The southern Chinese town of Yulin had initially said it would ban the consumption of dog at its annual Summer Solstice festival, but following widespread protest by locals, a compromise was arranged in which stall owners would promise to only slaughter two of the animals at each location.
Nonetheless, reports of multiple dog carcasses at individual stalls were noted, indicating that animal rights negotiators were less than successful in achieving their aims, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Activists also reported that the internal organs of canines, including liver, were available for sale.
There was a heavy police presence at this year's festival.
A spokesperson for Animals Asia stated that "there does not seem to be a ban on all dog meat," but added that, "the festival appears to be smaller this year, with fewer dogs losing their lives to this cruel industry," cited by SCMP.
The annual Yulin Summer Solstice festival ordinarily sees thousands of dogs consumed, and the killing is traditionally brutal — including being boiled alive or beaten until dead — in line with a belief that dog meat tastes better if the animal dies in terror.
In response to local and global activism against eating dogs, several stall purveyors altereds their signs to read "tasty meat" instead of "dog meat."
"Business during the festival goes up about ninefold," one stall owner claimed, adding, "we always manage to have enough dogs."
Proponents of the practice of eating the flesh of dogs claim that activism results in higher sales of the canine cuisine. An estimated 10 to 20 million of the animals are slaughtered for their meat annually in China, where consumption of dog remains legal.
