Cats and dogs are routinely killed and eaten in their thousands in China. However, a rising animal welfare movement is making every effort to save them. Animal activists recently reported a fake road crash in a bid to save a transport full of cats destined for the cooking pot.
One member heard the plaintive cries of trapped animals in tiny cages on a truck ahead of him on the highway. He couldn't allow them to face a terrible death. He called some of his friends. In the early hours of the morning, they hopped in their vehicles and found the transport with its tragic load parked in a service area.
A member placed a call to the police and reported a fake accident between one of their minibuses and the truck.
The police waived the false claim of an accident and agreed with the activists.
After inspection, many of the cats were found to be pets and some of them even had either electronic chips identifying their owners, or collars with name tags. Now the animal rescuers are trying to trace the owners where cats are identifiable and find new homes for the others.
According to the trucker he was driving the cats to the Guangdong province south-eastern China, where some older people consider cat flesh a good warming food during winter months.
With no license to transport live animals, the driver was arrested and held at a police station pending further inquiries.
However, in China there is no law against animal cruelty. As a result, some two million cats and several hundred thousand dogs are killed every year with their flesh used for cooking and their fur for fashion.
Cat meat is meat prepared from domestic cats for human consumption, although unscrupulous restaurateurs often sell cat meat as pork or lamb. Acceptability as a food source varies in different parts of the world. Some countries have resorted to eating cat meat in desperation during wartime or poverty, while others believe eating cat meat will bring good luck or health. A number of cultures and various religions consider the consumption of cat meat to be taboo for humane reasons.
Around 4 million cats are eaten in China each year, and the number is rising. However, overseas visitors are unlikely to come across downtown restaurants serving cat.
See more at http://www.animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/Actions-China/CatProtectionDec08.htm
I've loved many cats over my life. Each one has a special place in my heart. Cats are often taken to homes for the elderly and can make a real difference in helping a withdrawn person to communicate. I hate to think of these sweet loving animals caged, killed and eaten for food.