Is China seriously messed up or something? (moral, Article, Zen)

[Faint]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapc....ap/index.html

Why don't they like dogs?

SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- A county in southwestern China has killed as many as 50,000 dogs in a government-ordered campaign following the deaths of three local people from rabies, official media reported on Tuesday.
The five-day massacre in Yunnan province's Mouding county spared only military guard dogs and police canine units, the Shanghai Daily reported, citing local media.
Dogs being walked were taken from their owners and beaten to death on the spot, it said. Other killing teams entered villages at night creating noise to get dogs barking, then homing in on their prey.

Is this excusable? It seems insanely cruel and pointless to me. But I don't live there. Anyone know if vicious, wild dogs are an overwhelming problem in that part of the world...or is this just another example of humans being so self centered as to have no consideration for the rights of the animals?
In other news, I hope Cujo goes rampaging through Shanghai.

[angellous_evangellous]

Wow that's awful.

Beating a dog is a cardinal sin.

The folks who killed these poor dogs are officially disqualified from Glas's competition:

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum...473#post479473
Sometimes during the horror of an intensely dark night or when life becomes even more unspeakably loathsome than usual I console myself with the following thought: That one day in the future - perhaps in a hundred years, or a thousand years, or ten thousand years - a human being will be born whom nature has equipped with the inner resources and strength of character which will enable them to attain to the moral level of a dog.

[angellous_evangellous]

I have a thread just for this kind of thing: Man's Best Friend

[Terrywoodenpic]

A very sad story.
In the UK they are again discussing eliminating badgers in the west of england, to prevent Bovine TB.
Neither in China nor on the UK is this likely to be effective.

[Faint]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

I have a thread just for this kind of thing: Man's Best Friend

Very interesting thread. Here's a story that you might be able to add:
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/hotsprng.htm My step-father was a close friend to the man who died in the article (which is where I first heard this story many years ago). The article is negatively biased, but I think the man can be seen as acting heroically to save an animal he cared about.

[SoyLeche]

Speaking as someone who has lived in a third world country - there were WAY too many dogs there (I'd like to get a "Veterinarians Without Borders" group to go there and neuter all of the stray dogs they can find. They'd have work for years). I don't know about China though, and I don't condone what happened.

[Flappycat]

Oh, man, the Chinese government overreacts to everything. They have an overpopulation problem, and they're like "GAAAAAH! ABORT ALL THE FETUSES YOU CAN FIND BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! DO IT NOW!! *flees to an underground bunker*" A bunch of students and other assorted morons were camped out in Tianenman Square for a few days, and they were like "OH MY GAWD, WE'RE BEING ATTACKED BY REACTIONARIES! GET THEM AWAY!" They can be such idiots.

[Ody]

Wait for the apologist to come

[jamaesi]

Most third world nations do have a dog overpopulation problem (there were so many dogs in the streets of Brazil)- but beating dogs to death is never excusable.


Of course, I'm really not suprised with this knowing about China's fur trade. Animals are routinely skinned alive or have a wire wrapped around their throat while they bleed out from a stab wound in their genitals. German Shepherds- the intelligent dogs that led the blind and rescue the lost and protect our police forces- are especially favoured because their fur looks like a racoon.

I know everyone hates PETA (I'm not fond of the way they present their message) but it is the best source I can find for this. Chinese Fur Farms. The video there is just... horrible, I warn you now.



China can't even take care of its people and I'm sure the message of look at what we'll do to dogs- what do you think we'll do to you? rings loud and clear...

[mr.guy]

Originally Posted by jameisi

...I'm sure the message of look at what we'll do to dogs- what do you think we'll do to you?

Actually, i rather doubt that. Outside of Japan, i'm not sure many asian countries ascribe much empathy towards animals nor tether the same anthropomorphisms. If i'm not mistaken, south asia at large does not subscribe to animal rights or even to the protection of endangered species.

I'm not sure the average chinese citizen would be sufficiently sympathetic towards dogs to take such actions as a latent threat.