(CN) When there is more to it than dog meat

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

Regarding the arguments circulating in the media about China's proposed

animal welfare law:

 

The issue here is not whether the consumption of dog meat should be

punished.

 

The issue is the development of a law that addresses the welfare of animals.

 

 

Sadly, this point is being lost in the arguments over details such as the

dog meat issue. Moreover, initiating arguments over an issue that challenges

Chinese 'tradition' will weaken all public support for the law. This is

clearly expressed in the recent China Post article (

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the-china-post/special-to-the-china-post/\

2010/01/31/243025/When-there.htm

).

 

Of course I think that the slaugher of dogs is wrong, as I do about the

slaugher of any sentient creature. But the development of an animal welfare

law in China needs to focus on the issue that everyone agrees on: the need

to protect animals who are directly under the care or power of human beings.

The politics of the drafting of this law have been weak from the start and

have now slid badly sideways so that there is infighting among animal

welfare groups (e.g., over dog meat), and the neutral public, to which

animal welfare groups should be presenting a united front, is confused and

will fall away. It would be good if the meeting that is scheduled for this

spring on the draft of the law can focus on the common goal and on

convincing people to put aside their personal objectives if those interfere

with the development of a logical process to garner public support for the

protection of animals.

 

Kati Loeffler