CHINA SHELTER Archivi - OIPA

Not only Yulin, cats and dogs in China are used to supply the fur market

oipainternational — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 13:52:16 +0000

It is known as a “festival,” but there is little fun about it. The Yulin Festival has commercial origins and is held once a year on the summer solstice. Invented in 2010 to boost sales of dog and cat meat, this event reflects a trade that continues throughout the year, despite the fact that few Chinese people continue to consume these dishes. In May 2025, Vshine, a partner group of Humane World for Animals, conducted interviews among the inhabitants of Yulin and revealed that 87.5% of them never or rarely eat dog or cat meat, and 88% say that a ban on the trade and slaughter of these animals would have no impact on their lives.

However, the business linked to these animals is not limited to meat. For years, the fur market has been the driving force behind economic recovery in China. Over the years, fox, mink, raccoon, and wild cat farming has become a government-supported way to lift the country’s peripheral areas out of poverty.

The centers of the new fur trade in China have been cities where, since the 1990s, large shopping centers dedicated exclusively to fur have been built, such as Chongfu, known for its wholesale fur market, and Harbin, for the Harbin International Fur City, a 11,000 m² center.

China is the largest producer of fur and importer of fur worldwide, supplying more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States. Chinese people are still among the largest buyers of fur in the world, and further impetus to this market could come from the growing bans on fur farming in many European countries.

Especially in 2020, after the closure of many Danish mink fur production facilities, China saw its domestic market grow enormously. This growth was facilitated by the European ban on production, but not on imports.

In fact, while the EU and the US banned the import and sale of dog and cat fur in 2000, China has some discretion in labeling, allowing it to not specify the animal’s origin. EU legislation prohibits introducing fur from countries that do not ensure minimum welfare standards into the European Union.

Although China has adopted stricter rules on farming, slaughter, and transport in recent years, it is not uncommon for fur produced using brutal methods to end up for sale in Western stores.

As with meat production, some investigations have revealed fur production centers where dogs and cats were also used, bred, collected from the streets, or stolen from families. The final products are bags, toys, and clothing. The numbers involved in this slaughter are staggering: a single coat requires about 10 dogs—more for puppies, of course—and 24 cats. In a market in Guangzhou, in Guangdong province, rugs made from dog and cat fur were found. In a shop in Beijing, investigators found clothes and toys for children in the shape of dogs and cats, made from their fur.

An investigation led by Animal Equality has shown that in the facilities in Jiaxing, dogs are killed and skinned, with death only coming after a long and agonizing struggle. Cats and dogs are beaten with sticks and, when they are already dying, their throats are cut. Many regain consciousness only to bleed to death.

Undercover investigators from Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International have documented that many animals are still alive and struggling desperately when workers turn them onto their backs or hang them by their legs or tails to skin them.

When we remember the atrocities in Yulin, we must consider them within the broader context of the indifference and disrespect toward animals that we consider family members. Cats and dogs in China often endure the most severe abuse. This is why we must make our voices heard and remind the Chinese government of its duty to take immediate action. This may even mean reducing a few economic sectors.

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CHINA, DOG STRUCK WITH ARROWS BY DOG MEAT HUNTER RECOVERS AT SHELTER

oipainternational — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 10:58:01 +0000

In many countries dogs are seen as loyal companions and animals that should be protected. However, many places in other parts of the world don’t view our favorite four-legged pet with quite as much love.

In China, dogs are often seen as food and there’s even a highly controversial annual dog meat festival called the Yulin Dog Meat Festival where nearly 10,000 dogs are slaughtered each year. And the dog meat traders who are responsible for gathering that many dogs are known for subjecting the poor animals to unbelievable cruelty.

Recently, a heartless meat trader in China began hunting a dog on the street with arrows. But even after being shot twice in his side, the extremely bloody dog was still managing to stand. Thankfully, a dog lover named Qiao Wei had witnessed the sick attack, and rescued the injured pup before it was too late.

