"SUPERMARKET shamed over canine carcasses in Guangdong stores" shouts a headline in a south China newspaper. Park'n'Shop has agreed to promote a campaign against eating dogs on the mainland after being shamed into taking dog meat off the shelves in its Guangdong stores.
The supermarket chain will put up posters and stock leaflets in its 28 southern China stores in the campaign, to be launched this week by the Animals Asia Foundation to try to persuade people not to eat dogs.
It is also planning to stage a roadshow at one of its megastores in Guangdong, where campaigners will hand out VCD's carrying the anti-dog eating message.
The move by Park'n'Shop comes after it admitted selling dog meat - which is legal on the mainland - in six stores in Shenzhen and Dongguan, despite promising two years ago to stop the practice.
Park'n'Shop managers in Hong Kong were alerted after a shopper took photographs of dog carcasses hanging in the Dongmen megastore on November 28.
The photos were passed on to Animals Asia Foundation founder Jill Robinson. Ms. Robinson and foundation executive director Annie Mather, held talks with Park'n'Shop at which they received an undertaking from the supermarket chain to support the group's campaign.
Iwan Evans, chief executive officer for food, electronics and general merchandise with Park'n'Shop's parent company AS Watson, met Ms. Robinson and Ms. Mather recently. Ms. Mather said: "He was absolutely appalled that they had been selling dog meat. He was very shocked.
"We also took some pictures from the dog-meat markets to show him and sent a video for him to look at."
She believed Park'n'Shop was "absolutely genuine" in its desire to help the campaign, rather than mounting a damage limitation exercise. The company's involvement would be a boost for the campaign, she added.
"I think the fact they are involved in this campaign will send out a strong message."
Teresa Pang Sau-kwan, public relations manager for Park'n'Shop, who also attended the meeting, denied there was anything cynical about the store's involvement in the campaign."
"Park'n'Shop made a decision two years ago that we would stop selling dog meat in our China stores, even though it was legal.
"There was a change of management in Park'n'Shop China and the new managers weren't aware of the principle.
"When we realized it we immediately took action to communicate it to the new management and instructed them to follow company policy," she said.
"We stressed those guidelines to all stores to ensure they will follow this company policy strictly in future."
Ms. Pang said of the campaign by Animals Asia Foundation: "We want to help. We would like to help get the message across that a dog is a companion."
The Animals Asia Foundation has teamed up with mainland pet clubs to distribute its VCD, which shows footage of dogs going to slaughter in a Guangzhou market and anti dog eating appeals from celebrities and doctors. The charity is also launching its Dr. Dog programme, in which dogs visit hospital patients and orphanages on the mainland.
The mainland is believed to be the biggest consumer of dog meat in the world, with 10 to 20 million dogs a year being slaughtered. Taiwan recently outlawed the consumption of dog meat, which is already illegal in Hong Kong and many other countries in Asia.
"Culture can no longer be an excuse for cruelty," Ms. Robinson said. "The argument that a practice has occurred for millennia is unacceptable today.
"We have a responsibility to break the cycle of cruelty and disrespect towards animals and dogs, who benefit and enrich our community and everyday lives." - Annie Mather, Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong
