Jackie Chan urges China to 'have a heart for dogs'

[Guest guest]

Asia News

Thursday August 31

Action star Jackie Chan urges China to 'have a heart for dogs'

 

BEIJING (AFP) - Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan has urged China to " have a

heart for dogs " after thousands of the animals were killed to fight rabies

outbreaks, the animal rights group PETA said.

 

Chan has teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA),

the world's largest animal rights organization, to stop the mass culling of

dogs to fight a disease that can easily be prevented with vaccinations.

 

The kung fu movie hero has created a unique greeting card that will be

auctioned off on eBay starting Thursday to benefit PETA Asia-Pacific's

humane rabies control campaign, the group said in a press release.

 

Shaped like a heart, the handmade card features the Chinese characters for

" love " and " respect " along with the actors signature.

 

It also carries the inscription: " Of course it is our duty as human beings

to love and respect each other. But that obligation extends to our animal

friends as well. They are just as deserving of our care and kindness. "

 

Chan is an icon of popular culture, not only in Hong Kong but in China.

 

" With Jackies help, we hope to make dog culling a thing of the past, " says

PETA Asia-Pacific Director Jason Baker. " Humane rabies prevention programs

not only save dogs lives, they also save human lives. "

 

Meanwhile PETA representatives have met with Chinese government officials in

the wake of the mass slaughter and provided them with posters and guidelines

for humane methods of rabies control.

 

With an increase in the number of people raising dogs, rabies has emerged in

recent weeks as a top public health priority, as more people have contracted

rabies from dog bites.

 

Although people are supposed to vaccinate their dogs and register them, many

families, especially in the countryside, violate the regulations partly

because they do not want to pay vaccination or registration costs.

 

News of plans by authorities in the eastern province of Shandong to kill up

to half a million dogs, following the death of 16 people from rabies in the

past eight months, made headlines worldwide.

 

One county in southwest Yunnan province earlier in August ordered more than

50,000 dogs killed after rabies led to the deaths of three people.

 

http://asia.news./060831/afp/060831135006people.html

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The card on eBay:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jackie-Chan-Personal-Handmade-Signed-Greeting-Card_W0QQitemZ\

150028204894QQihZ005QQcategoryZ197QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem