Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

FURTHER UPDATE 6/11/15:

Please click on the ‘watch parliament’ link below and see the excellent speech made by Robert Flello MP in the House.  Time limits did not allow him to state all that he wished but we are sure you will agree with us that Mr. Flello made a superb speech and overview of the dog meat subject.

On Thursday 5 November MPs took part in a debate on the dog meat trade in the House of Commons Chamber. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following a bid from Robert Flello MP.

This debate was opened by Robert Flello, Labour MP for Edmonton.

Watch the debate and read the transcript

Watch Parliament TV: MPs debate dog meat trade

Read Commons Hansard: MPs debate the dog meat trade

SAV Comment – ‘Hansard’ (for our overseas supporters) is a written record that is made of every verbal statement that is made in the House of Commons during every parliamentary session by any / all MP’s who speak during any debate.  Although very large to compile and time consuming for those that make this daily record; it is a unique piece and formal documented written documentation which allows the press and organisations such as our self to go back in time and see exactly what was said by whom on any particular issue.  Hansard is the formal daily record of what was said in Parliament in order that is can be cross referred to at any later date should the need arise.

We fully support the Hansard system and what it provides.

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From 5/11/15:

News just in from the BBC within the last hour – summary of today’s events in (UK) Parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34740696

‘Barbaric’ dog meat trade condemned by MPs

The (British / UK) government is to write to British embassies in countries where dog meat is consumed urging them to suggest ways to improve animal welfare in the trade.

Foreign Office Minister James Duddridge made the commitment in a Commons debate as MPs described the industry as “inhumane” and “disgusting”.

Labour MP Rob Flello said other countries’ traditions could not be a “smokescreen” for “barbaric” practices.

He called for action to stop an annual dog meat festival in south-west China.

The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival in Yulin in Guangxi province sparked huge protests in June, when 10,000 dogs were said to have been slaughtered. However, residents and vendors in Yulin said the animals were killed in a humane way.

Speaking during a backbench business debate in the Commons, Mr Flello said: “I don’t believe that it is generally the role of this House to tell societies abroad what they should and shouldn’t do based on Western sensibilities.

“But we cannot allow for tradition to be used as a smokescreen for practices that are barbaric, cruel, inhumane, disgusting – pick any word you can possibly pick and it will not come close to what we are discussing here today.”

Dogs help humans “in many, many ways,” he said: “But what dogs are not for is for the barbaric, disgusting, cruel, vicious, evil of putting them on somebody’s plate in the most horrible ways that this House in its worst nightmares could ever imagine.”

Conservative MP Simon Hoare expressed sympathy for Mr Flello’s motion but but warned against telling other countries what to do.

“If we go down a cultural imperialist route, as desirable as the outcome might be, I am tempted to think that there would be a very fierce backlash against that,” he added.

Promising to write to all ambassadors in the area to review what they are doing about the trade, Mr Duddridge said the government was committed to improving animal welfare around the world, including working with the Chinese administration, and was able “to have these difficult discussions across cultural divides”.

He added: “We will continue to raise these issues in the most effective way possible – which isn’t always megaphone diplomacy but sometimes speaking louder on these important issues is needed and where it is needed, we are prepared to speak.”

Mr Flello’s motion was agreed by the MPs but is not binding on the government.

Above and below – Dogs for slaughter at the Yulin ‘festival’.

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »

UPDATE 6/11/15

Please go to the following

https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/2015/11/05/uk-london-parliament-barbaric-dog-meat-trade-condemned-by-uk-mps/  

to get a complete overview of the debate; including footage of the debate, the excellent speech by Mr. Flello MP and also a full Hansard transcript of the debate.

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http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7360

Dog Meat Trade

Published Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Jump to full report >>

In many parts of Asia – particularly in countries such as China, the Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea – it is culturally acceptable to eat dog meat. These are not the only countries that eat dog meat around the world, dog meat is also eaten in Switzerland, Mexico and the Arctic and Antarctic, however most western cultures consider the practice “taboo”. In many Asian countries dogs have only relatively recently been kept as pets and so the animals are viewed very differently to the way they are viewed in the west. However, several animal charities draw attention to the condition in which the dogs are often kept prior to being killed for human consumption. Some animal welfare charities argue that dogs are often tortured before being killed because of a belief that it causes their meat to be tender. There are also concerns that most of the ‘meat dogs’ are in fact stolen companion dogs and strays who are kept in terrible conditions while being transported from country to country.

A particular concern for many charities is Yulin Dog Meat Festival which is held in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, every year. News articles estimate 10,000 dogs are killed at the festival, having been inhumanely transported from other countries in tiny cages, often without food or water, before being beaten to death. There is a huge social media campaign to stop this festival, though its effectiveness has been questioned.

Although it is illegal to commercially slaughter and sell dog meat in many countries around the world, law enforcement is weak and it continues being a popular dish even where it is prohibited. There are no international laws prohibiting the consumption of dog meat. The UK Government is not therefore able to intervene or take trade measures against countries where the consumption of dog meat is regarded as culturally acceptable.

UK ambassadors and Foreign Office officials have, however, raised the issue with the governments of China, the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam in the past.

On Thursday 5th November 2015 MPs will take part in a debate on the dog meat trade.

This debate, which was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following a bid from Robert Flello MP, aims to “put pressure on the countries that are involved in this appalling and barbaric trade to do something about it, and ideally to end it permanently.”

Commons Briefing papers CBP-7360

Author: Elena Ares

Topics: Animals, Animal welfare

Download the full report

Dog Meat Trade ( PDF, 615.38 KB)

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional | Leave a comment »