Beijing takes dog off the menu for Olympics

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Beijing takes dog off the menu for Olympics

Reuters-Fri Jul 11,

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Photo: Dogs look out of their cages from a truck on a motorway on the

outskirts...

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing has asked hotels and restaurants in the

city to take dog meat off the menu for the duration of next month's

Olympics and September's Paralympics.

Dog is eaten not only by the large Korean community in China's

capital but is also popular in Yunnan and Guizhou restaurants.

A directive from the Beijing Food Safety Office issued last month

ordered Olympic contractor hotels not to provide any dishes made with

dog meat and said any canine material used in traditional medicated

diets must be clearly labeled.

Concerned that canine dishes might offend animal rights groups and

Western visitors, Beijing said restaurants expected to be popular

among foreign visitors must stop serving dog meat " to respect the

dining customs of different countries. "

The directive " advocated " that all restaurants serving dog suspend it

during the Olympics but made no mention of the many popular

establishments with donkey on the menu.

Criticism from Westerners caused the dog meat-loving South Koreans to

ban canine dishes for a period of time during the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

(Reporting by Liu Zhen; Editing by Nick Mulvenney and Jeremy Laurence)

 

 

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