Animal lover’s plea

DID you know there are still several countries that eat dog meat? They include China, Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, Polynesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Arctic and Antarctic, and two cantons in Switzerland. Can you imagine: “What’s for dinner mom?” and the response is: “Pug roast, kids!”

Why is it horrible? Well, a dog is a man’s best friend, our fluffy friends, our pets. How could anyone eat them? It’s a cultural taboo in South Africa, thank goodness!

I presume, and hope, that when you see pictures of the Yulin dog meat festival – look it up – and other dog meat images online, you cringe and cannot even look at it; that you feel heavy in your gut.

If you fall under this category of human being, then I should hope that you aren’t eating fast-foods from big name brands for lunch, or buying meat from some of the big supermarket conglomerates for your braai tonight. If you are doing those things, then it baffles my mind why you’d be so disgusted at the dog meat trade when cows, chickens, pigs, and other kinds of animals go through similar, if not the same, amount of distress, pain, and inhumane suffering as the dogs you just felt proud to feel terrible for.

However, you’re not to blame, you are only human and obviously that was the way you were brought up.

But now that you are aware of the cruelty inflicted on those who cannot speak for themselves, it would be inhumane for you to continue the way you were.

I know that nowadays organic and free-range products are more expensive but – and I find this “but” helps convince people because it’s good for them – they have no hormones stuffed into them that can make you ill.

If it is not in your budget then you CAN survive a healthy lifestyle on a plant-based diet. And if your taste buds cannot manage without meat, there are amazing faux meat products available. Don’t get caught up in the sad world of animal cruelty. Be strong, there’s always a way to do things humanely.