Animal Welfare in China: Crisis, Culture and Politics

The plight of animals in China has attracted intense interest in recent times. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, speculation about the origins of the virus have sparked global curiosity Speculation about the origins of COVID-19 has sparked curiosity about how animals are treated, traded and consumed in China today. In Animal Welfare in China , Peter Li explores the key animal welfare challenges facing China now, including animal agriculture, bear farming, and the trade and consumption of exotic wildlife, dog meat, and other controversial products. He considers how Chinese policymakers have approached these issues and speaks with activists from Chinas growing animal rights movement. Li also offers an overview of the history of animal welfare in China, from ancient times through the enormous changes of the 20th and 21st centuries. Some practices that are today described as traditional, he argues, are in fact quite recent developments, reflecting the contemporary pursuit of economic growth rather than long-standing cultural traditions. Based on years of fieldwork and analysis, Animal Welfare in China makes a compelling case for a more nuanced and evidence-based approach to these complex issues. Dr. Li received his bachelor of arts degrees in English and foreign service in China. He graduated from Syracuse University with a Master's degree in International Relations. In 2000, he completed his doctoral study at Northern Arizona University with a Ph.D. degree in Comparative Politics. Since 2002, Dr. Li has been teaching at the University of Houston-Downtown. His areas of specialty include China's domestic and foreign policies, China's environmental & wildlife policy, political and social transformation under conditions of economic modernization. He also consults international animal welfare organizations. The plight of animals in China has attracted intense interest in recent times. Speculation about the origins of COVID-19 has sparked curiosity about how animals are treated, traded and consumed in China today. In Animal Welfare in China, Peter Li explores the key animal welfare challenges facing China now, including animal agriculture, bear farming, and the trade and consumption of exotic wildlife, dog meat, and other controversial products. He considers how Chinese policymakers have approached these issues and speaks with activists from China's growing animal rights movement Li also offers an overview of the history of animal welfare in China, from ancient times through the enormous changes of the 20th and 21st centuries. Some practices that are today described as 'traditional', he argues, are in fact quite recent developments, reflecting the contemporary pursuit of economic growth rather than long-standing cultural traditions .Based on years of fieldwork and analysis, this boo makes a case for a more nuanced and evidence-based approach to these complex issues Contents 6 Introduction: animals in contemporary China 8 1 Animal cruelty in contemporary China: is culture to blame? 38 2 Human–animal relations in Chinese history 70 3 China’s “civil war” over dogs 116 4 Wildlife as a resource: the controversy of bear farming 156 5 Animal agriculture 186 6 Protection or utilisation: revising the wildlife protection law 224 7 China’s animal protection NGOs 274 Conclusion 318 Acknowledgements 326 Appendix 1: offences and penalties in the revised Wildlife Protection Law 328 References 332 Index 372