The Influence Of Dog-Meat Eating

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Dog-meat eating has become a controversial issue concerning animal welfare. Countries which are known for dog-meat eating are China, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and the Philippines – mostly Asian countries. China, being one of the most controversial countries had recently celebrated a dog-meat eating festival called the YuLin Festival whereas about 10,000 dogs were slaughtered for meat (Liu, 2015). Their dog-meat eating festival is greatly linked to regional cultural traditions whereas the taste and tradition (Bacon, nd) is considered. In “traditional Chinese medicine, dog is a "heating" meat which can offer a useful energy boost in midwinter, but is best avoided after the lunar new year (Liu, 2015)”. In Bacon’s (nd) study, it is also stated …show more content…

According to Lacbawan (2014) “the practice is treated as a sacred component of ritual that has spiraled into a national symbol of Filipino culture”. It is true that the Filipinos, especially those in the Northern region, are known for this dog-meat eating tradition where more popularly, many Filipinos call this dog-meat dish as Asocena. In the Cordilleras, the Igorots are known to use dogs as sacrificial items. An example used by Lacbawan (2014: 44) was how the Igorots see their dogs having an intimate bond between them – “The bond is reinforced in ceremonial rites in which the dog is requested to look after his master, just like how he accompanies him to tend his rice paddies or guard his house at night. In the dao-es, the dog is treated as carrier or guardian of the human (his master’s) soul. Although a dead person cannot physically return to life to avenge his death, rituals can provoke his soul to hurt the person who bewitched him, until he (offender) suffers and dies.” (Lacbawan, 2014; 43). The dogs are also believed to have ‘warm’ blood which makes them brave and fearless (Lacbawan, 2014: 43). The dog then becomes an important item in the conduction of their different rituals. Despite the fact that these dogs are treated sacred and important, some still see dog-meat eating as an immoral activity. This is influenced especially by the growing market trade (whereas 200,000 dogs are slaughtered to supply for restaurant’s demands and private consumer therefore taking away the sanctity of the animal itself (Lacbawan, 2014)) and modern thinking of values and animal welfare whereas some people fight for the rights of the animals being eaten and imply that they, too, should also be ‘humanely’ treated. This, therefore becomes a battle between legal animal rights and the expression of cultural rights – whether we should consider the ethics behind eating domesticated pets or consider the

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