The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival held in Yulin, Guangxi province, China on Sunday, 21st June 2015 and Monday, 22nd June 15 to mark the summer solstice has generated a fair bit of media frenzy in the western media.
Many animal activists are claiming that it is inhuman to consume canines. The consumption of canines is surprisingly legal in many countries, including the United Kingdom. However, because the consumption of domesticated pets like dogs and cats is socially and culturally unacceptable, they are spared the trip to the abattoir. But it would be frivolous to impose one’s culture on another. For example, how would many people feel if Hindus start condemning others for the consumption of bovine, which they consider to be a revered animal?
It is simply double standards to be condoning the chicken, pork, beef or seafood for dinner whilst arguing that it is disgusting to be killing dogs and cats. At the end of the day, a life is a life. I am not suggesting that vegetarians are up on the moral high ground but what gives us humans the right to decide whose life to terminate prematurely?