When it will next meet the Consul General of China and whether it will raise at the meeting concerns about the annual Yulin dog-meat festiv…

There are currently no plans to meet with the Chinese Consul General, Mr Pan, however, the Scottish Government is aware of animal welfare concerns surrounding certain practices in China, including the Yulin festival practiced by those that believe that eating dog meat on midsummers day brings health benefits.
It is important to note that the Scottish Government takes the welfare of all animals very seriously and routinely feeds into deliberations on animal welfare at both the EU and OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) level via Defra. However, when dealing with another countries practices, there must always be an element of caution in making judgements about the customs in other countries and sensitivity in bringing about change. It is evident from media stories on this topic that there is an increasing proportion of the population within China that no longer support the practice of eating dog meat. The most appropriate way for external parties to improve dog welfare in China is to work with sympathetic organisations within China to help bring about further change. This is a strategy used by many Scottish and UK animal welfare charities with international concerns and indeed by the Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, established at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 2011, which is closely partnered with a number of international animal welfare charities and veterinary organisations.