“A city in southern China went ahead with an annual dog-meat eating festival Tuesday despite heavy criticism and protests from animal rights activists. Vendors slaughtered dogs and cooked their meat in dozens of restaurants across the city of Yulin, in an event that has come to symbolize the cruelty and potential for spreading disease associated with the largely unregulated industry. Activists bought dogs from dealers who had been planning to slaughter them, while local residents complained that outsiders were ruining what they consider a local tradition. “We came to Yulin to tell people here dogs are our friends. They should not kill dogs in such a cruel way and many of the dogs they killed are pet dogs”, said Yang Yuhua, a volunteer from the central city of Chongqing. An estimated 10 million to 20 million dogs are killed for their meat each year in China, and the Yulin event has become a lightning rod for criticism. Many of the dogs are believed to have been pets stolen from their owners or simply picked up off the street. They are stuffed in cages, and trucked to the city about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) south of Beijing in the province of Guangxi, often without food or water. Cats eaten at the festival are subjected to similar ill treatment.

The local government has in recent years sought to disassociate itself from the event, forbidding its employees from attending and limiting its size by shutting down some dog markets and slaughter houses. “The so-called dog-meat eating festival has never been officially recognized by government or by any regulations or laws”, said an official reached by telephone at the city government's general office. “We hold meetings every time before the so-called festival, discussing counter measures such as deploying local police, business and sanitary authorities to inspect and deal with those who sell dogs”, said the official, who like many Chinese bureaucrats would give only his surname, Liu, because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Opponents this year expanded their campaign to the United States, petitioning politicians in San Francisco to pressure their Chinese colleagues into calling for an end to the slaughter. Actors and celebrities, including Matt Damon, Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara, also released a public service announcement calling for an end to the torture and killing of dogs in China, South Korea and other Asian nations. The brief clip focused particularly on the practice of killing dogs by beating, burning and other painful methods in the belief that dying by torture makes their meat taste better. Such efforts may be having an effect. Wendy Higgins of the Humane Society International said activists on the ground reported fewer dogs killed and less visible dog meat eating than in years past.

As many as 10,000 dogs are believed to be killed during the event, which falls around the summer solstice that arrived on Monday this year. Promoters say eating dog meat during the summer helps ward off the heat and maintain a healthy metabolism. “It's been a tradition for years for us to celebrate the festival. We can't change it simply because they (animal lovers) love dogs”, a local resident, who gave only his surname, Huang, told The Associated Press. Opponents say the festival is cruel and has no redeeming cultural value. Another animal rights activists, Chen Chun, said the push to end the Yulin festival was part of a larger campaign to pass legislation banning animal cruelty. A draft animal cruelty law remains mired in China's legislature and prosecution of dog thieves and those violating animal transport laws remains lax, activists complain. “Our ultimate goal is that the country can make a law to protect animals, especially dogs here”, Chen said. Activists debated and argued with local residents, with police intervening at times to prevent any physical confrontations. Activists said rallies held around the country to oppose dog eating, as well as outrage on social media from the growing ranks of dog lovers, are already having an effect. Dog meat restaurants have been forced to take the festival indoors and large-scale open air dog-meat consumption is no longer seen”. – Peng Peng via The Associated Press



A vendor waits for buyers beside dogs and cats for sale at a market in Yulin city, southern China's Guangxi province, 20 June 2016. Yulin dog meat festival will fall on 21 June 2016, the day of summer solstice, a day that many local people celebrate by eating dog meat, causing escalating conflicts between activists and dog vendors. (Photo by Wu Hong/EPA)





A vendor smokes behind a display of dog meat at a dog meat market on the day of a local dog meat festival in Yulin, Guangxi Autonomous Region, June 22, 2015. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A woman with a load of dogs on her tricycle cart arrives at a market for sale during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Restaurateurs are holding an annual dog meat festival despite international criticism. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





A vendor smokes as he waits for buyers next to the dogs in a cage for sale at a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Seeking to end what they call a cruel and unsanitary ritual, animal rights activists are working to end an annual dog meat feast in the southern Chinese town. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





A woman walks past a dog vendor waits for buyers next to the dogs in a cage for sale at a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





People walk past a dog in a cage for sale at a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





Dogs are seen in a cage for sale at a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





Butchered dogs are seen on sale at a stall inside a meat market during the local dog meat festival, in Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, June 21, 2016. (Photo by James Pomfret/Reuters)





A dog lover activist, in blue hat, is confronted by dog sellers and locals as he is urged to leave the market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





A dog lover activist, in blue hat, is confronted by dog sellers and local people as he is urged to leave the market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





A dog lover activist is surrounded by people after she bought dogs from dog sellers at a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





An animal rights activist, center, carries dogs away from a market after she bought from dog sellers during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





An animal rights activist, center, carries a dog which she bought as she leaves a market after being confronted by dog sellers and people during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





A dog lover activist carries a dog which he bought from a dog seller leaves a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





Roasted dogs hang on display for sale at a market during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)





A man walks past roasted dogs for sale at a restaurant during a dog meat festival in Yulin in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)