Animals Asia has confirmed Carrefour’s Chinese stores are still not carrying dog meat products, three months after they were removed from shelves.

Investigators have confirmed that Carrefour stores in China have not re-introduced dog meat products three months on from their removal.

The French brand made the decision to remove the products in June this year after Animals Asia publicly revealed they were being sold in two Carrefour stores in China’s eastern city of Xuzhou.

Animals Asia first alerted Carrefour to the cruelty of the dog meat trade in 2012, and was assured the products would be pulled. However, in 2017 dog meat was on sale in some China stores, and had been for at least two years.

Animals Asia’s Cat and Dog Welfare Director Irene Feng said:

“We have to congratulate Carrefour on their decision to remove dog meat products from stores and distance themselves from the dog meat industry which is rife with animal cruelty and illegality.

“We can confirm that the two stores in Xuzhou are still not carrying dog meat products, but we can’t monitor every Carrefour store in China. I’m sure people around the world would like to be assured that Carrefour won’t sell dog meat again and a formal, public announcement would be the perfect way to do so.”

Animals Asia is asking Carrefour to assure consumers around the world they will never sell dog meat products again, but the global chain has yet to give any guarantees.

An estimated 10 million dogs are slaughtered annually in China for the meat industry. Yet despite these huge numbers, a long-running Animals Asia investigation could find no evidence of any large scale breeding facilities anywhere in the country.

The findings give weight to the widely held belief that most dogs which end up on the dinner plate are in fact stolen companion animals and strays snatched from the streets.

Animals Asia’s reports detailed evidence of illegality at every stage of the dog meat supply chain with many dogs poisoned and stolen and with no proof of origin or vaccination histories as required by law.

A survey earlier this year by China National Radio received 20,000 votes, with 69% agreeing the dog and cat meat industries should be banned.

Animals Asia Founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:

“I’m pleased and relieved to hear that dog meat products have not returned to Carrefour’s shelves.

“The evidence is clear – the trade is mired in cruelty and illegality at every stage. Just last month we helped the authorities rescue 35 dogs after a gang of thieves was arrested. Almost all of them were stolen companion animals and their families will still be grieving.

“Carrefour’s customers don’t want anything to do with this awful industry and Chinese consumers don’t expect these products in modern supermarkets. Let’s not forget, eating dog is a minority activity, particularly among young people. It’s not the future of the modern China.”

Animals Asia works 365 days a year to end the dog meat industry in China through Ya Dong, a consulting agency wholly owned and advised by Animals Asia.

BACK