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In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, China has drawn up new guidelines to reclassify dogs as pets rather than livestock, despite dog meat continuing to be considered a delicacy in the country.
"As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilisation and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been specialised to become companion animals, and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China," the ministry said in a statement.
The decision has come after the COVID-19 crisis has been considered to have stemmed from a pathogen in horseshoe bats, that was then passed on to humans when the animal sold in a wet market in Wuhan, the disease's epicentre.
China plans to reclassify dogs from 'livestock' to 'pets'. ((Reuters/ Tyrone Siu))China subsequently banned the breeding, trading and consumption of wildlife, and revoked all existing licences.
It also promised to revise legislation to make the ban permanent.
The guidelines, which are only considered to be a draft at this point, have been opened to the public for consultation, and listed 18 traditional livestock species — including cattle, pigs, poultry and camels.
It also added 13 "special" species that would also be exempt from wild-animal trading restrictions, including reindeer, alpaca, pheasants, ostriches and foxes.
However, the Humane Society International, an animal welfare group, has estimated that about 10 million dogs a year were still killed in China for meat, including stolen pets.
The city of Yulin, in the region of Guangxi, holds an annual dog meat festival in June.
A step in the right direction by the sound of it.
Lets hope it is policed as well as implemented.
