Lisa Vanderpump lobbies Congress to pass Resolution condemning China Dog Meat Festival

[ErikJ]

Source: Daily Mail

Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump has been using her reality show to publicize the horrors of Chuna's Yulin Dog Meat festival.
And on Wednesday the Bravo reality star and restaurateur will have an audience of lawmakers when she takes her fight to the nation's capital.
The committed animal rights advocate is one of several activists who plan to address the members of Congress in Washington D.C., seeking a formal U.S. condemnation of China's dog meat trade and in particular the annual Yulin Festival.
'This is our big push,' said John Sessa, the executive director of the Vanderpump Dog Foundation on Tuesday night speaking to DailyMail.com from D.C.
Vanderpump has been working with Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings since late March on a resolution calling for the condemnation of China's dog meat trade.

The subsequent HR 752 was introduced by the Congressman in May and has, according to Sessa, garnered bipartisan support



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3788442/Lisa-Vanderpump-lobbies-lawmakers-Washington-D-C-pass-Resolution-condemning-China-Yulin-Dog-Meat-Festival.html

[PersonNumber503602]

1. As sad as the videos/images are, I don't see why the US Congress should be involved

in an event that takes place in China. There seems to be plenty of anti-dog meat festival pull within china and by private international groups.

I also wonder if she would be pushing as hard if these were chickens or pigs instead of dogs.

[ErikJ]

10. Dogs were bred for their loyalty/companionship not meat

[PersonNumber503602]

12. Dogs are special and the western views on dogs are sacred.

Last edited Wed Sep 14, 2016, 08:53 PM - Edit history (1)

I would never be able to eat a dog (or even a wolf or a fox), but I can't get over what I see as hypocrisy on my part if I were to condemn this.

In the end I am still a meat eater who chows down on some poor animal every so often. So I cannot oppose it simply because dogs are cute animals who work well with humans. When I eat a steak an innocent animal is still being killed so I can eat it. Yeah, it sucks, but nature is a bit messed up like that. Killing an animal for food is still killing an animal no matter what kind of animal it is. I'm okay with that though.

Then there is the part about the mistreatment of the dogs and them basically being tortured. Yeah, that sucks to watch and see. If I was there I would be one of those assholes who would contemplate trying to free all the cute little puppies. But I realize that such a move is hypocritical on my part. Despite me not liking the idea of cruel factory farms here in the US, and me wishing they would be shut down. I still buy meat that likely comes from those farms. So how can I do that while condemning these people? I don't think I can.

Note that I am using a lot of "I" and "me" in my post. So I am referring to myself and my thoughts on it based on how I live. If you're a vegan or a vegetarian or a meat eater who goes out of his/her way to ensure to eat only fairly treated animals, then I think you have far more room to complain. That being said, I still don't think the US congress any right to say anything about it so long as they don't take action to stop cruel factory farms in our country.

[awoke_in_2003]

18. Dogs are a plentiful

source of protein over there. They cannot support cattle production on the scale that they would need there. The west has an over-romantic view of both dogs and horses. If you want to object to this from a vegan point of view, I will accept that. But if you are a meat eater then don't be preaching that dogs are somehow more esteemed than cows or pigs.

[LeftyMom]

24. That's really not the case. Dog meat is used for pseudo-medical reasons.

It's supposed to keep people healthy in the hot summer months and it's supposed to be good for the elderly, especially when they're sick.

It's also important to remember that these dogs are 1. often kidnapped pets (especially in China) 2. kept in inhumane cages for up to a year 3. fed inadequately 4. often beaten to improve the flavor/texture of their flesh 5. often killed in particularly inhumane ways or slaughtered while still alive for the same reason. 6. not some unique breed or less domesticated dogs, they're dogs that would be fine in homes and if rescued in time generally are fine in homes.

People in China and Korea aren't eating dog because they lack for protein sources (seriously, wtf year do you think this is?) very small subsets of the population eat dog medicinally. Most of the populations see this behavior as aberrant and backward.

[awoke_in_2003]

27. Well, that changes things

I may be a meat eater, but I am against animal abuse.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Should the Indian government condemn the US for eating cows?

[ErikJ]

8. Yes.

[Xipe Totec]

9. ...

[Botany]

3. Don't let them wok your dog

n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

14. There you go, stir

frying things up

[bluedigger]

4. Thankful the first line told me who Lisa Vanderpump is.

[Enrique]

20. which means Lisa from the pump

[Beartracks]

26. Is that like Jenny Vanderblock? n/t

=============

[LynneSin]

5. I love dogs and cannot imagine dining on one for dinner however...

different countries have different tastes when it comes to the food they eat. I could never eat a dog but yet I eat cow, something in which a billion Indians refuse to do (they consider the cow sacred).

