China bans dog eating festival

The Chinese government has banned a traditional carnival in the east of the country in which dogs are eaten after being chopped up alive in the street following online condemnation of the “cruel” event.

The festival, held every October in Qianxi, Zhejiang, dates back 600 years and celebrates a local military victory.

“The ancient fair was replaced by a modern commodity fair in the 1980s, but dog eating has been kept as a tradition,” said the official Xinhua news agency.

“Vendors began to butcher dogs in public a few years ago to show their dog meat is fresh and safe.”

Dog ownership has become increasingly popular with China’s growing middle class in the past few years.