Taiwan Has Just Become The First Asian Country To Ban Eating Cats And Dogs
It’s official and it’s wonderful news for animal lovers all around the world – Taiwan has just become the first Asian country to completely ban dog and cat meat. The new legislation has it that those found guilty of eating canine or feline meat can be given a fine of up to NT$50,000 ($1,600) and NT$250,000 ($8,000). The ban also covers the selling, possession or purchasing of kitty and doggie carcasses.
This positive change can be mostly attributed to changing attitudes in Taiwan towards dogs and cats – as pet ownership in the country is increasing, it causes the shift from seeing those animals as meat to seeing them as companions – and possibly even best friends you wouldn’t eat for lunch.
President Tsai Ing-wen might have something to do with it as well. During her election campaign, she positioned herself as an animal lover who owns two cats and had adopted three dogs.
Still, even though this ban is a huge victory, the fight to abolish cat and dog meat continues. For instance, in China, every year 10,000 doggies are killed in the Yulin dog meat festival. Let’s hope that other Asian countries will take Taiwan as an example and follow their lead.
(h/t: ladbible)
It’s official – Taiwan has just become the first Asian country to completely ban dog and cat meat
Image credits: AFP/ Ed Jones
Those found guilty of eating canine or feline meat can be given a fine of up to NT$250,000 ($8,000)
Image credits: Animals Asia
This positive change can be mostly attributed to changing attitudes in Taiwan towards dogs and cats
Image credits: Asia Wire
As pet ownership in the country is increasing, more people see animals as companions rather than meat
Image credits: AFP
President Tsai Ing-wen might have something to do with it as well
Image credits: AP Photo/Wally Santana
During her election campaign, she positioned herself as an animal lover
Image credits: AP Photo/Wally Santana
Still, even though this ban is a huge victory, the fight to abolish cat and dog meat continues
Image credits: Soi Dog Foundation
In China, every year 10,000 doggies are killed in the Yulin dog meat festival
Image credits: AP/Chiang Ying-ying
37Kviews
Share on Facebook
Several Asian countries already have bans in place, some of them decades ago. Don't be lazy; do your homework.
I don't understand where to draw the line... cats and dogs not ok but ducks, lambs and rabbits ok... double western standards...
Why "western"? Also same happens in, say, India. Cow is not okay, but sheep is fine. Although it's also true that like half of the population is vegetarian there. Please, someone, correct me if I'm wrong.
Load More Replies...
"double western standards..." is so true. Just go and clean up the US pig "farms".
Which meats are frowned upon and which are acceptable is completely arbitrary. You're either against all of them or you're a hypocrite.
You are right, but try to look at it as a progression instead of just as a snapshot in time. Hopefully, over time, we (as in "all of humanity") will ban more and more inhumane treatment of animals. You can't expect people to change overnight.
Load More Replies...
Here in Taiwan, very, very few people eat dog, and even fewer eat cat. We wish Pres. Tsai would do something realistic for the people.
This needs to be upvoted so that more people can see it!
Load More Replies...
In Poland we have sausages with donkeys and horses. It's salami :)
Load More Replies...
Wtf, I'm an animal lover. FYI, officially, mainland China is the only country that does this. Let's not forget the population of China is 1.4b and only a very small number of very remote mainland chinese practice this shite. And I'm not even from china
the reason Chinese people used to and still eat dog and cat is because of food shortages. When you are hungry, you are going to have to eat whatever is available to survive. Don't get the wrong idea, I am in no way for the eating of Cats and Dogs but simply explaining why.
Load More Replies... 
Why... Just why is there a dog meat festival. What reasoning is there. Seriously.
Why are there festivals for sausage? Why do you eat a slab of cow on a roll or a slice of a pig with your chicken ovulations for breakfast? It's all culture. What you grew up with seems normal to you.
Load More Replies...
What nonsense! First, Taiwan is a state, not a country. Second, Singapore and Malaysia banned dog and cat meat decades ago!
I absolutely do not agree with the practice of eating these animals but I also don't agree with the millions of cats and dogs euthanized each year. Is it better they are consumed and their life was given as sustenance or if they are merely put to death? That said I am going home to hug my dog.
The brutality is the issue. This is great progress. And yes, cruelty in other countries have to be addressed.
I hate this. Makes me feel so crappy I think ill tell my boss that im sick today and eat ice cream on my couch until tuesday
"What's the difference between dogs and cats, and cows and chickens, etc?" To an evolutionist - nothing. Might as well eat kittens or monkeys or humans. All just animals, right? But, if you consider a Creator with a plan, it does make a difference. In Genesis chapter 2, verses 19 and 20, we see the reason for our differing opinions of various animals: "So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals..." It was then that the bond was formed between us and some animals. Domestic animals - dogs, cats, horses, etc. - have a "natural" connection to Man. Stray dogs and cats (as well as others) will seek out humans for company and companionship. They and we have an internal bond. I think that bond was created by God as Adam chose his favorites. And thank God He did!