Since the dog is not an endangered species, I can't see why we would get involved in this policy.

[ErikJ]

7. Because dogs are "man's best friend"?

THey were bred as companions and helpers of man for thousands of years. THey have undying loyalty and obedience and I believe have much higher social intelligence than other domestic animals bred for harvest.

[LynneSin]

16. Very true however...

That's one culture's opinion. Does our culture have any bearing what another culture can do? Using the examples about India: Perhaps the cow is lower on the scale when it comes to 'usefulness' in our society and yet for Indian they see the cow as a big part of their spiritual culture to the point that they consider the cow 'sacred'. Who are we to decide that our culture is 'correct' and dogs should not be bred as food and the Indian culture is 'wrong' and they should just slaughter all the cows and dine on them. And it's not like it was just last week that someone decided to make cows sacred. The cow's importance in Indian society is also dated back 'thousands of years' (I have no exact time frame, but it's been like that for a long time).

And the statement you made 'I believe have much higher social intelligence than other domestic animals' - it's obvious that you wouldn't dine on a dog for that reason. Same exact reason why I wouldn't. But not all dogs are breeded in a way that they can be socially integrated on a higher level that interacts well with man and our society. We consider pigs food yet pigs have been show to be highly intelligent and can be bred as a companion pet. In the end it's really what our own personal opinion towards an animal that guides as with what we will and will not eat. And for some, they just won't eat any animals because whether it's a cute adorable puppy or an ugly mangly critter of lower importants - they just believe that as humans we shouldn't kill other animals as a source of food (ie vegans & vegetarians).

[ErikJ]

23. And Japan hunting and killing dolphins and whales? Think thats acceptable?

I believe the International Court of Justice strongly condemns them for it.

And China eating shark fin soup where they just cut the fins off and let the sharks sink alive?

And China killing all the remaining elephants for ivory and tigers for their silly folk medicines.

They confine bears in small cages for decades with bile juice drains in them for their folk medicine. THey eat lots of exotic animals on the verge of extinction.

Everything possible must be done to end these attrocities.
Including the protesting of their barbaric practice of eating dog meat.

[LynneSin]

30. You aren't reading my posts, just being argumentative

Scroll up

'Since the dog is not an endangered species, I can't see why we would get involved in this policy.'

I believe there are international laws out there to protect Dolphins and Whales because their environment is threatened.

However I also know there are cultures out there that have hunted whales for centuries because whale food is part of their diet and according to Wiki some cultures back to 2000 BC ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale#Whaling ). I know that there are types of whales that are on the endangered list or even vulnerable, however I also know that laws have been setup to allow cultures whose history included whaling to cultivate so many per year.

As for Elephants again - there are laws about this. You are try to compare an animal (the dog) that is commonplace in this world such as the pig or cow to endangered species. Not going to win arguments by using such extremes. Just look silly and using emotions to argue, something I'm not interested in doing.

If you are vegan/vegetarian then it makes sense you might not want any animal hunted and used for food which I respect. If you are vegan/vegetarian then let me know so I can stop arguing with someone who just doesn't want anyone to eat meat, let alone dogs. I have many vegan/vegetarian friends and they are my friends because they aren't trying to shame or convert me. I respect them and they respect me. I am not vegetarian (although I've cut back most meat except fish and the once a month burger craving), no desire to eat dog, whale, dolphins, elephants, or any other exotic animal. Definitely not interested in dining on anything on an endangered species list and would hope people follow those rules, some which are set by international laws. But I also respect that various cultures around the globe have diets different than mine and I do not think I have any right to interfere with those rules simply because someone wants to dine on 'man's best friend'.

[ErikJ]

33. Eating dogs is next to cannibalism

I dont think you can compare dogs to hooved animals. Most people with dogs consider them as "children". And I believe that has been common for the past 10,000 years. I know of no people that have ever included wolves in their diet and dogs are basically domesticated wolves.
Dogs were domesticated by early man for companionship ant working like guarding the tribe or flock and hunting.

And the REASON dogs are man's best friend is becaause they have basically the same social system as humans so man and dog fit together particularly well. THey live in small bands that hunt cooperatively with complex communication systems like humans. You wont see hooved animals wagging their tail, whining, barking or playing with humans.
Judaism and Islam outlawed the eating any animal that doesnt have cloven hooves and chews cud. All others are seen as barbaric and /or unclean.

We've got to condemn China for their barbaric and dangerous dietary practices no matter if its eating endangered animals or dogs.

