Taiwan Lawmakers Ban Selling of Dog Meat

[Currmudgeon]

Taiwan Lawmakers Ban Selling of Dog Meat
Thu Dec 18, 6:16 AM ET

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's lawmakers have banned the selling of dog meat and have introduced heavy fines for killing pets for food or fur.

The new measure strengthened an existing ban on the slaughtering of pets for use of their meat and skin.

Animal rights activists had protested that the original ban had not stopped the killing of the animals, and that a ban on trading was necessary to give the law more teeth.

When they passed the law on Tuesday, legislators also introduced tougher fines for offenders.

The new animal protection law included fines ranging from $1,500 to $7,300.

The fines also were applicable to those illegally killing pets. In the original version of the law, the fines were limited to a range from $58 to $300.



story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=757&e=10&u=/ap/20031218/ap_on_re_as/taiwan_dog_meat

[freundhund]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFantastic



Regards

Freundhund

[GSDnut]

Well, I suppose this is the start of a wedge being driven home internationally. We 'westerners' have a totally different view of the sanctity of life, and the quality of life for animals than Asian and Eastern cultures. Let alone the Spanish and their barbaric Bullfights and Donkey cruelty.

When I was in the Army in Malaysia, it was a common sight to see dogs (including GSDs) with their feet tied together, strung on a pole to be carried to market, with a tin can pushed over their muzzle. We were not allowed to interfere, as it was part of their culture, and could have incited rioting etc, but those pictures still remain in my head from over 40 years ago.

We have never exported dogs to Malaysia, except for one noteable exception to someone we knew very well (Mr Koo Kim Chong, who had three of our dogs and made two of them Malayan Champions).

All the same - Great News!!

Regards,

John

[Currmudgeon]

GSDnut said:

We 'westerners' have a totally different view of the sanctity of life, and the quality of life for animals than Asian and Eastern cultures.

This is one aspect that makes this such an interesting topic. Why is the life of a dog more sacred than, say, a cow? We eat cows, after all. Is this simply an aesthetic prejudice, based on the fact that dogs and cats are cuter than cows or squids?

[gsdoglady]

Currmudgeon said:

Why is the life of a dog more sacred than, say, a cow? We eat cows, after all. Is this simply an aesthetic prejudice, based on the fact that dogs and cats are cuter than cows or squids?

One of many examples of how illogical we humans are. I bet we have all tried to rationalize that very thing. Why is it fine to wear cowhide but not the hide of Dalmatians? It does come down to what we have an emotional attachment to. Most of us do not think about the steer - we just think about the steak in the package. It makes it more sane that way. Eggs come in packages rather than from egg farms. We all think of Elsie the Contented Cow rather than the cows turned into milk factories with the help of hormones.

No, I am not a vegetarian. And I do not have really good answers other than we are just another preditor who manages to farm instead of hunt the meat. But don't some ants "farm" aphids?

[gsdz4me]

I am pleased to see the ban also. When I was reading about one of the countries that ate dog meat it was said that they claimed it was their culture, however, apparently dog eating was a relatively new thing they did, not something they had done for centuries.
If truly they had to rely on such animals as a food source the least they could do was treat the animals humanely. The way the animals are treated before and during slaughter is deplorable.

Jackie & Inca - NZ

[Currmudgeon]

gsdz4me said:

The way the animals are treated before and during slaughter is deplorable.

But this is consistent with the way animals, and sometimes humans, are treated in most of the world.

Which doesn't mean that I approve of it, but those of us that live in what we smugly consider the civilized world are pretty sheltered.

[GSDnut]

Dennis,
Thank you for starting such an interesting and highly debateable topic. With widely different views of members of this Forum, I see it being a 'Hottie'

I therefore wish to add fuel to the fire, by stating that I am a Veggie, and have been for the last 15 or so years, although when I pull my rig into a 'Greasy Spoon' and smell the bacon being grilled, I occasionally weaken, and partake of a 'Bacon Butty!'

At the time, I used to call at the local Abbatoir, and buy 'Paunches' (cows stomachs - which are a delicacy here after they have been cleaned and bleached, and called 'Tripe'), which as they came straight from the cow with all the stomach contents was a cheap and nutritious complete feed for my dogs.. After a time, one day I was told to go round the back and see 'Fred', and I witnessed for the first time, animals being slaughtered. I was totally upset by the way it was done, and the way the poor animals were treated, and from that day, I have had the philosophy that if I couldn't go into a field and kill a Sheep, Cow or Pig myself, then I shouldn't ask someone more callous and uncaring than myself to do it on my behalf.

I really feel that all meat eaters should visit a slaughterhouse and witness the barbaric acts performed therein, and if after that, they can still eat meat, then its fine by me!!

We have a massive meat processing plant near here that pre-packs meat for ASDA (Our Wal-mart, and owned by them). They slaughter on average 650 animals every 24 hours, and the meat is packed within 20 minutes of the animals demise. Now then, I remember when - years ago, when our local butcher killed his own meat - he would 'hang' the meat for a length of time (not sure, but maybe 2 or 3 weeks) to allow the enzymes in the meat to break it down and make it more tender and palateable. Add to this the growth hormones and other chemicals pumped into these unfortunate animals, and I just have to say 'Thanks, but no thanks' on that issue alone.

Another barbaric practice here, is to hang up a pig by its back legs (after being electrically stunned), and slit its throat, so that the blood falls into a bucket and the heart pumps it all out - this blood (which also may contain urine, mucus from the pigs mouth and nostrils) is then mixed with rusk and spices and made into large sausages that we call 'Black Pudding', which is fried along with Bacon, eggs, etc for breakfast. YUCK !!!

And we have very tight legislation, inspection, and continual presence at every abbatoir of an envorinmental officer from the Local Authority. Just imagine what could be happening in less civilised countries!!!

At present, I only avoid 'red' meat, but would dearly love to widen my ban of animal products by not eating fish, poultry, eggs and milk. I am totally aware of all the cruelty surrounding these products too.

Just my feelings and opinions!!

Love peace and Light to all,

John

[Currmudgeon]

GSDnut said:

I really feel that all meat eaters should visit a slaughterhouse and witness the barbaric acts performed therein, and if after that, they can still eat meat, then its fine by me!!

I've hunted and fished. I don't do that much anymore, due to a lack of time not any philosophical objction to the practices. I've raised rabbits for the table and butchered them myself. Chickens are too much of a nuisance to raise. Large livestock is a logistical problem, but I don't have any personal objection to butchering my own cows, sheep, or pigs. I've threatened to eat the cats, but they're not impressed.

I agree that buying meat is morally equivalent to killing the critters yourself.

Edible livestock is an efficient way of converting green plants into digestible protein, and to productivly use land that is not particularly good for raising food crops.

It's nice to be an omnivore.