Letter from Ruth Eisenbud about China's Other War
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Letter from Ruth Eisenbud about China's Other War

To Members of the Media,

Since the beginning of history one creature has stood beside man. He has been there to protect us and our flocks, cooperated with and done our bidding and has brought us joy and companionship. There is a reason he is called man's best friend. Throughout much of the world the bond between humans and canines is strong, almost sacred. Their devotion and care for us is rewarded and we in turn protect them:

"He that would hang his dog, gives out first that he is mad" A British proverb

There is an exception: one segment of humanity, that does not honor this bond and has instead betrayed it in cruel ways unimaginable to anyone who has been befriended by a dog. In China and throughout much of east Asia the dog is valued, not for its decency and loyalty, but for its fur and flesh.

It is a psychological truism that those who abuse animals are also more likely to abuse humans. Recently China has been making headlines for its brutality in Tibet:

"The Dalai Lama has launched a fierce attack on Chinese rule in his Tibetan homeland, saying his people have experienced "hell on Earth".

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7933207.stm)

Life for dogs and cats in China is also 'hell on earth’:

Not even a carnivorous animal tortures its prey before the kill, yet in China and Korea the myth persists that if a dog is 'agitated' prior to slaughter the meat, when consumed, will have increased restorative properties..

In China dog meat is completely legal. Each year sixteen million dogs are killed in government sanctioned slaughter houses, but the actual number is much greater, as dogs are killed daily in restaurants and private homes throughout China. The following is a regularly enacted scene:

One dog killed on a Beijing street: "I live in Beijing China, and have seen so many disturbing and disgusting examples of animal cruelty, once witnessing the slaughter of a dog, in front of a dog meat restaurant, on one of the busiest streets in town, on the sidewalk, with pedestrians passing. The dog had been hung up, while alive i might add, by a hook through it's chin. Legs tied together. In one swift motion a man stabbed the dog in the neck and proceeded to slice the dog open all the way down. An ocean of blood is the only way I could describe it. I had to turn away, and tried to leave as fast as i could, but the sounds the dog was making, the screaming, not a wail or a whimper, but screams, almost human, definately unnatural, were audible down the street, even as i tried to escape the sight, i was haunted by the sound. It was truly one of the most inhumane things I've ever seen, and one of the most traumatic." China Boycott Union

More Media Coverage Needed: While the war on the people of Tibet is regularly aired in the press, the secret war on dogs is rarely noted. This does not mean that people around the world are unaware of the situation. For additional information refer to the following:

http://sirius.2kat.net/

http://animalrightskorea.org/files/chinese_dog_report.pdf

Global Boycott: Because of this primitive and cruel treatment of man’s best friend there are millions of individuals throughout the world in countries as diverse as Argentina, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, who are boycotting all goods from China. Since pleas to the Chinese government to end this brutality have gone unheeded, a boycott is a reasonable means to send a message that we will not tolerate this terrible injustice to a decent and companionable being. Incidentally Richard Gere and Steven Spielberg also support boycotting China for abuse of humans in Tibet and Darur. With this in mind a boycott database has been established as a clearing center, for anyone interested in boycotting, of items that are NOT made in China:

http://www.edinburghfurfreecity.co.uk/boycottchina/

In addition writing to Chinese Embassies throughout the world is also helpful, as they are concerned with the global image of China as it relates directly to profit. The following is a list of Chinese Embassies throughout the world:

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/asia.htm

Do not remain silent: If your life has ever been made better by knowing a dog, then as the Media you owe it to our dog friends and the humans who care for them to report on the atrocities done to dogs in China, Korea, Vietnam and much of the far east, where this rampant abuse is often justified in the name of culture."

Ruth Eisenbud

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