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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Dog Lovers Rescue Canines Headed for the Last Supper |
| 2011-05-29 |
| The doggies were destined for the dinner table -- all 520 of them crammed onto a truck hurtling PETA had a Chinese branch? Who knew? From there, things began spiraling out of control. News of the confrontation hit the Chinese blogosphere, sending more than 200 animal activists flocking immediately to the highway. Traffic on the road slowed to a standstill. Dozens of police officers were called in. Animal activists, however, kept arriving with reinforcements, carrying water, dog food, even trained veterinarians for a siege that lasted 15 hours. In many ways, it was a battle that has been brewing for years between the rural and the urbanites, the poor and the rich -- between China's dog eaters and its growing number of dog lovers. What is it, about dog meat, you may wonder. For centuries, dog meat has been coveted for its fragrant and unique flavor; it is an especially popular dish in the winter, when it is believed to keep you warm. Particularly if you serve it hot... But pet ownership has skyrocketed in recent years as China's booming economy produced a burgeoning middle class with both money and time for four-legged friends. Funny. The more the middle class grows, the more homogenized it becomes. Most of the dogs they unloaded were strays, and many were dehydrated, malnourished or suffering from deadly viruses. Several have died since the rescue. Collateral damage: The trucker said he lost a small fortune, more than $3,000, after being forced into the deal. What deal? Did they steal his dogs? Worst of all, because he failed to deliver, no one has been willing to hire him since. |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #1 I should have checked back for the deal. I missed it: The mob of dog lovers finally won the standoff by pooling together more than $17,000 to pay off the truck driver. But their victory was quickly eclipsed when they soon realized they had no idea where to house the hundreds of loud, wild and decidedly not housebroken canines. So the driver expected to get almost $40 a hound? |
| Posted by: Bobby 2011-05-29 07:31 |