Claimed it was lamb skewers, but it was cat meat…
Rescue of 1,000 cats from slaughter in China
Foreign media reports are raising concerns about food safety after rescuing 1,000 cats that were about to be sold disguised as pork or lamb in Jiangsu province, eastern China.
On the 24th (local time), CNN quoted Chinese local media as reporting that earlier this month, Chinese judicial authorities rescued over 1,000 cats from a truck bound for a slaughterhouse after receiving a tip from an animal protection group.
These cats were slated to be sold after being disguised as lamb skewers, pork skewers, or processed into sausages.
The animal protection group had been investigating the destination of numerous wooden boxes filled with cats for several days. They reported to the public security office after confirming they were heading to a slaughterhouse.
In China, cat meat is sold for about 4 yuan (roughly $0.62) per catty. Lamb is sold for 30 yuan (about $4.65) per catty. Lamb is more than seven times more expensive than cat meat, leading to this crime.
The cats have been moved to an animal shelter. It is unclear whether they are feral cats or pets. While it is not illegal to consume cats in China, meat sold in such a disguised state cannot guarantee hygiene.
CNN reported, “There has been a long-standing controversy over the safety of food in China,” and “With the disclosure of this case, the voices of citizens demanding further investigation are growing louder.”
Chinese netizens reacted angrily, saying, “I wonder if the meat I ate also contained a cat.”
Previously, on the 19th, a video was released on Weibo (China’s version of Twitter) showing a man urinating in the malt storage area at the Tsingtao No. 3 factory in Pingdu City, Shandong Province, causing controversy.
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