If you’re bored of ordinary food, here’s an idea for you.
A controversial festival kicked off in the small Chinese town of Yulin on Tuesday. The 10-day affair includes a main course of dog, (and occasionally some cat, too).
An estimated 10,000 dogs and cats are expected to be consumed.
Although this event in particular is relatively recent, the festival has traditional roots. It is held during the hottest months, as dog meat is said to keep the consumer cool.
Of course, this event has garnered some pushback from animal rights groups. They claim that the festival is inhumane, as dogs are often kept in small cages before being slaughtered and are often killed in brutal ways, including sometimes being cooked alive.
Some of the protestors buy live dogs from vendors to save them from slaughter, while others take to the streets, holding signs of sad dogs with the caption, “I am not your dinner.”
Those in favor of the festival have had mixed reactions to the pushback. One man complained, “We eat dog meat to celebrate the festival, but since [the protestors have] come here, they've ruined our mood completely."
Others in the town like the opposition, saying it actually has a benefit. One dog vendor told BBC, "Because of the protests, more people know that Yulin has a dog meat festival, so everyone comes and tries it."