Hello,
I have just received a copy of an e-mail I believe to be written by you regarding lage breed dogs in China and warning breeders to be careful re export enquiries. Can I say that I do not know where you are getting your information from but it is total clap-trap.
I am an Englishman who has just spent the last 18 months in China working on a voluntary basis with the Chinese National Kennel Club assisting them in several areas regarding dog shows and pure bred dog registration.
You say it is against the law for the Chinese to own or import a dog over 12inches in height for pet or show puposes - not true! Each city has its own guidelines as to the breeds residents can keep as pets. As most Chinese nationals live in apartment blocks the local authorities permit smaller breeds to be kept as large breed dogs are not really suited to small apartment living and the hustle and bustle of Chinese city life.
These regulations only apply to the centre of any city - on the outskirts and in more rural areas there are NO limits on the size of a dog nor the number of dogs to be kept by one household. In the rural areas large breed dogs are bred in large numbers and breeds such as Tibetan Mastiffs, Chows, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, St Bernards and large crossbreeds are bred in Kennels often housing 50 or more animals.
You say breeders from the western world are being duped into selling large breed puppies destined for the fur and meat markets. This I also find doubtful as the average wage per month of the Chinese national is between 150 and 250 pounds - they would not have the means to pay western prices for puppies nor the expense of importing them.
Yes it has to be said that in certain remote areas of China dog meat is eaten, NOT a practice I condone but it is a part of their culture. And yes, there is a market for dog and cat fur to make fashion garments, the majority of which are made and sold in Europe - again, a Chinese national would not have the means to purchase these items.
I would estimate that if a puppy or young dog was imported into China from, say, the UK at an average cost of a puppy of 700 pounds, the cost of importing the dog at least another 500 pounds then the upkeep of a puppy until of a size and weight to make it viable to kill for its fur or meat and the time involved in this operation, the loss in this excersise would probably be quadruple the amount they would get for the animal in China.
Yes, it has to be agreed that dog and cat fur is an industry in China and there are several more industries involving animals which we in the west would find abhorent. Yes, the Chinese have a hell of a long way to go to bring about animal welfare legislation and to educate themselves as to the needs and feelings of animals. And no, I would not personally sell a puppy to China or several other Asian countries come to that.
I have, however, seen lots of show dogs of large, medium and small breeds, most of which originate from the USA, that are shown in peak condition, expertly groomed and sympathetically handled. All any breeder has to say if contacted for a puppy is no.
I do not see why the likes of yourself have to try and whip up media hysteria and fear when the likelihood of imported dogs meeting the end you so describe is negligable. Of the fate of Chinese-bred dogs I cannot be so certain. Perhaps we should help the situation for animals in these countries by education, not condemnation. - Tony
Hello Tony (I am not suure of that is your name but you will recognise the letter - a computer crash wiped out all my e-mail so I had nothing but the letter left),
Well, I am very glad to hear that you would not personally sell any dogs to China, in spite of (perhaps because of?) having lived and worked there for some time. I also noticed that you said large dogs were kept and bred in country areas and some people had up to 50 dogs. I agree, and I have seen photographs of these dirty cages housing 50 dogs or more - but no showdog owner has 50 dogs! And no showdogs are reared in such appalling conditions.
These dogs are meat and fur, and will never be anything else. And there is certainly a high proportion of St Bernards and their crosses - most of which were bought from Western breeders to be the basis of their meat farms... purchased by mealy-mouthed Asians (not always Chinese) who assured the owners they would be in wonderful showdog homes with huge yards to play in, etc, etc!
'Agents' such as these are very practised liars - they are very credible to an owner with suitable dogs for sale, and certainly do not approach the owner and ask: "would you sell me two of your young female dogs to be breeders of stock for our meat market?" Just saying "No" as you suggest is okay when approached with a truthful deal, but these people know they must lie convincingly to achieve a purchase - and they do! Such purchases are bred at every cycle until they can breed no more ... and then they are stew!
There may be a FEW owners of pedigree show dogs in rural China and probably you are right that the restrictions are in the urban areas only, but that makes the disgust at what is happening to our lovely dogs even worse. To find out the true destination of most of these dogs just go to the websites of such organisations as Wetnose, Sirius, AnimalsAsia, Wspa, PAWS, and many more.
From Sirius, comes the assertion that your letter is simply a typical one from "one of those people who profit from dealings with a 'foreign trading partner'. Sirius also found out a couple of years ago that a so-called 'wonderful dog show outfit' was only a front for buying dogs for the meat industry. A Sirius representative said that "regardless of anything, while China has no animal welfare laws then we are advocating no cats or dogs go to that country - end of story! The evidence on the Sirius website tells it all!"
