The man, identified by his last name Liu, was allegedly demonstrating to his gang the use of the toxic dart sometime in June, said reports. But unfortunately the dart hit his leg, poisoning the man. Liu died on his way to a local hospital.
Five other members of the gang, who confessed to having killed over a 1,000 dogs were later arrested. They admitted to killing dogs before freezing them, hoping to sell their meat later for a higher profit.
Some Chinese people believe the eating of dog meat will dispel evil ghosts and disease. It is also widely believed that dog meat can boost men’s sexual performance - as it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat impotence.
The tradition is not unique to Hunan. Other cities in Zhejiang, Guangxi, and Guangdong province, among them the booming industrial town Dongguan, are also known to be avid consumers of dog meat.