To wonder how eating dog meat is any different to eating any other kind of meat?

[xiaozhu]

Just that, really.

[xiaozhu]

I'm glad the Danes are improving things. Obviously I am not completely up to date with the latest literature on the detection of boar stains. But my point stands: it is only in recent years that conditions have improved for the pigs and there was a time when the boycott of Danish pork in the UK was seriously considered.

I'm not sure what point you are making with your 'Come now' culture.

[xiaozhu]

*comment, not culture

[TheChandler]

I'm glad the Danes are improving things. Obviously I am not completely up to date with the latest literature on the detection of boar stains.

Up to date? This relates to a case by Danish pig producers against Germany in 1996! Nearly 30 year ago! And European Directive 2008/120/EC, which now governs the issue of castration of pigs for the human consumption market. That's been with us for 8 years now. The Danes haven't castrated male pigs intended for slaughter for many years now.

By the way, its boar taint - a result of the hormone skatol or androstenone if you prefer, which is the chemical taste produced by uncastrated cooked pigmeat.

If you don't understand how differing national tastes can affect national markets in Europe, its not surprising that you can't understand how cultural and religious practices inform meat preferences in different parts of the world.

The "come now" comment is sarcasm at your attempts to lead us into believing that Chinese culture is homogenous, which is just about as unbelievably ignorant as your attempts at misinformation regarding European farming practices.

[Tequilashotfor1]

I think you have been answered many times op

We don't sit and cuddle a cow, sheep, pig. Dogs have a large family role in our society that goes back through the ages. They guard us, are loyal and we love them in return.

That's about it.

Different strokes for different fokes

[TheChandler]

OP, please reassure me that you can recognise the difference between a visual stain and a taint, which affects taste.

[xiaozhu]

No, Chandler, Chinese culture is not homogenous. This is what I'm trying to say: they're not all cruel, barbaric dog eaters as some would have us believe. Cruelty to animals is not 'acceptable' in China as some on this thread have implied.

And no, I am not an expert on the European meat market, or pig stains, taints or anything else. Do I need to be to have an opinion on the subject of using animal welfare to construct a negative portrayal of a whole group of people in the press?

In fact, why have you attempted to hijack my thread by going off on an elaborate tangent about Danish pork? I used it as one example to make a wider point, and on the subject of Danish pigs I stand corrected. Well done you - I do hope you feel you've done justice to your superior knowledge about Danish pork. But it doesn't make a difference to the overall point I'm making about eating dog meat, does it?

[Tequilashotfor1]

Yes to sunshine post.

[TheChandler]

In fact, why have you attempted to hijack my thread by going off on an elaborate tangent about Danish pork?

Its not a tangent. It answers quite clearly the question in your OP, which is why eating dog meat is different to eating any other kind of meat.

It tastes bad.

I'm honestly beginning to doubt that you have the intellectual capacity to grasp this. Instead, you have got yourself all worked up about people being anti-Chinese and so on.

Can you seriously not work out for yourself that if something as subtle as male pig hormones can cause an entire country the size of Germany to reject uncastrated male pigs, taste is quite a factor in consumer selection?

[xiaozhu]

No, Chandler, I can't. But I am wondering if your posts are serious? Why would I know about make pig hormones in Germany? Why do you know about male pig hormones in Germany?

You are a very odd individual.

[IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou]

In fact, why have you attempted to hijack my thread

Hah!

[LadyDeadpool]

Here OP since you think I'm bullshitting a video of being hung up and skinned alive ready to be eaten. Warning though it's fucking horrible and not something you will ever unseen oh and did I mention it's all done if front of young kids?

[LadyDeadpool]

Of course that should be *a dog

Please don't watch it lightly though it does show severe animal cruelty.

[TheChandler]

Why do you know about male pig hormones in Germany?

Because its the subject of one of the leading cases on free movement of goods in the EU.

You are a very odd individual.

Well, I'm not the one promoting the eating of dogs!

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

good god lady I managed to watch 11 seconds and had to stop the video, that pitiful whining noise. barbaric.

chandler i have found your posts most enlightening

OP you are not coming across in a good light!

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

The domestication of dogs (and cats) has been somewhat different to agricultural animals.

People have been domesticating various animals for different reasons for thousands of years.

Cows were selected for milk and meat production.
Pigs for meat
Sheep for meat, wool and milk

Cats for their mouse catching abilities and as pets.
Dogs have not been kept for thousands of years by humans as a food source (although I'm sure they have been eaten in times of starvation). There is an interesting theory (it's only a theory though) of co evolution between humans and dogs.

