Beijing Executes Dogs in Mass Cull
Urge Chinese Ambassador to U.S. to stop the killing

On Tuesday, November 7th, the Beijing Municipal government started a massive canine killing campaign aimed at eradicating large-breed dogs, unregistered dogs and smaller dogs who exceed the one dog per family quota. At this time, it is not known how many dogs have been killed or will be killed in the coming days as the cull continues.

Beijing's brutal actions are reminiscent of a rabies cull conducted in August of this year in the southeastern county of Mouding in Yunnan Province. Officials there ordered the brutal execution of nearly 55,000 dogs -- 90% of the region's canines -- over a five-day period because of a rabies scare. Authorities bludgeoned most of these dogs to death right in front of their guardians, while poisoning, hanging or electrocuting others.

Now it seems likely that this atrocity is being repeated in a crude attempt to make Beijing "rabies free" in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics being held in the Chinese capital. The international community and public health organizations have strongly criticized China for their cruel and reactive dog culls and for failing to implement effective preventive methods of controlling rabies. If the city of Beijing is modern enough to host the Olympic Games, then they certainly have the ability to humanely manage communicable diseases through such measures as vaccinations and spaying/neutering of companion animals.

Instead, authorities are also enforcing other draconian laws to reduce the canine population. For example, they plan to round up and kill all stray dogs, all those over 35 centimeters (13.7 inches) tall, and all those who exceed the one dog per family quota. Many Chinese citizens regard their canine companions as members of the family, just as people in other cultures do. To arbitrarily take these animals' lives is an affront to the bond between people and the animals they so dearly love. It also brings shame upon China in the eyes of the world.

Call or fax the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. immediately and urge him to push his government to put a stop to the killing in Beijing and to initiate effective preventive measures against the spread of rabies.

His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 328-2574
Fax: (202) 328-2582
E-mail: webmaster@mfa.gov.cn

http://ga0.org:80/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=4349059