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Saturday 13 August 2011 | Blog Feed | All feeds

Pete Wedderburn

Pete Wedderburn qualified as a vet twenty-five years ago, and now spends half his working life writing newspaper columns. He lives in Ireland with his wife, two daughters and a menagerie of dogs, cats, poultry and other furry and feathered companions. Pete answers readers' queries about their pets' health in his video Q&A – he is also on Twitter as @petethevet and has a Facebook Fan Page.

China unveils first ever animal cruelty legislation

Whatever about its reputation on human rights, China has been well known for paying scant attention to issues affecting the welfare of animals. The most stark examples have included live dogs and cats crammed into tiny cages for sale as meat in markets, live cattle and goats being fed to zoo animals for public entertainment, and dogs being skinned alive for fur production.

It seems that China is moving, slowly, with the times. Today, its first ever animal cruelty laws are being unveiled. The legislation, which has been drawn up in consultation with the RSPCA, will include provisions to both protect pets and cover how farm animals should be raised, transported and slaughtered. It will also deliver protection for captive wildlife and laboratory animals.

The laws address deliberate cruelty and several of the most serious issues -such as those listed above –  that have concerned the international animal welfare community for many years. It will be the first time in China’s history that the state is sending a clear message to every citizen: “the way we treat animals matters”.

Currently in China, only endangered species are protected and there is no penalty for abusing or killing other animals. Over the last few years, reports have increased of deliberate animal cruelty, and several high-profile incidents have attracted widespread public condemnation and intense media coverage within China. Earlier this year, I blogged about the inhumane methods used in the large-scale killing of around 30,000 dogs following rabies outbreaks in China, which attracted not only international but also domestic criticism.

Of course, there are many hurdles to cross, including the precise details of the final legislation, and the practical aspects of enforcing the law, but today does mark a significant step forwards for “non-human sentient beings” in China.

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