Do they eat Dogs in China?

Answer 1

They shure do; dogs, cats, rats, even cockroaches, in fact, Chinese eat just about anything that doesn't eat them first! That's what happens when you live in a county where, all through history, famine has been an ever present danger; you don't let any potential food source go un-utilized. If you have ever been in an asian food store, you will see that relatively few species escape the ravenous appitite of 1.3 billion Chinese!

Keep in mind what animals are considered food and what ones are considered pets is somewhat open to interpretation depending on what country/society in which you were brought up. Most of the Jewish and Muslums probably think it's gross that we in the U.S. eat pigs; and people in India probably think we are total barbarians for eating their sacred animal the cow!

Answer 2

When I went to Beijing, there was a dog restaurant at the bottom of the road from where I was staying- it had big pictures of happy alsatian-type dogs around the top of the sign too. My chinese friend said dogmeat was getting less popular there though, if that's any consolation...

Here's the wiki on dog meat- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat

Nice excerpt- "Despite being a socially acceptable practice, the average Chinese does not usually consume dog meat as it is relatively expensive compared to other meat choices and hence generally more accessible to affluent Chinese.[17] More concentrated dog meat consumption areas in China are in the northeast, south and southwestern areas.[18] Peixian County in Northern Jiangsu is well-known in China for the production of a dog-meat stew flavoured with soft-shelled turtle. The dish is said to have been invented by Fan Kuai and to have been a favourite with Liu Bang, founder of the Han dynasty.[citation needed] 300,000 dogs are killed in the county each year, much of the meat being processed into stew for export across China and Korea.[citation needed]"

and here's a picture of a Chinese dog restaurant- http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrldvoyagr/400974754/

Obviously not in the same chain I saw though... the fact that that place is called 'North East Dog Meat King' however, plus that I saw that restaurant in Beijing, the 'Northern Capital', suggests that cooking with dogs is not restricted to South China, neither to rural areas for that matter.

nb- Hong Kong was a British Colony for about 99 years, so I wouldn't be surprised if there are some differences between there and the mainland, eg laws against eating dog meat, democratic elections, etc.

Answer 3

I've been to China and asked about it for the most part only the most RURAL areas in China have a restaurant where they serve Dog. For the most part most chinese people DO NOT eat dog...Besides, out west, some americans eat BEAR, I think that's just as disgusting

Answer 4

In southern areas of China, yes.

I spent some time in the Republic of Korea, and they certainly eat dog there. BUT, only certain breeds, and certainly not those kept as pets.

But if you are thinking of indulging, I should warn you of one possible consequence. A Korean friend of mine was given a high-class meal in Korea to celebrate his retirement from his company. On the menu was dog soup, a particular delicacy. Arriving home, his wife instructed him to sleep in the guest room, since he stank. He slept in the spare room for four nights, which is how long it took for the smell to leave his body.

He has not eaten dog soup since !

Answer 5

It's true of South Korea. I don't know of China doing it. American Indians eat dog, too, or used to.

Answer 6

Yes in the Guangzhou are of China they are known as the dog eaters

Answer 7

Some Chinese do, some don't. I did. Food is intimately linked to the geographic, cultural and social environment where one is from. One should not judge people by what they eat. I've lived in the Arctic for decades, and ate cooked, raw and frozen seal, whale, walrus, fox, groundhog, cuddly polar bear, etc. In Greenland, I had igunaaq, fermented and putrefied walrus meat, a delicacy for the Inuit. In Iceland, I had harkarl, putrefied sheep head. In Japan, I had some mouth-watering Shirako. Raw iguana in Mexico, cold andouillettes in France. I've traveled to many places in the world and ate whatever people ate, including KFC and McDonald in the US (yeah, I know, gross...but it wasn't that bad, really). I can't say that I always enjoyed what I had for dinner, but I can say that I never looked down on any cultural or gastronomical custom I have encountered, and I don't know what I ate during some of my most memorable meals with friends.

Bon appétit!

Answer 8

I wonder if the people who answer this question are actually from China??

Eating dogs is illegal in China. However, there are some people in the rural area that still practice such cruelty. Not just in China but in Japan, Korea, and other orient countries as well.

Many of my friends are from Southern China and no, they do not eat dogs.

I am from Hong Kong, when you think about it, that's also southern China and I would never eat dogs.

Answer 9

I have heard that this is true as well. ....and who ever decided what animals to use as pets and which ones to eat. In India, cows are sacred so you probably won't find a public steakhouse there. Not every culture thinks the way we do and has the same "standards". That does not make them wrong.

Answer 10

Absolutely true. This is especially true in southern China. Snakes and scorpions are also on the menu, as are bats.