China. Dogs.

A plea: 'On behalf of all of virtuous Chinese people, on behalf of innocent and helpless animals and their owners, on behalf of all good human beings, please help us, please help us, please help us!'

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a common citizen of Beijing, China. I’d like to tell you something terrible happened now in Beijing. On the large scale, the Chinese government is slaughtering dogs who have not certificates or who are just taller than 35 centimeters. The government has organized policemen and special dog-killing teams to arrest or kill dogs on the spot wherever they find the dog in the city. Many dogs have been hit to death on the street. Some of them were hung on the trees and were whipped to death. Some of others were caught and closed into suffocating dogs’ concentrating camps to wait for execution.

Everyday these bloody slaughter scenes are on play in every place of China. As the capital of China, Beijing is the worst place for dogs. From November 6, 2006, the policemen of Beijing are going to break into common people’s houses who have large dogs or no-certificates for the dogs at home. The dogs will be caught and be taken to the dogs’ concentrating camp and wait for execution. And this is the real situation we have to accept.

And now please allow me to tell you why these dogs have not certificates. Basically, there are two reasons: First, Some owners can not afford the expensive fee for dogs' certificates. Take Beijing for instance, the fee for the first year is RMB1000, and RMB500 for every year from the second year on. As you know, China is still a developing country, not each family can afford the charge. Second, for those dogs taller than 35 centimeters, our government refuses to give them ID cards. The so-called reason is they are tall and perhaps make people scared. Their ban is aimed at all of large dogs including all the mild-tempered and quiet ones such as golden retrievers, labrador dogs and scotland shepherds, etc.

The strongest explanation of Chinese government’s about their killing of dogs is: Dogs will spread canine madness. However, everybody knows that canine madness is entirely different from SARS and bird flu. It’s preventable through vaccination and can be remedied by bacterin injection to human beings. In China, only those dogs who have certificates can be injected the bacterin for free every year. Whereas many large dog owners, just like us, take our dogs to pet hospitals for injection by ourselves. Actually, most of cases of canine madness appeared in the rural areas of China.

Just because our government has not tried its best on canine madness’ prevention and has no accurate management on dogs, many people ignore the danger and do not prevent illness by means of injection in time, especially for peasants. Those owners whose dogs bit other people can easily avoid punishment if they run away or disavow they are owners. All of these leads to tragedy.

Just let’s thin if the government vaccinated dogs for free in China every year, undoubtedly, the number of ailing dogs must be greatly reduced. If the government permits all the dogs get certificates and ask all of them should tie the ID cards on, I believe nobody will avoid punishment any more since people will get the owners' information through the card. Why does our government not choose a reasonable way to control the disease? Why do they just kill these innocent animals in this incredible cruel way? It’s human beings’ fault, but not the dogs’.

I was born in the seventies. When I was still a little girl, my parents told me dogs are out best friends. But today in China, in the 21st century, most of parents only tell their children the dog is dangerous, so keep away from them anytime. Because of unilateral publicizing by the Chinese government and all kinds of media, more and more people are misled.

I just want to say, the dog is still our friend, they are no virus, they are not dangerous. They will always bring us pure love and soul’s peace. Perhaps they are just a kind of pet to owners, but the owners means a whole world to them.

Dogs’ life is quite short, maybe only 11 or 12 years. Why don’t we make them happy and peaceful?

When I chatted with a foreign friend, he told me nobody put the dog into cage because that means disrespect in his country. The dog is not treated with contempt in many countries, except China. They are not regarded as food, except in China. I think dogs are different from many other animals not only because they have emotion and are very intimate to their owners, but also they never betray. Many of us can hardly do this, don’t we?

I have many friends who have dogs in Beijing. Some of them belong to DINK families. Some others are old people who live alone. They love their dogs very much because the dog means one member of families always accompanies them. Undoubtedly, killing the dog must be hurtful and terrible to them. The dog brings them joy and comfort.

These owners love their dogs just like love their own children. But why? Why does the government plan to slaughter their animal family members??

I wrote several letters to our government. I asked for mercy for the innocent animals. Eventually, nobody gave me an answer. So I have to write to you.

People said the slaughter will be cruel more and more before the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. But why? Is there any relations between Olympic Games and killing dogs??

So please help us. Please stop the cruel inhumanity towards animals in China. We are willing to do anything to cooperate with our government if they won’t kill animals at random. Our government should punish those owners who have uncivilized behavior when keeping dogs. They need to be punished, not the dogs. Everybody knows it’s not the dogs’ fault.

My dog, a 2-year-old golden retriever, named Happy, is a very soft and good-tempered girl. My friend sent her to me just 50 days after her birth. We treat her like our own child, my husband and I give her all our love. We take her to the pet hospital for vaccination every year. We never take her out for a walk during the daytime for not disturbing other people. Usually we take her out at 5:30 in the morning and after 10:00 in the evening. As a matter of fact, Happy almost never run in the sun. She never bark just like all of golden retrievers. She loves my slippers and always lies on them and snores aloud.

My honey Happy, a real cute and lovely girl, will be killed by our government. Why? How can I understand?

From yesterday on, I dare not to take her out, because outside is dangerous. I can read the expression in her eyes, but I have not any other ways. I’d rather lock her in the house, but not see her arrested and killed by people. To be honest, if any policeman wants to break into my house and take her away, I’m not sure what I will do. It’s just the same as rob my own child away from me. I believe I will hold a stick or a kitchen knife in the face of them.

Dear friends, perhaps you have got a little news about Chinese slaughter towards dogs, but you never imagine how terrible it is now. Many of owners who have gentle large dogs at home in Beijing just like me cannot keep quiet any more. We have decided to get together outside the gate of Zoo of Beijing on the November 11, 2006. The theme of our assembly was: Objection to the limit of 35 centimeters towards dogs and condemn uncivilized dogs’ owners.

If you can understand our feeling, if you hope to support us, help us please. Please help all poor dogs living in China. Please make your efforts to persuade the Chinese government to change their cruel policy towards animals.

I really love my motherland. I am proud of my country because the 2008 Olympic Games will be held here. But if that means the deaths of innocent lives, please don’t come.'


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China Embassies

Videos - Protests
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VinPsPNMff4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjAZoNkdkgY

Source: photos
Author: photos

Link: 1202 Mouring Meeting For Slaughtered Chinese Dog
Link: China's shocking fur trade
Link: How dogs are treated 'officially'
Link: skinned (alive?)
Link: World condemnation of China's inhumane killing of dogs