Hong Kong
CNN
—
Chinese language police rescued about 1,000 cats from a truck on its strategy to a slaughterhouse, state media reported, dismantling a part of a bootleg commerce. Cat meat is fraudulently bought as pork or lamb, elevating issues about recent meals security.
Appearing on a tip-off from animal rights activists earlier this month, officers from the town of Zhangjiagang, in japanese China’s Jiangsu province, intercepted a gaggle of predators. A automobile used to gather and transport captured cats, in response to Chinese language state-affiliated information outlet The Paper.
With out the The batch will probably be slaughtered and shipped south to be served on pork and lamb skewers in addition to sausages, the report mentioned.
The newspaper mentioned that police and agricultural authorities have since despatched the cats to a close-by shelter, after foiling a plot that might have generated as much as $20,500.
The report didn’t state whether or not any arrests had been made, nor whether or not the cats had been strays or pets. CNN has reached out to Zhangjiagang police and the animal shelter for remark.
The newspaper reported that animal rights activists observed for the primary time the presence of a lot of nailed wood bins holding many cats close to the cemetery.
The report acknowledged that they patrolled the streets for six days, and when the truck started transporting cats to the slaughterhouse, they intervened and known as the police.
Footage printed by the newspaper confirmed cats rescued on the shelter resting in bigger cages.
One activist cited by the outlet mentioned the unlawful operation might promote a pound of cat meat for about $4 by passing it off as lamb and pork. Every cat weighs about 4 to 5 kilos after being handled.
“Some folks will do no matter they will as a result of it is worthwhile,” says Gong Jian, an activist who’s constructing a sanctuary for stray cats in Jiangsu, He informed the paper.
One other activist, Han Jiali, who mentioned she was concerned in stopping the truck, informed Chinese language media that it was not the primary time, and that she had stopped related unlawful commerce earlier than in southern China’s Guangdong province.
The report sparked a brand new wave of concern about animal rights and meals security on Chinese language social media, with many calling for better scrutiny by authorities.
The nation has suffered from a protracted historical past of meals and security scandals previously.
One latest meals scandal that went viral concerned a mouse head that was present in a faculty meal at a school. Native officers initially insisted it was a chunk of duck neck, however amid fears of a cover-up, regional investigators had been known as in and located in any other case.
Whereas China has legal guidelines to control and shield livestock and endangered animals, there is no such thing as a normal legislation concentrating on cruelty to pets, stray canines and cats.
Animal rights and environmental teams have lengthy campaigned towards the usage of animal elements – together with from many endangered species – in conventional drugs. There may be additionally rising opposition to holding an annual canine meat competition in Yulin, within the western Guangxi autonomous area.
“Animals haven’t any rights and there’s no assure of meals security,” wrote one in all a whole bunch of customers who participated within the latest dialogue.
The submit was considered 5 million occasions on Sunday alone.
Native authorities had been criticized in 2021 over the deaths of a number of pets that had been euthanized after their homeowners examined constructive for Covid. In a single specific incident, a well being employee beat a corgi to dying with a shovel, sparking an outcry.
One other person mentioned: “I hope the nation can legislate an animal safety legislation quickly,” referring to the latest scandal.
