Dogs are pets, not food, says Chinese agriculture ministry
- New rules on raising livestock come weeks ahead of controversial dog meat festival in Yulin
- Regulations that also lists ‘special species’ that can be raised for food or fur form part of move to crack down on wildlife trade after coronavirus pandemic
China has reclassified dogs as pets rather than livestock in a set of new guidelines released by the agriculture ministry as part of a broader crackdown on the wildlife trade.
The new directory of genetic resources of livestock and poultry listed 17 traditional livestock species – including cattle, pigs, poultry, rabbits and camels – and added 16 “special species” including reindeer, alpacas, pheasants, ostriches and foxes.
The species on the list fall under the jurisdiction of the Animal Husbandry Law, which means it is legal to raise them for food, wool or fur.
In a notice on its website, the agriculture ministry said that while it was still gauging public opinion on the list of approved animals, most people agreed dogs should not be listed as livestock.