Yunnan(China) Dog Massacre, July 2006
 50,000 dogs were killed by government authorities in Chuxiong in Yunnan province. only because 3 people died by rabies deaths there!!! and similar circs are coming in more and more cities in China. so,
we are seeking help to defeat the foolish government policy,please help us to send the news to everywhere,thanks you can read the news by http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=3&menupos=10&submenupos=2&lg=en&lg=en or the following. 50,000 dogs culled in response to 3 rabies deaths! As you may have read from international news reports, government authorities in Chuxiong in Yunnan province, embarked on a 5-day dog killing campaign between July 25th and July 30th 2006 following the deaths of 3 local people from rabies. Over 50,000 dogs, including pet dogs, were brutally beaten to death, hung or electrocuted. Initially the government offered dog owners 5 Rmb (62 US cents) to kill their own dogs, but when this measure failed a special task force was set up to raid suspected homes and kill all dogs found. (Only military and police dogs were spared by the slaughter squads.) Experts have tied the rise in rabies cases in part to a major increase in dog ownership, particularly in rural areas where about 70 percent of households keep dogs. However, rates of rabies vaccination remain extremely low at only about 3 percent. Though this is shocking and horrifying news, there is hope for dogs in China, as local animal welfare groups who attended our Companion Animal Symposium in Guangzhou earlier this year, find their voice and today are speaking out against this brutal dog cull. We are committed to working with these local groups to increase our message of respect for dogs and cats. Animals Asia continues to distribute our educational packs and basic pet care information for free, whilst the success of Dr. Dog in China is showing people first-hand why dogs need our respect and protection. What you can do We have already requested urgent meetings with the authorities in Chuxiong to discuss far-reaching, practical and above all - humane - solutions. You can play your part by writing a letter to the Chinese authorities in Chuxiong, Mouding County, expressing your outrage at their brutal dog eradication campaign. As always, personal letters are the most effective, or you can copy and paste the sample letter below into an email or word document and send to the authorities in Chuxiong, as well as your local Chinese embassy. Chuxiong Government Office No. 125, Lucheng South Road, Chuxiong, Yunnan Zip: 675000 People's Republic of China Embassy addresses can be found at: www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/embassy_list.htm Sample Letter to Chinese Authorities Protesting Yunnan Dog Cull, August 2006 Dear Sir / Madam, I am shocked and outraged to learn that the Chuxiong authorities recently undertook a brutal campaign to slaughter 50,000 dogs. High volume killing campaigns have proven, time and time again, to be an ineffective measure to control populations of stray dogs and prevent rabies - and in fact, succeed only in creating an incredibly poor image for your government, both within China and internationally. Innovative new solutions to the problems of rabies and stray dog control, such as cost-effective "Trap/Neuter/Release" and "Animal Birth Control" programmes are being adopted throughout the world, with statistically proven results: shelter intakes are down, 'nuisance' animals greatly reduced and most importantly - the incidences of rabies have dropped dramatically. With just over 150 million pet dogs throughout China, pet ownership is booming and it is crucial for government authorities to recognise that dogs play an increasingly important role in today's society. There are already numerous humane solutions to ensure that dogs and people can co-exist peacefully and safely in the modern world - thus there is simply no excuse for the current brutal measures being taken against dogs and their devastated owners. We implore you to immediately end your policy of culling dogs and to work in conjunction with animal groups to introduce public education initiatives to ensure that dogs are treated with the respect that they deserve. Yours sincerely, Below is the letter that Animals Asia wrote to the authorities in Chuxiong, Mouding County, Yunnan Province on August 2nd 2006 Dear Sir / Madam, We are appalled to learn that the Chuxiong Government authorities have recently slaughtered over 50,000 dogs - both registered and unregistered; including those that are vaccinated against rabies – in Mouding County. Since this news was publicised, we have been inundated with letters and phone calls of outrage and complaint - both from our supporters in China and internationally – demanding an end to this barbaric slaughter. Whilst we appreciate your concern with public health and safety issues, such indiscriminate, cruel and reactive slaughter methods do not solve the core problems of rabies outbreaks and control. A recent report by the Animal Welfare Board of India has shown the results of a study which compares two different methods of controlling rabies. Conclusive results from this study show that responsible “spay/neuter/vaccinate/release” programmes have reduced the incidence of rabies by a significant percentage. “Since 1996, instances of rabies in humans have reduced from 120 to five a year in Chennai” said Dr. K. Manivasan, Joint Commissioner (Health), Chennai Corporation. The study covered two periods; the first