Miracle the rescue dog’s spot on TV show Britain’s Got Talent shines light on Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China
- Rescued, almost dead, from dog meat traders in Thailand, Miracle was adopted by Amanda Leask
- Their appearance on Britain’s Got Talent raised awareness about the dog meat trade in Asia, and a notorious culinary festival in southwest China
When Amanda Leask performed with her rescue dog Miracle on Britain’s Got Talent last month, her unconditional love for animals moved audiences worldwide and shone a spotlight on the dog meat trade in Asia.
Her appearance on the reality TV show came ahead of the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival, which runs from June 21 till 30 this year, in Guangxi, southern China.
The 49-year-old dog lover and campaigner shocked the hosts and a live audience when she revealed she had 40 dogs, 19 of which were rescued from around the world, including China. The attention of the hosts and a 4,000-strong live audience was not only on her magic act, but also her life’s mission to rescue dogs, including Miracle.
She earned an encouraging comment from show host Simon Cowell, who said at the end of her performance: “What happens in the dog meat trade should be stopped.”
The news that it’s business as usual at the Yulin festival shattered earlier expectations that it would cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, which focused attention on China’s indiscriminate consumption of meat from questionable sources.