I am 100% certain i've seen people skining cats on TV, i think it was on A&E some time ago. I'm not certain it was China it could have been Korea however from what i remember it was China. As for other animals my ex-girlfriend is chinese, (Hong Kong) and she has had dog and snake in mainland China, maybe it was a Korean restaurant i don't know. Given the opportunity i'd also try it.
Merely pointing out that someone eats cats, is offenseive? And what if it's true? Are we not allowed to talk about it? By the way, if you think that that is offensive then you will have problems with life in general. The cat that gets eaten has a lot more reason to be offened than you. P.S. The PETA letter will probably be taken care of by Yao's PR people. Nothing to worry about.
Friends....or Food? Dog and Cat Abuse in Asia Background While some countries in Asia such as Hong Kong, the Philippines and Taiwan have banned the practice of dog eating, evidence shows that, throughout many other countries in the region, the practice is on the increase Historically the practice of cat eating in Asia has been minimal but sadly is now on the increase as a result of increasing affluence. The Animals Asia Foundation, which was founded as a bear rescue organization, was horrified to learn of the growing demand and cruel treatment of cats and dogs for human consumption. "As we know from working with various government departments in Beijing and Sichuan Province," says Animals Asia founder Jill Robinson, "there is definitely recognition and sympathy towards the issue of animal welfare and, like the bears program which is becoming more and more successful as a result of good relations with the government and local community, we hope too that the issue of cruelty to domestic animals such as cats and dogs can be similarly addressed. "Meanwhile, we will continue promoting programs in China and Asia-wide which show beyond a shadow of a doubt, that dogs and cats are our friends and not food," added Robinson. According to Ms. Robinson, dogs in Asia are slaughtered by the millions. "Many are deliberately slowly and cruelly killed in the belief that 'torture equals taste', whilst all suffer the stress and pain of being farmed in concentrated numbers before being killed in a variety of ways which rarely ensures a quick and humane death." In its negotiations with local authorities, the Animals Asia Foundation heard arguments ranging from those referring to culture, to those which state that, as long as the animal does not suffer, then eating dog meat is no different to eating the meat of other domestically raised animals such as pork, chicken and beef. "The fundamental fact is that dogs DO suffer during the farming and slaughtering process. The large concentration of dogs raised together en masse before being squashed in cages and transported to markets causes high casualties and injuries as they fight through fear, hunger and desperation to survive," states Robinson. Cats fare no better and are often found dead in their cages before slaughter. Diseases such as parvo virus, canine distemper and leptospirosis are rife and spread quickly in dogs whose immune systems are already taxed due to depression and starvation. Visits to markets across the region show not only a growing number of dogs for sale in pitiful conditions; muzzled with wire and hog-tied before slaughter, but also a large number of dead and diseased dogs and cats which have been pulled out of the cages and slung by the side. Investigations also reveal that the fur from slaughtered dogs and cats is now entering local and international markets and being used as trim for fashion items, or for trinkets such as keyrings and hair accessories. Citizens in the Eastern United States may remember the government recall of imported toys from Asia about 2 years ago that were discovered to be made of dog and cat fur. Robinson pleads, "Time and time again, dogs across the world have proved their unique qualities and how valuable they can be in partnership with people. We believe that they should not be part of our food chain and will support those who share this belief." This view seems to be shared by the Hong Kong Government Agriculture and Fisheries Department who allegedly stated during an interview that, in their opinion, dogs can not be farmed and killed humanely for food. What Animals Asia is Doing (The following information was reprinted by permission from the Animals Asia Foundation Website. Visit their site for more information.) In Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan, we coordinate "Dr. Dog", which sees literally hundreds of happy, enthusiastic dogs visiting patients in hospitals, disabled centers and homes for the young and elderly, and showing how much pleasure people receive from a four legged friend who gives the gift of unconditional love. In South Korea, our program called "Detective Dog" proudly features "Simba", a beautiful yellow labrador (pictured at left with handler Mr. Han), working with the Korea Customs Service at Incheon International Airport, and detecting illegal animal parts used in traditional Oriental medicine. This program not only helps the Korean authorities in cracking down on a cruel and illegal trade, but shows literally millions of local people who use the airport each year, the unique benefits of being in the company of dogs. Animals Asia is expanding our Dr. Dog program to Japan and India, and is expanding our "Detective Dog" program into major airports in China. We are working with the Harvard University animal legal defense students in the USA towards drafting long overdue animal welfare legislation in Asia and have also held more meetings with the authorities in China in an effort to encourage consideration of urgent regulations to protect cats, dogs and all animal species from cruelty. Please write a letter to President Jiang Zemin of China c/o Animals Asia office requesting that he help end animal suffering in China by introducing anti-cruelty legislation. As ever, funding is desperately needed to continue our work. If you would like to support our Friends....or Food? program, you can make a donation online through www.animalsasia.org/, or contact us by email at info@animalsasia.org for more information. http://www.liberalartsandcrafts.net/contentcatalog/animals/dogrescue.shtml
One thing I have noticed here in the NorthEast, and maybe I'm just crazy, but I have noticed a lot of people thinking they have become lactose intolerant. I'm beginnig to think something is wrong with the Milk. It's just a serious observation. A lot of people who were not lactose intolerant before suddently think they are, and I find that a little odd.
