Shenzhen bans eating of dogs and cats with historic new law
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A city in China has banned its residents from eating dog and cat meat with a groundbreaking new law in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Animal activists have demanded the Chinese government prohibit the consumption of pets for years, and the new accord is the first of its kind in the country.
The legislation was yesterday passed by lawmakers in Shenzhen, a city of around 13 million people, and will take effect on May 1, according to a government notice.
One charity group hailed the passage as a 'historic decision' which marked 'a watershed moment' in the animal protection in China.
The picture shows dogs resting after being rescued from a truck heading towards the Yulin Dog Meat Festival on June 22, 2017
The annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival is one of the most controversial food festivals in China and sees thousands of dogs cruelly killed, skinned and cooked with blow-torches before being eaten by the locals.
Apart from dogs, the regulations bar snake, frog and turtle meat from the dinner table.
The news comes after China banned all trade and consumption of wild animals, a practice believed responsible for the country's deadly virus epidemic.
Pictured above, a dog wearing a mask is seen on a street of Shanghai after the outbreak was subdued on March 22
Pictured above, a pet dog wearing a muzzle walks on a street of Beijing on March 22
The officials have described the regulation as the 'universal civilisation requirement for a modern society'.
They said they had considered the city's practical situation before including the extra animal species, which are not wildlife. The aim is to 'further satisfy the daily needs of the people'.
According to the document, nine types of livestock are suitable for people to eat. They are pigs, cows, sheep, donkeys, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese and pigeons.
Residents are also allowed to dine on aquatic animals permitted by law.
Situated in southern China's Guangdong Province, Shenzhen has around 13 million people and is the fifth largest city in the country. Pictured, Migrant workers and their relatives queue as they prepare to get on a train before departing to Shenzhen in Yichang, Hubei, on March 23
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk
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