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Rescuing Dogs in a Mercedes-Benzes: Animal Advocacy in China
Nick Pendergrast
Chinese Dog Slaughter
Framing. HSUS: ‘surge of compassion’. Wrenn (India):
The influence of Western lifestyles has dramatically increased pet ownership.
Same in China. Growing middle class = more time for
companion animals. Rural vs urban, poor vs rich, dog eaters
vs dog lovers. Working truck driver forced off the road
by a Mercedes-Benz, on the way to a hotel resort.
Dogs and Pigs
Dog transporter Hao Xiaomoa:
‘I still don’t understand what was immoral about my shipment. People also eat cow and sheep. What’s the difference?’
Piazza et al.: ‘People live with companion
animals that are not much different from the animals they eat (apart from their cultural status).’
Pigs smarter than dogs (computer tests).
Scientific Studies on Farmed Animal Sentience.
Melanie Joy: Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism.
Dogs and Pigs
My PhD thesis:Nick Pendergrast, A Sociological Examination of the Contemporary Animal Advocacy Movement: Organisations, Rationality and Veganism, Curtin University.
Western Opposition to Chinese Dog Slaughter
HSUS: many dogs are stolen pets. Reinforce property status.
Wayne Hsiung: ‘Relic of colonialism’. ‘The Indians hold cows as sacred as we hold dogs’. ‘Undermines attempts by Chinese people, like me, to build
common cause with animal activists in China’. US consumes >2x China meat consumption/person.
Implications for Western Animal Advocacy Effectiveness of campaigns demonising non-Western countries? Support/solidarity with Chinese animal activists (Hana Low). Oppose racism and not just speciesism (intersectionality). Alternative options:
Promote veganism (moral equivalency). Pursue more effective single issue campaigns that don’t contribute to
racism eg against kangaroo cull.
