Brother Wolf to hold candlelight vigil for Yulin dogs

Press release from Brother Wolf Animal Rescue:

A candlelight vigil will take place in Asheville on Thursday, June 30 from 9 to 10 pm to express solidarity with Chinese activists who are trying to bring an end to the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China. The vigil, organized by Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, will take place in the yard in between the Brother Wolf Adoption Center at 31 Glendale Avenue and the adjacent Second Chances Thrift Store.  A limited number of candles will be provided; participants are also encouraged to bring their own candles.

In recent years, as many as 10,000 dogs have reportedly been killed and eaten during the annual ten-day Yulin festival. It has drawn opposition from  the Chinese Animal Protection Network, Capital Animal Welfare Association, VShine Animal Protection Association, and other groups in China, and has also drawn widespread international opposition.  Many of the dogs are reportedly rounded up on the streets rather than raised on farms – some are strays and others are stolen pets. The dogs are typically confined in small, cramped wire cages and are killed by being clubbed to death. The festival was started by the local government in Yulin in an effort to promote tourism and economic development. It’s more of a marketing scheme than a tradition – historically, eating dogs was not common in the area and was done mainly in times of famine.  The eating of dog meat has been on the decline in China for several years, coinciding with a substantial increase in the practice of keeping dogs as pets.

Since it began in 2009, the festival has been protested by Chinese activists, some of whom have purchased dogs to save them from slaughter.  Concern for animal rights is growing in China and there is widespread opposition by Chinese people to the Yulin festival and to animal cruelty generally.  Chinese celebrities have spoken out against the festival, and petitions and social media campaigns opposing it have circulated around the globe.

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue recognizes that conditions in Western countries for farm animals such as cows, pigs and chickens are often just as bad as (or worse than) those suffered by dogs used for meat in China. The organization realizes that Western cultural biases may lead some people to oppose the Yulin festival while also continuing to support similar mistreatment of other species of animals closer to home.  Brother Wolf stands together with animal advocates worldwide to encourage an end to the Yulin festival and to all exploitation of animals, and encourages everyone to consider how their own lifestyle and dietary choices impact animals. The organization advocates the adoption of plant-based diets to promote health, protect the environment and prevent animal suffering.