from 1980 to 1995 when the killing of dogs was implemented as the method of choice of rabies control, and the second period from 1996 to 2005 after the killing was replaced by spay/vaccinate and return programmes. The results showed a rapid distinct downtrend of rabies after 1996 “and was further proof, if any were needed, that Animal Birth Control/Vaccination is the only sensible way to go to control the street dog population and rabies.” Similarly, Dr. Francette Dusan, a WHO expert on diseases passed from animals to people, said effective rabies control required coordinated efforts between human and animal health agencies and authorities. “This has not been pursued adequately to date in China with most control efforts consisting of purely reactive dog culls,” Dusan said. Associated Press 1st August 2006. Furthermore, it is quite impossible to prevent people from keeping dogs, and perhaps more importantly, it is recognised that pet ownership is a vital component of any society. Already, dogs are increasingly being recognised within China as valuable members of society: changing family demographics, such as childless couples and increasing numbers of elderly people living alone, mean that more and more people are turning to dogs for companionship and support. As a result, pet ownership is booming, with just over 150 million pet dogs throughout the nation - one for every nine people. (Xinhua News Agency 14th February 2005). As with similar studies worldwide, recent research in China, jointly conducted by the Psychology College of Beijing Normal University and Companion Animal Research and Information Centre (CARIC) also concluded that pet owners have better physical and mental health than non-pet owners. "The human-pet bond is one of attachment and loyalty. When we as a society pay attention to it, we can also benefit from it by improving the quality of life for at least some social strata in very tangible ways. Hopefully our research can help the government in its pet-related regulations." Professor Zheng Richang, Beijing Normal University. In recognition of the important role that dogs play in society, city departments in Beijing reduced the licence fee from 5000 Rmb to 1000 Rmb, as of October 15th 2003. Subsequently the number of registered dogs shot up to 410,000 citywide and experts estimate that this represents roughly 90 per cent of the total number of dogs in the capital - all of which are now vaccinated against rabies. Dogs and other companion animals also provide an important financial, as well as emotional, contribution to China: according to the Beijing Kennel Club, pet owners in the city spend more than 500 million yuan on their pets a year. Experts predict that the annual sale of pet food and accompanying necessities and accessories in China may exceed 6 billion yuan by 2008 and that the market potential for the "pet economy" could reach a minimum of 15 billion yuan. Embracing dogs as an integral part of our society also has long-term ramifications in the control or reduction of national healthcare costs. Studies by Professor Bruce Headey, at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic & Social Research, puts the amount of national savings in Australia or Germany at billions of dollars. Animals Asia's successful Dr. Dog animal therapy programme sees over 250 dedicated volunteers and their dogs visiting hospitals, disabled centres, elderly homes, orphanages and schools spreading warmth and love to people in need across Asia. Dr. Dog operates in Hong Kong, Japan, India, the Philippines Taiwan and, most recently in China, in Chengdu and Guangzhou. As a result, we have been inundated with calls from organisations across China requesting visits and from dog owners enquiring how to join this uniquely beneficial programme. "The delight that Dr. Dog brings to our patients can never be done by medicine." Professor Jinxiang Li, The Department of Palliative Care, West China Fourth Hospital of Sichuan University. With dogs offering so many benefits to all sectors of society, it is vital that they are treated with the respect and compassion that they deserve. We urge you to readdress the current regulations and to follow the example of other countries in Asia who have introduced wide-ranging protective measures for companion animals and who promote far reaching education programmes of responsible pet ownership, rabies awareness and humane stray dog and cat control. Animals Asia and the groups with whom we work with would be pleased to cooperate with you on all levels to introduce and advise on public education initiatives to ensure that dogs and people can peacefully and safely co-exist in Chuxiong. In this context, we would like to request an urgent meeting with you to discuss this matter further and look forward to working with you towards a more harmonious relationship between people and companion animals. Yours faithfully, Jill Robinson MBE Founder & CEO Animals Asia Foundation [url][/url] |
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| Thank you for providing us with an idea on how to actually do something versus being outraged but not knowing what to do. The address is extremely helpful and I will be sending a letter to China.
I am so glad you are doing something. I was worried it might affect you at some point. I hope your dog is safe! I also thought we could call Walmart and let them know we don't support businesses that do business with countries that slaughter their dogs! |
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