Apparently animals that have been brutally tortured to death taste better than those that have been humanely killed for human consumption. Say the people of the economic powerhouse that is China.
The horrific and grossly disturbing image of two dogs being boiled alive is only one of many that have been making the rounds on the internet of late. Another that will never escape my mind is the image of a dog strung up with its front paws pulled apart, open to unspeakable abuse while its young puppies lie at its feet, helpless and no doubt in extreme distress.
The visual evidence of on-going torture to animals in China is mounting up to an alarming degree, but are the restrictions on their own internet resources preventing them from acknowledging how abhorrent their everyday practices are to the rest of the world? Unfortunately I doubt they'd care in the least. This is a nation that has taken to boiling and eating their own babies (dead, I hope) in the belief that it will increase their sexual stamina, giving a whole new meaning to 'the circle of life'.
So what is it about the mentality of Chinese people that not only disregards but absolutely delights in the suffering of others? What we do know about abuse is that it relates directly to the need for power. Inflicting pain and suffering reinforces an abuser's feelings of power and entitlement to control. A prime example here being the common practise of fish being served alive, yes, after being cooked, the delight to the Chinese being that the fish can then watch itself being eaten - a popular entrée for businessmen in China.
Great Britain was responsible for the very first animal welfare legislation and the first animal welfare charity back in the 19th Century. The 'Act to Prevent the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle' was steered through the House of Commons by Irish MP Richard Martin in 1822. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in 1824, a charity that attracted the patronage of Queen Victoria and went on to become the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The RSPCA is well-known today as one of the world's leading animal welfare organisations.
But this is the 21st Century. They're nearly two centuries behind. Does China have a heart? If love and respect are missing from life, what else is there? Power, greed, control... I for one will never set foot in a country that not only stands up to justify skinning cats and dogs alive, but also takes immense joy in the gross torture of animals simply because they believe the adrenaline produced by their fear makes them taste better.
These practices are far beyond comprehension to our fellow men in the West, and they're just the tip of the iceberg. It's no longer all too easy to ignore what is going on when social platforms push them under our noses whether we like it or not. I am only one voice, but I am asking the question and I am ready to give my support. Our minds have been startled by a shocking reality of everyday life. Can we now do something to stop the suffering? It's been too long already.
Please sign the petition to ban cooking live animals. That's just the start.