Press Release - Humane Society International Condemns the Slaughter of Dogs in China

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Humane Society International Condemns the Slaughter of Dogs in China

WASHINGTON (March 7, 2007) - The Humane Society of the United

States/Humane Society International has condemned plans to kill dogs

in the southwestern Chinese municipality of Chongqing, where a case

of human rabies resulted in death last month. According to a health

official, three cases of human rabies have been reported in the

municipality's Wanzhou district during the last year after nine years

of no reported cases.

 

Owners have until March 16 to have their pets destroyed before police

implement a killing campaign of all dogs, even those already

vaccinated by their owners.

 

" Rabies is a serious matter, but local, provincial, and national

government officials in China must recognize that vaccination

campaigns are the most effective way to ensure public safety now and

in the future, " said Andrew Rowan, Ph.D., chief executive officer of

HSI. " Killing animals indiscriminately like this is unnecessary and

inexcusable, especially if they're already vaccinated. "

 

Pointing to successes in other areas of the world where rabies is

common, HSI maintains that a campaign to raise the percentage of

vaccinated animals is the best way for Chinese authorities to address

the perceived threat of rabies.

 

The dog eradication programs have been the subject of numerous open

protests within China. " The culling campaigns are in direct conflict

with the emergence of a pet-keeping culture in China, " Rowan added.

" Solutions are needed that respect the increasing importance of the

human-animal bond in a growing number of Chinese households. "

 

During the past year, HSI has led U.S.-based protests against the

mass killing of dogs, written letters to Chinese officials, staged a

peaceful demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington and

agreed to cosponsor a conference on rabies in China later this year.

A separate conference on companion animal care in China is scheduled

for November.

 

Facts

 

 

The World Health Organization has stated that indiscriminate mass

killing is not a means of effective animal control and supports

vaccination programs for rabies prevention.

 

 

HSI is working in India, Nepal, and Indonesia to develop humane

animal control programs that include sterilization and rabies

vaccination.

 

 

Pet ownership is on the rise in China, with an estimated 150 million pet dogs.

 

Timeline

 

July 2006: First reports of a mass killing of 50,000 dogs in Yunnan

Province, China.

 

August 2, 2006: HSUS/HSI executives write to Chinese ambassador to

protest culling.

<http://www.hsus.org/about_us/humane_society_international_hsi/hsi_asia/china_ra\

bies_prevention.html>HSUS

Article

 

August 6, 2006: HSUS/HSI executives writes to Chinese ambassador with

offer of $100,000 and expert counsel to launch vaccination program in

Shandong Province, where another cull is announced.

<http://www.hsus.org/>More Information

 

August 10, 2006: HSUS/HSI demonstrate in front of Chinese Embassy,

DC. <http://www.hsus.org/video_clips/protestors_converge_on.html>See

Video

 

November 2006: Beijing implements " one dog " policy to " combat

rabies, " affecting all households with two or more dogs and any dog

more than 35 centimeters.

 

November 15, 2006: HSUS/HSI sends letter to U.S. Secretary of

Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez to urge his intervention during his

China visit on misguided one-dog policy.

<http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/largest_animal_protec\

tion.html>Press

Release

 

December 2006: Chinese President Hu Jintao halts national crackdown

on dogs due to international protest.

<http://www.hsus.org/about_us/humane_society_international_hsi/China_president_s\

tops_cullings.html>President's

Orders

 

January 2007: U.S. House of Representatives Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) and

Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) call on China to reform dog cull policies.

<http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/lantos_smith_china_do\

g_policies.html>Lantos/Smith

Press Release

 

Media Contact: Polly Shannon,

<pshannonpshannon , 301-721-6440

 

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As the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States,

the largest animal protection organization in the country with nearly

10 million members and constituents, Humane Society International

addresses issues such as inhumane practices and conditions affecting

companion and farm animals, illegal trade in wildlife, threats to

endangered species, slaughter of marine mammals, and the use of

animals in research and testing. On the web at

<http://www.hsi.org/>www.hsi.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interested in taking action online to help animals? Then join our

online community and sign up for our Humane Action Network. Go to

<http://www.hsus.org/join>www.hsus.org/join .

 

 

 

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