Cats and Dogs as food.

[fguy64]

It's reported on CNN.com that the Chinese government will be banning the use of dogs and cats as food. This move is calculated to give China the appearance of being a more civilized nation.

I've never lost too much sleep over the fact that people eat dogs and cats in some parts of the world, but it does bother me that they are mistreated in the process, just like it bothers me when any animal is needlessly abused.

Inside the cat and dog meat market in China - CNN.com

[MikeTbob]

All I can say is, it's about damn time. I don't lose sleep over it either but that does not make it okay in my book. How would they feel if we started craving Panda meat?! Yeah, that's my take on it.

[fguy64]

We could say the same about horsemeat I guess? Horses are supposed to be ridden? Chimpanzees as meat in Africa seems a little "off" to me also.

[MikeTbob]

HAHA, well, I don't eat any of the above.

[rokytnji]

I think you must consider. When folks are Hungry. Really Hungry. You would be suprised at what becomes acceptable fare. From one who has eaten Menudo, Tripitas, Caviar de Carpa,Cuitlachoche.

I once was sold what I thought was beef tacos in Jaurez Mexico. Found out later it was Dar gato por liebre also known as roof rabbit.

[techieMoe]

What is "meat" and what is "pet" seem kind of subjective to me. At some point in the history of man, everything that wasn't man was "meat," (and to some men... even man was included).

We consider hamsters cute and cuddly in the States, but they're being considered as a fast-growing source of protein in starving parts of Africa. What will the poor in China survive off of now that dogs and cats are off the menu? Last time I checked there weren't a great surplus of cattle ranches in Beijing.

I'm just saying, it's more of a cultural thing. I don't see it as China becoming more "civilized," but rather becoming more "Westernized." The same kinds of things happened in Japan since the late 70's and 80's.

[bigtomrodney]

I think you must consider. When folks are Hungry. Really Hungry. You would be suprised at what becomes acceptable fare. From one who has eaten Menudo, Tripitas, Caviar de Carpa,Cuitlachoche.

I once was sold what I thought was beef tacos in Jaurez Mexico. Found out later it was Dar gato por liebre also known as roof rabbit.

I have to agree with you rokytnji.

When I hear people freak out over eating a type of animal I get a little skeptical if that person eats any meat at all. Whether we like it or not the lines are fairly arbitrary outside what will and won't poison us. So, dogs and cats are cute...it's not alright to eat them. That's usually accepted. But what about lamb? That's eaten every day.

My own experience is that people are happy to eat beef or chicken every day in excessive quantities but aren't always ready to accept the visual and real notion that it is an animal they are consuming. I was out hunting before, I shot some rabbit and brought it home. It was all eaten and the pelt was saved and used. I spoke to the girl I was seeing at the time and she said I was a disgrace - well fair enough maybe I am, but I asked her to tell me why. She told me it was because I killed an animal for food. I pointed out that she ate chicken every day, sometimes twice a day. "Oh that's different - that was from the shops".

Now she wasn't a stupid girl by any means but it seems that she had never really given it any thought. I too am appalled at the mistreatment of animals and I abhorr hunting for sport, e.g. foxhunting or coarsing. I have a very strict set of rules around hunting in that I won't kill anything I won't eat. I hunt very rarely but if I bring something home it'll be eaten. I read once that Confuscious said that chopsticks should be used when eating as knives remind us of the abbatoir and the violent act of butchering. I've always appreciated that sentiment but sometimes in this world I wonder if maybe everyone shouldn't be made to kill and prepare their own food just once, even if just to appreciate the sacrifice of life to fill our bellies. With that all in mind I wonder if it's just because cats and dogs are around us everyday that they get an exemption.

Whatever the answer and whether I'm right or wrong it's important to understand that our ethics and morals in the western world are a result of the history behined us. They are arbitrary in some respect and the product of experience for the remainder. What we should never forget is that they are no more sacred than the ethics and morals of other cultures.

[rokytnji]

I wonder if maybe everyone shouldn't be made to kill and prepare their own food just once

I was brought up that way. Parents were farmers. Butchered Pigs, Chickens, Deer, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Goats you get the idea.

Made our own butter, Sour cream, Cheese, and Milk. I didn't drink store bought milk till I went to grade school.

This kind of Life style I think, Made me into the imposing figure I am today.
It was healthy and right in my book. I taught my own boys to hunt and field strip (gut) javalina and deer and breast dove so as to be barbecued later with onions and jalapenos. My boys also grew to be imposing figures.

Life style figures a lot into how the machine that is your body will perform now and later in life. So if Big Toms statement was actually practiced in this country. And it is in the West here and in the Midwest and rural areas of the USA. There would probably be more healthy folks.

My 2 cats and dogs are eyeing me nervously.

[Rubberman]

Being a vegetarian (for 40+ years) I have to object to the abuse that carrots suffer every day when they are so brutally yanked out of their nice damp beds, peeled of their skin while still conscious, and then chopped into little slices for my salad! It's enough to make a carnivore out of me!

Anyway, I really don't have any issue with people who are not vegetarians eating cats, dogs, horses, or whatever as long as they don't try to eat me!

[psic]

I agree with everyone who pointed out that it's hard to judge a culture that's different to ours. I mean, I've eaten frog's legs (tastes like chicken, actually), buffalo burgers (though I'm not sure there really was any buffalo in there), horse meat (there are actually farms that raise horses just for the meat)...

While I wouldn't consider eating dogs or cats, I can understand that in some cultures it's not frowned upon.

This whole conversation reminds me of the Pulp Fiction scene where Samuel Jackson is explaining how he doesn't eat pork