China and St Bernards.

[DawnCt1]

The question posed was, is this a political thread? It is. Period.
And Dawn is still dodging the question posed to her about snopes. Why aren't either of you calling her on her hypocrisy?

It's not a political thread to me. This isn't a conservative or a liberal issue. This is an animal rights issue. I offerred snopes or those who like snopes. There are two other links. In fact, you can find over 2,000,000 links. So now tell me why you are obsessed with Al Gore.

 

[DawnCt1]

Have you seen the videos on youtube?

No, I don't think I could watch.

 

[PrincessTiff]

The question posed was, is this a political thread? It is. Period.

And Dawn is still dodging the question posed to her about snopes. Why aren't either of you calling her on her hypocrisy?

I'm not sure who asked you if it was a political thread, I certainly didn't.

 

[yeartolate]

At the Moment!!

No kidding. I am thinking eventually housecats will emerge victorious and take their rightful place at thetop of the foodchain.

 

[Cool-Beans]

The question posed was, is this a political thread? It is. Period.

And Dawn is still dodging the question posed to her about snopes. Why aren't either of you calling her on her hypocrisy?

Because I understood her the first time she posted the Snopes link and I understood her explanation.

Plus, I don't feel like picking a fight with Dawn. I disagree with her of the China/Doggie thing, but it doesn't mean I want to suck the life out of her. I get where she is coming from and I'm supposing that she gets where I'm coming from, but we have different opinions on this. Big deal.

You are trying to bait Dawn into a fight. Maybe you'll get it, I don't know.

And nobody asked, "Is this a political thread?"

 

[RoyalMidnight]

I wonder what Hindus think of those of us who eat beef?

 

[honugirl]

I don't agree with eating horse meat, but that's a popular meat in Europe. I'm a farm girl so I love cows and pigs and chickens, but I also know they offer a good source of protein and other nutrients. Each culture has their good points and bad points and they all have their own cuisine. While I wouldn't eat a dog, I can't tell people somewhere else not to. It may be the only thing they have to eat. I think as long as the animal is slaughtered in a quick and relatively painless way then it's ok. How come people aren't outraged at something like eating stone crabs? To harvest them they rip off the claws and throw them back to grow a new one. I'd say that's pretty cruel. But they taste so good...

 

[marlasmom]

I AM SO REPULSED I cannot think. Yes I'm a prime rib lover - but.

 

[DawnCt1]

I don't agree with eating horse meat, but that's a popular meat in Europe. I'm a farm girl so I love cows and pigs and chickens, but I also know they offer a good source of protein and other nutrients. Each culture has their good points and bad points and they all have their own cuisine. While I wouldn't eat a dog, I can't tell people somewhere else not to. It may be the only thing they have to eat. I think as long as the animal is slaughtered in a quick and relatively painless way then it's ok. How come people aren't outraged at something like eating stone crabs? To harvest them they rip off the claws and throw them back to grow a new one. I'd say that's pretty cruel. But they taste so good...

I have seen the utube videos. I can assure you that the slaughter is so far from quick and painless that there aren't words for it. Comparing mammals to crustaceans isn't a good comparison. Dogs have cognition and a more highly developed CNS.

 

[JimFitz]

Pass the ketchup!

 

[reeeoga]

No kidding. I am thinking eventually housecats will emerge victorious and take their rightful place at thetop of the foodchain.

You read "Sandman" by Neil Geiman? He has a reference to this in one issue.

 

[reeeoga]

http://www.comics.com/comics/frazz/index.html

Thought it was somewhat appropriate.

 

[Laura]

I have seen the utube videos. I can assure you that the slaughter is so far from quick and painless that there aren't words for it. Comparing mammals to crustaceans isn't a good comparison. Dogs have cognition and a more highly developed CNS.

You think we treat animals that are destined for slaughter in the USA all that well? And what about animals you eat that have cognition and highly developed central nervous systems? And what about foods that lots of people find distasteful, like sashimi, snails, blood sausage, or foods like veal or foie gras that are obtained by torturing animals? Should everyone stop eating them? Should people stop eating baby animals like ducklings and lambs?

I think it's hypocritical of you to say that Chinese or Korean people shouldn't eat dogs because you find it distasteful, yet you eat other animals. I find eating all animals distasteful. But do I think that stating my opinion would convince you to stop eating animals? Hardly.

 

[Youarehere]

You think we treat animals that are destined for slaughter in the USA all that well? And what about animals you eat that have cognition and highly developed central nervous systems? And what about foods that lots of people find distasteful, like sashimi, snails, blood sausage, or foods like veal or foie gras that are obtained by torturing animals? Should everyone stop eating them? Should people stop eating baby animals like ducklings and lambs?

I think it's hypocritical of you to say that Chinese or Korean people shouldn't eat dogs because you find it distasteful, yet you eat other animals. I find eating all animals distasteful. But do I think that stating my opinion would convince you to stop eating animals? Hardly.

Except bacon. That is very tasteful. But I agree with you. While I do not condone eating dogs, I think that hunting free-roaming animals is the only honorable way to consume meat. Cow, dog, tortured liver- no difference in my book. I just try not to let my judgements show.

