal groups and will be attended by their

members and supporters.

 

4) The groups have said that international support is urgently

needed for local activities. However, instead of directly contacting

the Chinese authorities, it would be very helpful if your

organisation could provide the local groups with a statement as

outlined below. This would help these groups in their discussions

with the authorities, and prevent any suggestion that the groups are

trying to undermine the Chinese government.

We would like to ask your group to issue a general statement

including the following points:

 

* That your organisation condemns the inhumane mass culling

 

* Why your groups do not believe mass culling will eliminate rabies

 

* Why China should have a humane dog control programme

 

* That your organisation supports the actions of the local

campaigning groups

 

Your statement would be used by local groups to constructively assist

dialogue with the authorities, and to generate animal-friendly media

interest.

 

Please send your statement to me (ACTAsia) at pei and Jia

Meng (CCAPN) at anticulling as soon as you can. Please

contact me if you have any enquiries. Your statement would be highly

appreciated by local groups campaigning on behalf of the animals.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Pei-Feng Su

 

ACTAsia

 

Further information: International media reports on the Mouding

County mass culling -

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5244304.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1835329,00.html?

gusrc=rss & feed=12

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/01/world/main1855386.shtml

 

Organisation Information: AC ACTAsia (www.actasia.org) is a new

organisation set up by Asian animal activists to develop sustainable

and professional animal advocacy. CCAPN (www.ccapn.ngo.cn) is a

network of Chinese Companion animal welfare groups.