Orchids, Album Covers and Pages, Chen Wu, 1832, Art Institute of Chicago: Asian Art

Restricted gift of Muriel Newman; Samuel M. Nickerson Endowment Size: Each leaf measures: 21.0 × 27.6 cm (8 1/4 × 11 in.) 26.4 × 35.0 cm (10 1/4 × 13 in. mount) Medium: Album covers, pages 1 and 14, 12 blank sheets

1 hour oc draws!

Yulin , located in the southeastern Guangxi province, is a hilly basin with a total area of 12,838km sq., along the border of Guangdong.

It's famous for its many mineral hot springs, Shiyi Towers (which are the oldest and most famous towers of China) and now - the Yulin Festival.

 The Ill-famed Yulin Dog Meat festival, celebrates the June solstice by slaughtering thousands of dogs and now,cats and selling them for consumption. The festival lasts usually around 10 days and takes place this year on June 21st.

Ninety Percent of dogs killed are stolen from Urban households and sold by thieves since it's easy money during the preparations of the same.

In 2011, 15,000 dogs were slaughtered and eaten. A close to 226,800 kilograms is consumed every year which includes the meat of pet dogs as well as strays. The festival encourages about 2,000 dogs being butchered every single day. Dogs are not only skinned but are smashed with hammers,cut with chainsaws and burned alive.

 -    The pressing issue in regard with this festival is that primarily there are NO dog farms in China. With the absence of the same, there is lack of national and local food standards to ensure the safety of dog meat. So the festival that involves killing sick and dying rabid animals off the streets or poisoning them during capture has led to surge in number of rabies cases. The dogs and cats carry toxins inside their bodies from the moment of capture to final consumption, implying the threatening health issues lurking in the background that the festival is promoting.

-    Second pressing issue is how the festival undermines social stability and aggravates social conflicts. Last year, more than a 100,000 people condemned the festival and considered it to have tarnished the reputation of Guangxi, which is otherwise known for its scenic beauty. The beautiful province, now, displays streets flooded with blood and slaughterhouses of these poor animals. This negatively impacts the tourism and commerce industry.

-    Another issue is the absence of animal protection law in China. Chinese authorities,allegedly, have only discouraged the people of Yulin to use the word 'dog meat' and ignorantly continue with the festival. To avoid interference, many also believe that the festival will start early and the slaughtering will not be stopped.There are many petitions being called on Chen Wu,the governor of Yulin, 'to act in the interest of public health and stop the butchering of animals.' The streets daunt animal carcasses hung on vendor shops, their guts being torched and their tails still wagging while they are being boiled alive.

 Unfortunately, Chinese dismiss allegations of it being gruesome and instead believe that eating dog meat stimulates internal heat and brings good luck and health.

The festival is surfacing as a a brutal act inflicted on dogs and cats for mere flavour. It is being accused of a commercial activity masquerading as a regional culinary culture. The pressure is now building on the authorities. According to the Guardian Newspaper, the country has started regulating dog meat sales which have reportedly dropped a third from the year 2013 to 2014.

 All it takes is for you to sign a single petition and stop this massacre forever.

The following are the links to do the same:

Humane Society International

https://action.hsi.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=38221

 Care 2 petitions

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/441/776/138/end-yulin-dog-meat-eating-festival/

 Change.org

https://www.change.org/p/mr-chen-wu-yulin-governor-please-shut-down-the-yulin-dog-meat-festival-in-guangxi-china/u/11050083

 The world that regards dogs and cats as lovable creatures is now displaying an act of injustice and inhumanity. They being brutally killed and sold as meat and this needs to stop.