 

[LuvDuke]

DS#3 pointed this out to me and here is a petition to sign on line. Not that I think that it will do any good. The breeding stock has already been sent to China. More reasons why we should be more circumspect in our dealings with them. A country that has no human rights, laughs at animal rights.

http://www.petitiononline.com/sbd01/petition.html

In case this gets religated to the "urban legend" category. Here is the snopes link.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/bernard.asp

Here is an older BBC link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1155558.stm although I haven't found any evidence that things have changed; other than no one in their right mind would send a dog to China. Of course, that is water over the dam because they have the breeding stock of a wonderful, warm, loving rescue dog.
So flame away and accuse me of being xenophobic....again.

Let me see if I understand this: It bothers some that dogs are eaten in China, but not a peep from the same people regarding the Chinese forced abortions or the forced abortions in the American territories such as the Marianas.

You can't make this stuff up.

 

[NYBlue1]

I think its aweful, I do however think that diffrent cultures find different animals food. I cant imagine how people in India can stomach the fact we eat cows, they are sacred animals to them. Pigs are considered very intelligent creatures, we eat them.

The fact that they eat companion animals sickens me but I cant condem them for it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wonder what Hindus think of those of us who eat beef?

I consulted my handy dandy semi-authority (DH who is Korean, is Buddhist, knows a bit about Hinduism, and lived all over Asia and once ate dog without knowing it after the fact, AND whose family bought their first poodle FROM a restaurant), and he said that a Hindu would likely feel bad for the cow, might feel bad for the person b/c that person might have just eaten their ancestor, but most likely would not JUDGE the person for having eaten the cow.


DH hasn't seen any extreme authority like youtube on this, but he lived over there, and just is mind-boggled that any of this is true. Here's the gospel from DH.

First, he does admit that he has little experience in mainland China, which might mean he is entirely wrong when it comes to the mainland, but it is interesting all the same.

But in the history, to own a dog as a pet (sharpei, etc) was a sign of wealth. It meant you could be frivolous with your money, feeding that animal with no need to eat it when the food got low in the wintertime.

Eating dog is not considered a delicacy, but more of a necessity in some circumstances. It's considered a lower class food, mainly eaten by those who need its "warmth", which means working class people. Like marrow soup is supposedly good for sick people (my MIL lived off that stuff for months after her husband died), dog is for those who need that warmth. It's mainly eaten in soup. Smaller dogs are generally preferred; bigger dogs do not have the "warmth". Dog meat does not "keep"; you're not going to see it on the grocery shelves. You're going to find it in small restaurants, and Mr Chu who owns that restaurant isn't going to waste the time or energy to do nasty things to the animal...as it is needed, he'll do what has to be done to "get" the meat, and sell it to th person who came to his restaurant or make the soup, etc.


Just wanted to pose something that is interesting to me, based on the words in the first post. In a recent post about evangelical vegetarians, I mentioned one who was present the summer I went veggie, who used to say outlandish things that were true, but were so obnoxious it put people off. One of those things was that when one eats meat, one eats fear. Sounds crazy. But an animal about to die, being shuttled through a tiny chute, hearing the sounds around him, watching things happen to its fellow animals, IS afraid, is putting out fear chemicals into its body. No need for purposeful torture to cause THAT to happen. But the idea of it making the meat taste sweet is odd.


Back to DH's thoughts. He argues heavily against the idea of Koreans eating more dog than elsewhere. He argues that Korea, as well as Japan, is desperate for the approval of the west, and if you do find restaurants who serve dog, they are hiding it. They don't want disapproval from the west, they are trying to become the west (sadly to DH's Buddhist self and family, the world's biggest Christian church is in Korea), and they aren't going to do "out there" things like eating dog to ruin that.

DH had dog in Taiwan, not Korea, despite living and visiting Korea often as a child and a young adult.

And it does not taste like chicken.

 

[CEDmom]

Man, squirriel, possum and bats do not have a "relationship" with eat other, although my uncle once had a pet racoon. I do not consider eating dog "unappealing", I consider it disgusting and loathsome. I am repulsed by the discriptions of cruelty. If you wish to brush this off as merely a cultural difference, that is your choice. I signed the petition. I am well aware that it is no doubt an exercise in futility, but it is an expression of my disdain for the practice.

But it is a cultural difference. People in China have been eating dog forever. It's not like they're eating someone's pet. These dogs are raised to be eaten just like cattle are here. BTW, this isn't isolated to China either.

 

[DawnCt1]

Let me see if I understand this: It bothers some that dogs are eaten in China, but not a peep from the same people regarding the Chinese forced abortions or the forced abortions in the American territories such as the Marianas.

You can't make this stuff up.

Believe me, if you want to start a thread on that, I will be right behind you. Forced abortion is hideous. As I previously said, I hardly expect China to blink at the thought of animal rights when there are virtually no human rights. I have read reports of women screaming in the delivery rooms, begging to have their second child's life spared...to no avail. They are known for "post birth abortions". China also executes 10,000 men and women a year, often for petty crimes. Before someone complains that we have execution in this country, lets put it into perspective. China executes more people per year than every other country combined.

 

[Galahad]

Where is the current news story that prompted this thread?