An online petition calls for U.S. intervention to stop a "bloody tradition." The promoters state: no "politics" motives behind the appeal. For the defenders of tradition, dog meat cures disease and improves sexual performance in men. In recent days, a rapper has spoken out against the festival.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - After launching online advertising campaigns, appeals to the mayor of Yulin and protests to the tune of rapper Big D, Chinese animal and internet activists have decided to turn the White House with a peculiar petition: the intervention of the U.S. government to block the traditional "Dog Meat Festival", scheduled for next June 21 - the summer solstice - in Guangxi. For some the meat of "man's best friend" enhances sexual performance, as well as being an ingredient in local medicine "to cure impotence." However, many others stigmatize the festival as a barbaric tradition and are using every possible means to block "a bloody celebration."

The petition addressed to the President of the United States is perhaps the most striking and unusual gesture used so far by Chinese activists, in a nation that is often in the limelight for food scandals, from melamine-tainted milk to rat meat served instead of lamb . In the appeal, they ask for help to "stop the Yulin Festival", in the province of Guangxi (south China, on the border with Vietnam), where it is traditional "to eat dog meat."

Launched on May 12, the initiative has so far collected 751 signatures likely to increase in the coming hours. The blogger Alalei, one of the promoters, said that "there are no  political motives" behind the petition addressed to the White House, just an attempt to open the eyes of the Chinese government that so far, " is turning a blind eye to this horrible tradition."

According to legend, eating dog meat helps to expel evil spirits and fight disease, as well as enhance sexual performance in men. Similar practices are found in other Chinese provinces including Zhejiang and Guangdong. Animal rights are not the only cause for concern behind attempts to halt the practice. The promoters maintain that the dogs - also offered in restaurants and public places - are specially bred for the festival. In fact, according to several complaints, many stray quadrupeds and gathered in the streets, creating many health problems because they are carriers of various diseases, which are then transmitted to humans by consumption.

 

• CHINA
• -
• UNITED
• STATES
• dog
• meat
• festival
• animal
• rights
• petition
• food
• safety