Controversial dog meat festival returns, sparking outrage among animal activists

Eating dog meat goes back to a centuries-old tradition in China. But at present, there is some pushback against it.

A point to note is the Yulin dog meat festival. It is a ten-day event that begins on June 21.

In China's southern city of Yulin, the festival was held annually.

But animal welfare activists are decrying the festival, claiming that animals were transported to the event.

The critics claimed that animals were often given no food or water, and that some of them were allegedly stolen, while others were purported to be strays.

They were then sold for slaughter, according to the Daily Star.

But a turning point came earlier this month when authorities shut down a Yulin dog slaughterhouse for good.

At the site, nine dogs were rescued, and three of them were wearing collars that suggested they had been stolen.

"It's incredibly exciting to see this livelihood conversion take place in Yulin, arguably China's most infamous dog- and cat-meat hotspot," said Julie Sanders, director of Humane World for Animals' End Dog and Cat Meat campaign.

Though supporters of dog meat say eating them can treat certain illnesses.