【讀者投稿】「玉林狗肉節」的反思 (文：愉快動物研究所Kay Wong)

不知從何時開始，每年夏天都了一個叫做「玉林狗肉節」的節日。在伏日吃狗肉並非中國特色，韓國也盛行在伏日吃狗肉做的補身湯，為身體進補。然而，現代社會資源充足，健康食品和保健藥物比比皆是，加上不少人都有飼養狗，視狗兒為家人，所以每年夏天都有很多人站出來，為狗兒發聲，抵制「玉林狗肉節」。

「玉林狗肉節」每年宰殺過千隻狗，玉林本身的狗販子未能供應足夠貨量，因此有很多狗都是從其他省份長途跋涉的運過去。狗兒被困在狹小的籠裡，連日趕路，期間斷水斷糧，亦難以休息。另外有傳動物的腎上腺素會令牠們的肉更美味，所以狗販子會用各種方法令狗兒感到驚恐和緊張，以釋出更多腎上腺素。狗販子的常用手段包括在狗兒面前宰殺其他狗兒，亦有狗兒會被活生生的掉進水裡煮熟，又或者被亂棍打死。

殘忍嗎？不能接受嗎？

事實上，人類食用的雞、牛、豬等動物都經歷過以上的不人道對待。以香港為例，由於本地鮮肉不足以供應港人需求，因此很多農場動物都經陸路從大陸各省市送到香港，除廣東省外，部分更遠至河南和江西等地。所有動物在運送期間都是斷水斷糧，不能休息。當你以為農場動物到達屠房後會無痛死去，其實牠們的景況和狗兒並無分別。不少動物都未有被妥善電擊或麻醉，牠們被割開喉嚨的時候都是清醒的，直至血流乾的一刻牠們都還在掙扎求存。

有研究指，豬的智商好比一個3歲小孩，甚至比狗還要聰明。如果狗是人類的朋友，為甚麼農場動物不可以是我們的朋友嗎？在反對「玉林狗肉節」的同時，請想一想你今天吃過的叉燒、雞腿和牛排，思考一下以後面對食物這個課題該如何做抉擇。

Not knowing when it began, Yulin Dog Meat Festival has become an annual event in each summer. Having dog meat on the day with the longest daylight is not unique to China and Korea also has the same practice as they think their health would improve by doing so. However, as the resources in modern society are rich with healthy food and supplements readily available and many people are keeping dogs as their pets, many people would speak up for dogs and request to cease Yulin Dog Meat Festival.

While thousands of dogs are killed every year during Yulin Dog Meat Festival, since the supply in Yulin alone is insufficient, many dogs are transported from other provinces. During the long journey to Yulin, dogs are kept in small cages where they could hardly take rest and they are also deprived of food and water. As there are rumours that adrenaline would improve the taste of meat, dogs are killed in front of each other so that they are scared and terrified and release more adrenaline. Some are even boiled alive or clubbed to death.

Do you find these too cruel to be true?

In fact, animals consumed by humans, such as chickens, pigs and cows, experience similar inhumane treatments before they die. Taking Hong Kong as an example, as the local supply of fresh meat is far below the demand, many farm animals are transported from different provinces in the mainland, with Guangdong being the closest, though some may come from further provinces such as Henan and Jiangxi. All of the animals are not provided with food and water during the journey and none of them could take a rest. When you think farm animals are made unconscious before they are slaughtered, their situation is actually the same as that of dogs. The farm animals are usually not properly stunned and they remain fully conscious when their throats are slit. These animals keep struggling until they die.

Researches prove that pigs are as intelligent as a 3-year-old kid and they are even cleverer than dogs. When dogs are our friends, why can’t farm animals be our friends too? There is no doubt that we should stand against Yulin Dog Meat Festival. At the same time, please take the opportunity to make a review on your food choices and give a deep thought on this issue.

相片: Sunny Skyz

#動物不是食物 #反對玉林狗肉節 #為動物發聲 #動物是朋友
#bekindtoallkinds #animalsarefriends #animalsarenotfood #standagainstyulindogmeatfestival #speakupforanimals

*標題為編輯所起