Please sign my petition asking South Korea to ban cat and dog meat too: https://www.signandshare.org/p/south-korea-its-your-turn-to-ban-cat-and-dog-meat/
Its about Damned Time! I had to put up with this in Korea, when I was stationed there, and always worried about my miniature cocker spaniel, Yumchi. I was afraid he would be grabbed and cooked. But my houseboy told me that "Yumchi full blood, they make him stud". One day Yumchi got loose and disappeared. I sent out a call for getting him back, and a Korean villager from down the road came to me. He said he knew who had Yumchi, but it would take $50 to get him returned. I paid it, and set up a six month con game between the village and Yumchi. He would run off, service all the female dogs and the Korean holding him got another $50 for the trouble. Fortunately, the battalion moves closer to Seoul and I didn't have that problem any longer. Sigh.
While I do believe it's true that if your dog is lost, it may end up in wrong hands, the situation in Korea is not really like that you should worry all the time for your pets. Far from it, really. Koreans have dog pets too, and dog eating culture is one that is slowly fading away, as the younger generations' perception of dogs is visually changing. Also, Koreans aren't really the kind of people who'd intentionally steal your pet, for the simple reason that it belongs to you. They're generally not a theft society either. BUT! Sometimes theft can happen, so it's better to stay careful.
Load More Replies... Several Asian countries already have bans in place, some of them decades ago. Don't be lazy; do your homework.
I don't understand where to draw the line... cats and dogs not ok but ducks, lambs and rabbits ok... double western standards...
Why "western"? Also same happens in, say, India. Cow is not okay, but sheep is fine. Although it's also true that like half of the population is vegetarian there. Please, someone, correct me if I'm wrong.
Load More Replies... "double western standards..." is so true. Just go and clean up the US pig "farms".
Which meats are frowned upon and which are acceptable is completely arbitrary. You're either against all of them or you're a hypocrite.
You are right, but try to look at it as a progression instead of just as a snapshot in time. Hopefully, over time, we (as in "all of humanity") will ban more and more inhumane treatment of animals. You can't expect people to change overnight.
Load More Replies... Here in Taiwan, very, very few people eat dog, and even fewer eat cat. We wish Pres. Tsai would do something realistic for the people.
This needs to be upvoted so that more people can see it!
Load More Replies... In Poland we have sausages with donkeys and horses. It's salami :)
Load More Replies... Wtf, I'm an animal lover. FYI, officially, mainland China is the only country that does this. Let's not forget the population of China is 1.4b and only a very small number of very remote mainland chinese practice this shite. And I'm not even from china
the reason Chinese people used to and still eat dog and cat is because of food shortages. When you are hungry, you are going to have to eat whatever is available to survive. Don't get the wrong idea, I am in no way for the eating of Cats and Dogs but simply explaining why.
Load More Replies... Why... Just why is there a dog meat festival. What reasoning is there. Seriously.
Why are there festivals for sausage? Why do you eat a slab of cow on a roll or a slice of a pig with your chicken ovulations for breakfast? It's all culture. What you grew up with seems normal to you.
Load More Replies... What nonsense! First, Taiwan is a state, not a country. Second, Singapore and Malaysia banned dog and cat meat decades ago!
I absolutely do not agree with the practice of eating these animals but I also don't agree with the millions of cats and dogs euthanized each year. Is it better they are consumed and their life was given as sustenance or if they are merely put to death? That said I am going home to hug my dog.
The brutality is the issue. This is great progress. And yes, cruelty in other countries have to be addressed.
I hate this. Makes me feel so crappy I think ill tell my boss that im sick today and eat ice cream on my couch until tuesday
"What's the difference between dogs and cats, and cows and chickens, etc?" To an evolutionist - nothing. Might as well eat kittens or monkeys or humans. All just animals, right? But, if you consider a Creator with a plan, it does make a difference. In Genesis chapter 2, verses 19 and 20, we see the reason for our differing opinions of various animals: "So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals..." It was then that the bond was formed between us and some animals. Domestic animals - dogs, cats, horses, etc. - have a "natural" connection to Man. Stray dogs and cats (as well as others) will seek out humans for company and companionship. They and we have an internal bond. I think that bond was created by God as Adam chose his favorites. And thank God He did!
Please sign my petition asking South Korea to ban cat and dog meat too: https://www.signandshare.org/p/south-korea-its-your-turn-to-ban-cat-and-dog-meat/
Its about Damned Time! I had to put up with this in Korea, when I was stationed there, and always worried about my miniature cocker spaniel, Yumchi. I was afraid he would be grabbed and cooked. But my houseboy told me that "Yumchi full blood, they make him stud". One day Yumchi got loose and disappeared. I sent out a call for getting him back, and a Korean villager from down the road came to me. He said he knew who had Yumchi, but it would take $50 to get him returned. I paid it, and set up a six month con game between the village and Yumchi. He would run off, service all the female dogs and the Korean holding him got another $50 for the trouble. Fortunately, the battalion moves closer to Seoul and I didn't have that problem any longer. Sigh.
While I do believe it's true that if your dog is lost, it may end up in wrong hands, the situation in Korea is not really like that you should worry all the time for your pets. Far from it, really. Koreans have dog pets too, and dog eating culture is one that is slowly fading away, as the younger generations' perception of dogs is visually changing. Also, Koreans aren't really the kind of people who'd intentionally steal your pet, for the simple reason that it belongs to you. They're generally not a theft society either. BUT! Sometimes theft can happen, so it's better to stay careful.
Load More Replies...
429
78