It’s time to outlaw animal cruelty in China
Peter Li says the public outrage stirred by incidents of abuse on the mainland points to significant support for the Chinese government to finally address the issue
These incidents sent a shock wave across the country. The public outcry was such that the People’s Daily joined the condemnation of animal abusers for the first time in its history.
People may think that the Chinese culture is to blame. China does have an ancient history of harsh penal codes, mass human suffering during times of dynastic change, and cruel practices of human sacrifice, infanticide and foot-binding. However, Confucian benevolence was the dominant idea throughout China’s dynastic past. Dog meat was rejected as “dirty meat” because it came from stolen dogs. The Tang and Yuan dynasties both had laws penalising cruelty to livestock animals. Ancient men of letters warned against killing birds in the spring as they could be nursing their young. A vegetarian lifestyle was considered a virtue. Mainstream Chinese culture calls for compassion for the weak and disadvantaged, including animals.
Large-scale animal cruelty, brought about by the advent of technology, is a product of modernity. Among the top 10 most industrialised nations, China is the only one that does not have a law against animal cruelty. England brought in the first modern anti-cruelty legislation in 1822. In China, random violence and institutionalised cruelty to animals go unpunished. This explains why the Shenzhen man videoed his actions and “proudly” posted the images online. And the lack of legal liability for animal abuse also allowed the Weihai man to publicly display his inhumanity to the helpless dog.
