Dogs No Longer Labeled as Livestock in China

The Chinese government has removed dogs from the list of animals allowed to be commercially bred and sold for meat. The reclassification was part of the Announcement No. 303 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China made on May 29, 2020.

Although this news does not mean an outright ban on the consumption of dog meat, the distinction now bans the selling of live dogs and dog meat for food, essentially making it illegal for China’s restaurants, markets, and slaughterhouses to offer dog meat. This protection also extends to cats –who were never on the List of Livestock– and follows a similar announcement from the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai which were the first in China to ban the consumption of cat and dog meat officially. 

It is unclear how the new classification of dogs will impact the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, celebrated annually on June, but we think this reclassification is a sign of progress against the cruel treatment of animals.

Sharon Núñez
President

The Yulin Dog Meat Festival is notorious for slaughtering dogs, with many beaten and killed while conscious. According to estimates, 10 million dogs and 4 million cats are killed annually in China for meat. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the dog meat trade spreads rabies and increases the risk of cholera, providing further evidence of animal agriculture’s role in zoonotic disease spread. 

With the progress of the times, people’s civilization ideas and eating habits are constantly changing, and some traditional customs about dogs will also change.

Spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs

Animal Equality has been campaigning against the dog and cat meat trade, releasing our first investigation into the industry in 2012. However, there is still much more work to be done. This new classification of dogs in China does not ban their consumption countrywide. Many animals, including dogs and cats, still suffer on farms in China and around the world. It’s time that we move toward a new normal where all animals are respected and protected.