Taiwan Outlaws Cat and Dog Consumption

On Tuesday, Taiwan’s governing body passed new legislation that effectively bans the consumption of dogs and cats, and enforces stricter penalties on animal abusers. The new law—proposed by legislator Wang Yu-min—is an amendment to an existing animal protection act passed in 2001 that banned the sale of dog and cat meat and organs. According to Taiwan main news outlet Central News Agency, under the current law, those found consuming dogs or cats will be fined up to 250,000 yuan ($36,216), and those found selling these animals will face up to two years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of 200 million yuan ($2.9 million). The autonomous territory of Hong Kong also has a ban on slaughtering, selling, and eating dogs and cats, in place under the 1950 Dogs and Cats Regulations. Mainland China, however, will hold its annual Yulin Festival—where dogs are publicly tortured and eaten—this June.