Sorry bit of a long winded answer but I think the reason a lot of people would not want to eat a dog is that they haven't been bred (over thousands of years) for that purpose. They are hunters, guard dogs and companions but not food.

A pig is very intelligent but it is also brilliant as food.

[SunshineAndShadows]

Xiao I think it's a bit naive to compare unregulated, unstunned slaughter of dogs that have travelled hundreds of miles to a 'cover up in the west'. We don't 'try' to hide these practices. They simply don't happen. There is no UK festival where the inhumane slaughter of annals is celebrated. The regulated, legislated and stunned practice of humane slaughter of livestock is significantly different to what happens on the ground in China, Vietnam, Korea etc. There's a wealth of EU and UK legislation governing these practices in The West. That robust governance simply does not exist in China which leaves it open to criticism.

It's easy to play the West victimising the East card. But the reality is that if the majority of Chinese people are against animal cruelty, and the Chinese government were responsive to that demand, there would be legal protection for animals (and to a greater extent people) within China. There isn't, which indicates either a lack of public support, or a lack of political will. And that is where much of the criticism stems from.

[SunshineAndShadows]

Annals = animals ffs!

[tomatodizzymum]

What bronya said. Add chickens to that as they are omnivores too, at least mine are.

PacificDogwood my kids have named several animals that stand out. A couple are dairy cows (fat daisy and fat tulip) but some are not,
scabby chicken, Barry the rooster and Twinkle toes the bull are all going to end up on a plate, might even be ours. They are not pets though and the kids don't love them like they do the dog, the cats and for some unknown reason the goat. So I have no problem with this but I know what you mean. Maybe I have twisted kids

[WaywardOn3]

Well I've just read the article the BBC have published today on this very issue. It's intesesting and well worth a read. Even if it is short and limited in detail.

America, Australia, the UK and a large part of China are against eating dog and are actively campaigning to stop it.

[EddieStobbart]

I'd always assumed it was because they were carnivores and therefore the risk of spreading disease was higher. I'm sure I read someone that you shouldn't compost a baby's nappy if the baby eats meat.

Interesting point about the aggression.

I have a Chinese friend who thinks the shock she sees on people's faces when they talk about eating animals like dog is quite funny. I asked her if there were any preferable breeds (my father was a farmer, that was how it worked). She said no which I find surprising.

[ThumbWitchesAbroad]

Interesting stuff about boar taint, Chandler. I know similar about deer - that it's better not to kill stags in rutting season as the testosterone can taint the meat - and had heart about boar taint, but didn't know about the different nationalities reaction to it.

Apparently the Australians have developed a vaccine against it - do you know much about that?

[FlabulousChix]

You don't see many cows as the family pet. Snuggling up in bed with its owner.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

I have read, or at least scanned through, the whole thread. And am bemused by the number of people who think chickens are vegetarian. Truly free range chickens eat worms, insects, scraps from our plates, including leftover cooked chicken... They'll also eat cracked (chicken) eggs, including their own. Not what I'd call a vegetarian diet.

[Squirrelsmum]

"Add message | Report | Message poster BarbarianMum Tue 02-Jun-15 12:45:33
Isn't that the point though Squirrelsmum? Is the treatment given to cats and dogs more horrifying than that meted out to pigs/sheep/cows/chickens? Probably not. So why does this receive special attention? Because we see them as pets. It is inconsistent. Snakes are also skinned alive in several parts of the Far East (and also Texas) but not many people in the west raise an outcry over that."

Sorry I don't know how to quote.
Yes absolutely, the treatment of animals the world over is disgraceful, angora, goose down, pate, the salmon farmers that bludgeon seals to death because they are worried the seals are eating too much of their profits, the list goes on.
Personally I think anyone who makes a decision to eat any type of animal should bear witness to the process that enabled that animal to be on their plate. The comment about the dog meat festivals was in response to the scepticism that another poster was receiving about the treatment of dogs in Asia.

[tomatodizzymum]

I think if people were desperate and starving they would eat anything, including dog. I wouldn't be suprised if the trend for dog meat started during the famine when they actually got so desperate that some people actually ate humans to survive. That's living conditions that all of us (I would hope) would not be able to contemplate or understand.

I'm not saying that makes it ok, it doesn't and that's why people are campaigning. I'm not suprised there are many Chinese people also against the "festival", there are over a billion people living in China and it is the 3rd largest country. The distance from the north of China to the south is about the distance from London to Dubai. There's so many different cultures and lifestyles within that area, China is no different. A sentance cannot start with Chinese people...followed by a generalisation

Animals are treated badly the world over, so are people. All we have is campaigning and voting with our wallets/feet or whatever we have.