Wei gently picked the dog up and rushed him to a veterinarian in central China. Once at the vet, the team took x-rays to determine the severity of the damage, and managed to remove the two arrows safely. Now, the dog is being cared for by the Qimin Animal Protection Association and is finally getting a chance to heal.

This very sad episode is unfortunately not an isolated case, OIPA beleives that investing in education and raising population awareness on dog welfare is the key to protect those animals.

Many Chinese citizens at the moment owns dogs as pets, which means that people is starting to care more about these animals. Cruel slaughtering and mistreatments on dogs are becoming very unpopular. However still a lot need to be done and we beleive in education and young generation’s engagement.

OIPA China is promoting a project which aims to building shelters for stray dogs in schools, in order to involve students, volunteers and their families. The project will take care of strays providing food, spay/neuter actions, vet assistance and promoting adoptions.

Contact: Simon Kwok, china@oipa.org

L'articolo CHINA, DOG STRUCK WITH ARROWS BY DOG MEAT HUNTER RECOVERS AT SHELTER proviene da OIPA.

THE STRAY CAT FOUND HOME IN THE SCHOOL, CHINA

oipainternational — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 11:23:09 +0000

OIPA China representative, Mr. Kwok, visited recently a University around Guangzhou in the context of the school shelter project. He found in the University a group of students which is hosting a stray cat in the campus. They provide to the cat food and a kennel.

This small kind action for the cat is the key of OIPA project. Showing to the people, and specially to the students, how animals can be companions, friends and how they should be treated. Educating the persons to improve their relationship with the animals will improve citizen life, public health and stray animals welfare as well.

Support the project and make a donation.

Thank you!

L'articolo THE STRAY CAT FOUND HOME IN THE SCHOOL, CHINA proviene da OIPA.

OIPA CHINA – SHELTERS FOR STRAY DOGS IN SCHOOLS, A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CARE FOR ANIMALS

oipainternational — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 16:12:21 +0000

The newborn delegation OIPA China, leaded by Mr. Simon Kwok in Hong Kong, is trying to tackle the straydog issue in the country with an innovative project which aims to take care of the animals building shelters in the schools.

The project aims at providing solution for the international strays issue through the development of good quality dog shelters and adoption in schools. Schools would be the best place as shelter for strays, as it provides safety and care. In the process, students could learn how to care and respect animals. It would develop to be the culture of schools. Every year, international stray ambassadors will be selected. New generation leaders of animal welfare will assist to promote the awareness of the needs of strays in the community in different countries.

OIPA is going to launch this project in China and other Asian countries, including Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia, which have serious problem on dog meat consumption. We hope the project can spread all over the world.

A similar shelter was created in China in Tianjin Normal University in December 2015. The little shelter has been built in the garden of the University and the project started because the university has occurred strays biting students incidents. The head of the security department did not think it was a good idea just to kill the strays, so he initiated to setup the shelter. He thought it can build up a better culture in the university.
Until now, it has accommodated over 50 dogs and most were adopted by students.
More and more student volunteers will assist the guards to clean the shelters, bathe the dogs and bring food for the dogs. Male and female dogs are separated. A stray organization provides vaccinations, spay and neuter. Students are not allowed to adopt the dog to keep it in the dormitory, but only in their home.

*pictures from Tianjin Normal University Shelter

OIPA would like to launch this project and start from an educational place as schools to promote a culture of broad animal respect and proper dog managing. In the project the local Chinese population will be engaged and the animals will have a better chance to be adopted. Furthermore, the project involves the young citizens (students) which means that future generations may be much more sensitive to the stray issue and may have a better knowledge of dog managing.

After years of campaigning and petitions the situation of dogs in China has not changed much, therefore we believe that acting at the local level and involving the Chinese population is essential to reach good results on the long run.

The first province interested in the project will be Guangdong, where OIPA will start building the first shelters.

SUPPORT OIPA CHINA PROJECT, MAKE A DONATION

Get involved contacting OIPA China representative Mr. Simon: china@oipa.org

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L'articolo OIPA CHINA – SHELTERS FOR STRAY DOGS IN SCHOOLS, A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CARE FOR ANIMALS proviene da OIPA.