Thank You, Yu Kewei, Ai Weiwei, Sun Li, and Yao Ming!
Several celebrities in China, including pop singer Yu Kewei, artist Ai
Weiwei, actress Sun Li, and former NBA star Yao Ming, following in the footsteps
of actor Jackie Chan (who has spoken out against
bear-bile farming), have joined forces with Chinese animal welfare activists
to raise awareness of animal abuse in China.
Chinese artist and architect Ai Weiwei in his
home--Ouwerkerk/Redux
Though China passed a Protection of Wildlife law in 1988, a similar law for
the protection of domesticated animals (including companion animals) has not
been passed. Frustration over the slow pace of proposed legislation coupled with
a fondness for pets in the more affluent China of today have helped fuel a
growing concern for all animals in China. The number and vitality of animal
welfare organizations, such as the Chinese Animal Protection Network and Animals Asia Foundation,
have greatly increased. Petition drives, rallies, and protests promoting animal
welfare are common now. The involvement of high-profile celebrities has been a
contributing factor. The objects of their attention include consumption of dog
and cat meat, bear farms (producing bile for human use), and shark hunting
(primarily to obtain shark fins for soup).
A bear in a Chinese bear farm; bile is drained from a
hole in the bear's
abdomen--World Society for the Protection of
Animals
In 1949, dogs were outlawed in China’s urban areas as decadent and
extravagant at a time of shortages. The growing popularity of dogs and cats as
pets today, however, has forced local governments to relax these
regulations.
Dog meat, eaten in China for centuries, continues to be sought after by some.
Commonly said to increase body temperature, particularly desirable in cold
weather, dog meat also is thought by some to have medicinal properties. Cat
meat, particularly in south China, is considered a delicious and uncommon
delicacy. Farms across the country cater to the dog meat market, but many dogs
and cats are stolen. Some animal rights activists estimate that at least 2
million dogs and cats are butchered in China each year.
Recently the pop singer Yu Kewei photographed a truck in the southwestern
province of Sichuan loaded with dogs headed for a slaughterhouse in Guangxi
province to the southeast. According to thestar.com, she posted the photo on
Weibo (a Chinese equivalent of Twitter where reportedly she has hundreds of
thousands of followers) and received a flood of support. Unfortunately, the
truck passed into Guangxi before the police in Sichuan were able to act on her
message to them.
In 2009 and 2010 a filmmaker and animal rights activist, Guo Ke, wrote and
filmed the documentary San Hua, depicting the cat meat industry in
China. It was produced by the famed Ai Weiwei Workshop, Ai Weiwei himself an
advocate for animals.
The film centers on the demand for cat meat in Guangdong province that fuels
a cruel trade in cats across multiple provinces. Featuring shots of sellers
bringing sacks of cats to a Shanghai alley for ultimate transport to Guangdong’s
capital, Guangzhou, Guo also interviews chefs and customers in Guangzhou who
make and eat such delicacies as soy-stewed cat, dragon-fighting tiger (cat and
snake meat together), and boiled cat. Particularly disturbing is the comment of
one chef who, after throwing cats into a bucket and beating them with a stick,
said: “The worse you treat them the better they taste. It makes sure the blood
gets into the meat and it tastes delicious.” According to Guangzhou’s
Yangcheng Wanbao (Yangcheng Evening News), the people of Guangdong
province consume 10,000 cats a day in winter.
Chinese actress Sun Li in an anti-fur ad for People for
the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia in Beijing--Andy
Wong/AP
Actress Sun Li actively opposes the use of fur and bear bile
farms in China. Having visited Animals Asia’s bear sanctuary near Chengdu,
Sichuan province, many times, she reflected on her first experience there:
“I was a little afraid because I didn’t know how to communicate with the bears at the beginning. Then the staff told me that I should open my heart with love. I want to share my view with all of you that the earth belongs to every living being—and we should share the love with each other, and give our love to the bears.”
Perhaps no other celebrity is more associated with animal welfare in China
than the former NBA star Yao Ming. Currently on tour in Kenya to film an
anti-poaching documentary by the organization WildAid, Yao Ming is determined to raise awareness of the
slaughter of elephants and rhinos for tusks and horns.
Retired Chinese NBA star Yao Ming at a press conference
for an anti-shark-fin campaign in Shanghai, China--AP
Earlier this year
he visited Animals Asia’s bear sanctuary near Chengdu, protested the bear bile
industry in China, and also visited Animal Asia’s large cemetery of bears having
died from injuries related to bile extraction. Yao also has condemned the weekly
slaughter of as many as 1.5 million sharks for shark fin soup.
Way to go, Yu Kewei, Ai Weiwei, Sun Li, and Yao Ming! Don’t stop now! Keep up
the good work!
To Learn More
- WildAid
- Chinese Animal Protection Network
- Animals Asia Foundation
- Asian Animal Protection Network
- Cages of Shame
How Can I Help?
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Advocacy for Animals
Link:
http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2012/09/big-names-in-china-stand-up-for-animals/#more-10688
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