Dog meat off menu during Beijing Olympics

Saturday 12th July, 05:02 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 24 Total Comments Show All

Betzee at 11:00 AM JST - 12th July

If the locals want to chow down on a round of hound I say let em. This just enforces the myth of the Asian inferiority complex and propagates in a subtle way western culture imperialism.

Nice post (particularly from a dog owner). Bottom line, unless you are a vegetarian you are really not in a position to say "the cooked critters I choose to put on my plate are OK but how dare you eat 'man's best friend'???"

By ordering that dog meat (狗肉) be taken off the menu, the Chinese government is pandering to a form of political correctness.
RepublicofTexas at 11:12 AM JST - 12th July

I'm a dog owner/lover myself, but if they want to eat dogs that's their right. (I myself find it disgusting).
Betzee at 11:42 AM JST - 12th July

I think it's probably coming across dogs being clubbed to death, the manner in which they are killed to get their testosterone flowing, which the Chinese government feels, no doubt correctly, would upset international visitors. Incidentally, dog meat is only eaten by men and, obviously, only male dogs end up on the menu.
Hawkeye at 11:48 AM JST - 12th July

I have eaten lots of unusual food all over the world but I can't get excited about eating dog meat because I have had so many dogs as pets during my life. I think most Chinese and other Asian cultures (not Japan) don't have dogs as pets or have close personal relationships with them as people do in other cultures. Dogs are great animals, always there when you come home, defend you and are true family members compared to other types of pets.
Betzee at 12:25 PM JST - 12th July

Urban Chinese have become pet lovers in recent years as pets have become a status status of affluence. It's unlikely anyone would stumble across a restaurant serving dog meat in Beijing. They are more evident in the south and are usually privately owned hole-in-the-wall type joints.
wilbur at 01:46 PM JST - 12th July

i think a personal rule of "no pets, no bugs" is sufficient
Zen_Builder at 01:51 PM JST - 12th July

I got NO problem eating an animal that was bred and raised for food or caught with the sole purpose of being eaten and/or supply goods like leather, etc.
cleo at 02:40 PM JST - 12th July

Clarify "pet"?

My birds are pets. Kinda like living toys, I suppose. My dogs are not pets. They're family. Best friends. I wrote earlier that a person who wanted to eat my best friend would not be welcome at my dinner table, and for some reason the Mod pulled it.

Instead of 'no pets, no bugs' I go with 'nothing with a brain and/or consciousness'. That's still not inclusive though, as it leaves open the possibility of several JT posters ending up on the plate.... I suppose it just goes to show that if you need to have it explained to you, you're never going to get it anyway.

I don't see the difference between an animal that was 'bred and raised for food or caught with the sole purpose of being eaten and/or supply goods like leather, etc' and any other animal. With that definition, any schmuck could come along and catch my dog 'with the sole purpose' of turning her into steaks, stew and a fur collar.

Eating any kind of dead body is pretty gross (so is odorigui), but given the close symbiotic relationship between Man and Dog, eating Dog is a particularly gross kind of gross.

Someone will probably now point out that in cultures where dog is eaten, that close relationship doesn't exist; dogs are just animals. To which I can only reply that such people who live in such cultures are missing out and I feel very, very sorry for them. And even sorrier for their dogs.
sabinuki at 03:14 PM JST - 12th July

My dogs are not pets. They're family. Best friends.

Sorry Cleo you've lost it. Your dogs are pets.

Are your dogs cute by the way? We can't eat cute animals.

I like dogs and all but don't tell people what they shouldn't eat. And no I'm not coming to your house either.

Moderator: Readers, the subject for discussion is China's decision to take dog meat off the menu during the Beijing Olympics. It is not about cows, pigs, chickens, whaling or anything else.
smithinjapan at 03:59 PM JST - 12th July

Sailwind: "Just another example of caving in to so called 'superior' western culture." I don't think it's a matter of one culture bowing down to another. It's more a matter of not wanting to offend those with all the tourist money that they may not spend if they know someone's LITERALLY eating the hair of the dog. I'm sure it'll be back on the menus again once the Olympics are done. I personally couldn't care less if they were eating dog around me (so long as the head isn't on the plate and looking at me), but some would, and would (wrongfully) be offended and leave = loss of revenue. They are just pandering to the taste of 'Western culture', not bowing down to it. Pure economics.
cleo at 07:01 PM JST - 12th July

Sorry Cleo you've lost it. Your dogs are pets.

Maybe yours are. Mine aren't.

Are your dogs cute by the way?

You'd better believe it. Cute'nuff to knock your socks off and leave you pantin' fer breath. :-)
tclh at 09:01 PM JST - 12th July

If China takes dog meat off the menu for a few days,it doesn't mean Eastern culture is inferior or Western culture superior..or anything like that.China just wants good business,cheerful celebrations for everyone during the Olympic.After that,dog meat will continue to be consumed,every thing is back to normal.
JoeBigs at 10:39 PM JST - 12th July

Dog meat, I think it should be removed all together. I just can not see myself eating my pet fido. But again I am not from any of those countries....Doda do da dooooooo Man censorship must be controlled by the CCP...LOL
Sarge at 10:54 PM JST - 12th July

"chowing down on chow-chow"

AP writers...
Terrikus at 02:52 PM JST - 13th July

Dog doesnt taste all that bad...though it had the texture of lamb when I had it. But anyhow, if they wanna eat dog, let em eat dog. There just isn't the same stigma on eating dogs in some places. So what?