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Chinese legal experts are proposing a ban on eating dogs and cats in a contentious move to end a culinary tradition dating back thousands of years
The recommendation will be submitted to higher authorities in April as part of a draft bill to tackle animal abuse
The drafters of the new proposal want far more drastic measures, which would oblige law enforcement authorities to close down thousands of dog restaurants and butchers which supply the meat
According to the draft, illegal sale or consumption of pets would incur a maximum penalty of 15 days in prison for individuals or a 500,000 yuan fine for businesses. Public security bureaus would be obliged to respond to hotline calls from the public about violations
But the plan for a dog meat ban has stirred up fierce debate between animal welfare groups and defenders of traditional values.
“I support this proposal. Whether you judge this as a question of food security or emotions, there is absolutely no necessity in China for people to eat dogs and cats,” said Zeng Li, the founder of the Lucky Cats shelter in Beijing
Online critics said it was hypocritical to protect only dogs and cats. “This is absurd. Why only dogs and cats? How about pigs, cows and sheep,” wrote a poster going by the name Mummy on the Xhinua news agency website.
“I hope the experts went to see what laid-off workers and people in rural areas have to eat. They should pay more concern to problems that people really care about,” said another contributor under the name Starfish
The focus has now been narrowed to prevention of animal abuse, which is defined as inflicting unnecessary pain and brutality. Even so, it is far from certain that the draft will be adopted by the government or the National Peoples Congress
An amazing step in the right direction 
SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/26/dog-meat-china
