Advertisement
Advertisement
The dog meat restaurant in Guangzhou, left, is now a shop. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Dog meat restaurant in Guangzhou closes amid ‘falling demand’

Tighter regulation of dog meat trade also blamed for closure, according to newspaper report

Celine Sun

One of the most popular dog restaurants in Guangzhou has closed after the local government tightened regulation of the eateries and a fall in demand for the meat, according to a newspaper report.

The Sunshine Restaurant, which started to offer dog meat dishes in Huifu West Road in 1963, has shut down and its site has been taken by a shop, the Guangzhou Daily reported.

Other restaurants that used to cook dog and cat dishes in the Yuancun and Panyu districts of the city have also stopped this year, the newspaper said.

“More and more people have realised the importance of protecting animals and refuse to eat dog meat,” one Guangzhou citizen was quoted as saying.

Dog meat is still popular in sold openly in many parts of the country. Photo: David Wong
Guangzhou’s food quality watchdogs have warned people not to eat dog meat on safety grounds and plan to tighten the inspection of quarantine certificates and the sources of the meat in the city.

The Sunshine Restaurant’s founder said he started the business in 1960s when city government encouraged people to run restaurants catering to local tastes.

The restaurant was given an award for its “famous Chinese dish” by the city government in 2000.

The eatery was often visited by foreigners from Japan and South Korea, particularly during the annual Canton trade fair.

Dog meat has traditionally been eaten in areas of southern China and is also a cooked in countries such as Vietnam and South Korea.

 

Post