Photos: Chinese volunteers waylay truck on highway, rescue 500 dogs headed for slaughterhouse

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Dog meat is consumed in some parts of China, including southern Guangdong province and the northeast, as a traditional delicacy. However, as the number of pet owners rises and the awareness of animal rights and protection permeates the country, the cruel appetite of gourmets faces increasing accusation and opposition.

Last Friday, when Mr. An saw a truck loaded with dogs at the Tongzhou section of the Beijing-Harbin expressway at 11 am, he forced the truck to stop and sent out a cry for help on his microblog.

Hundreds of volunteers, most of them animal rights activists and some pet owners, began arriving at the scene with mineral water and food. Some celebrities and foreigners were also rumored to have shown up.

However, the trucker had all the paperwork ready for transporting dogs and animal quarantine and immunity. He said the dogs are to be shipped to Jilin and butchered there for food. Due to close confinement, ill ventilation and humid weather, many confined dogs had vomited or gone unconscious. Several died. A number of volunteers burst into tears.

The police’ hands were tied. They had no lawful right to impound the truck or let go the dogs, but volunteers refuse to leave those poor creatures behind. The standoff between the two sides lasted 15 hours until 3 a.m. before the police told the volunteers they had caused serious obstruction to the traffic and should leave as soon as possible. Finally, a pet company and an animal protection organization plunked down 115,000 yuan (US$17,600) to “purchase” the 520 dogs and brought them to a base in Beijing’s suburb. (Story background from Beijing Evening News)

Left: A volunteer climbed on top of the truck and sprayed cool water on dogs to keep the heat down.
Right: A little dog from the truck died at midnight.

The media attention and the publicity in the microblogsphere has highlighted volunteers’ bravery as well as defiance. People soon become very divided on subjects revolving dogs, ranging from the legitimacy of the volunteers to that of eating dog meat.

Among those who lash out at volunteers are some of the country’s well-known liberals. Lian Yue (连岳), a famous media commentator, wrote, “I like dogs, and I don’t eat dog meat. But the law doesn’t forbid it. Others have the freedom and right to eat dog meat. In fact, pigs, cows, sheeps that we eat, and various plants, are all men’s friends. Eating dog meat is sick, but what’s sicker is not allowing others to eat.”

Luo Yonghao (罗永浩), founder of Bullog.cn, one of China’s most liberal and edgy blog portal, wrote, “Those dogs are private property. Those who own it can do whatever to them, just like those who pet dogs and love dogs all get their dogs neutered. Have you considered rescuing the little ones’ genitals? Whoever waylaid them is a stupid cunt.” This post is in reply to my previous comment, “Robin Hood, who robs from the rich and gives to the poor, is also unlawful. But people cheer him. Are dogs rescuers being selfish? Or are they saving lives? Why people nowadays are being so over-the-top level-headed that they mention laws all the time while panning volunteers so ferociously?”

Wen Yunchao (温云超), a prominent mainland blogger and rights activist, wrote, “It’s quite sad that they are more concerned about cats and dogs than about men.” His supporter said, “Yes. I don’t protest to cat and dog lovers. I love themselves. However, if these people cannot stand up and speak for their own countrymen and express their sympathy when they are more bullied than cats and dogs, I can only say, fuck off and go fake your loving care.” To me, this is a typical red herring. So a dog volunteer is not justified to rescue a dog unless he rescues a man?

While I feel gratified and thankful that so many kind people bothered to rescue these dogs in a concerted effort, and that so many more out there on the web have supported the move and raised concerns for animal cruelty and protection, even though it definitely seems inappropriate in the sense that it has obstructed traffic, the response from others, especially those Chinese liberals, baffles me. I can’t imagine that if the incident took place in a western country, liberals would stand up against rescuers and defend the right of dog meat eaters on such a large scale and with such vitriol rather than show a little bit understanding of the act.  Are Chinese liberals way too liberal that on the issue of slaughtering dogs, they are pro-choice instead of pro-life?

Now the 500 plus dogs have been relocated to the base of the China Small Animal Protection Association in Beijing. Volunteers poured into with dog food, antiseptics and disinfectants and other puppy supplies. (Please click on a picture to enter the high-definition slideshow. )

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