[LynneSin]

34. Again - most people here in the United States think that

In France they eat horse, that has hooves. Should we condemn that practice too?

We are not the world police. I find eating dog vile because I live here in the states were I see them as companions. But I'm not about to be the world police especially since other countries find it vile that we eat food that they perceive as sacred. (ie - India where the Cow is sacred).

[ErikJ]

35. They steal peoples lost pet dogs and cook them.

They have videos of that happening where they are cooking their dog while looking on in horror. Probably half the dogs are lost strays.
Its barabric just like their diet of endangerd animals. They have to be brought into the 21 st century. Theyre driving many animals to extinction.
What would you say about a culture that practices cannibalism. Shrug your shoulders? Shame.

[LynneSin]

36. Of course they do

So you will assume that a few videos means that's how the entire population of China receives it's dog meat?

You just want to argue and walk away a winner in it. But in the end this is a big globe and different cultures have different dietary habits that one culture enjoys while another finds repulsive. We Americans are hardly to judge - we eat cows and India regards the cow as a sacred animal. You do realize there are more people in India than here in the the United States. Yet I doubt they sit around worrying about videos of how cows are slaughtered.

Only shame is you - thinking that somehow our culture is more superior than another and that the USA should be playing world cop to the rest of the world because we think our culture is somehow vastly superior than others.

Does that mean I want to eat dog meat - oh hell no. But I think there are bigger crimes in the world we should worry about other than people who eat dogs. If this woman wants to fight injustice in China then perhaps she should think about the clothes she wear, which some of it probably was made by child laborers in China who earn pennies a day to sew her fancy clothes.

[ErikJ]

39. I think the US should be held accountabvle for a LOT of things by

other countries or all other countries. Like our refusal to address Climate Change #1, or plenty of other things. Other nations SHOULD be able to pressure other nations and cultures into change whether its human or animal rights and the environment. What the US is doing is endangering the whole planet as China is endangering the worlds endangered species because of their barbaric dietary and medicinal practices.

We hold Induia accountabvle for their huge rape problem and pedophile problems over there which is good. Everything helps.

So condemning their eating dog meat is part of that to make them feel more gulty as a nation for doing such backward things.

[REP]

37. Don't get your facts from Leviticus

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 11-6

Rabbits do not chew their cud.

You are using a very sentimental argument against the dog meat festival. That's fine,, but the truth of the matter is the great majority of Chinese disdain the practice, which is a backwater folk medicine (like cat meat, which is even more appalling in its preparation). They're already with you, as are most everyone else.

If some devastating famine were to befall this country, I would hesitate to eat my chickens. Not just because living chickens produce edible eggs but because they are companions. My neighbors might not see them the same way. In turn, I might start seeing their dogs as other than nuisances who foul my yard.

[Warpy]

11. A lot of tribes here in the US have puppy dog on the menu

and it's easy to tell the companion dogs from the meat dogs. They love their companion dogs as much as we do. However, their cultures are ancient ones and the line between working dog and semi feral meat dog is both firm and obvious.

And yeah, Lisa, pick another hill to die on. Fighting against FGM is a much worthier cause since it isn't a quick death, it's a lifelong and hideous mutilation that causes great suffering. You want a cause, choose a real one.

[melman]

28. 'You want a cause, choose a real one'

This is a real one.

Just because you snidely dismiss it doesn't make it any less so.

[get the red out]

6. I expected the responses here

Totally expected.

[AngryAmish]

13. China, not the US, makes the rules for China.

This is why the US is so hated overseas

[LanternWaste]

15. Thank God no other country is guilty of that...

"This is why the US is so hated overseas..."

Because we have opinions about them, their government and the cultures of other countries. Thank God no other country is guilty of our unique sin...

[AngryAmish]

21. The US has this Calvinist belief that we can create heaven on Earth

To other peoples it seems bossy.

It is a big world out there. If one learns about it one can see things from the other guy's point of view, if one has an open mind.

[melman]

29. Bullshit

Some things don't have two sides. This is one of them.

[ErikJ]

22. What about the US protesting Japan eating dolphins or whales?

I believe the International Court of Justice strongly condemns them for it.

And China eating shark fin soup where they just cut the fins off and let the sharks sink alive?

And China killing all the remaining elephants for ivory and tigers for their silly folk medicines.

They confine bears in small cages for decades with bile juice drains in them for their folk medicine. THey eat lots of exotic animals on the verge of extinction.

Everything possible must be done to end these attrocities.
Including the protesting of their barbaric practice of eating dog meat.

[leftyladyfrommo]

31. I'm with you all the way.

The whole world needs to be more aware of the conditions that animals live in. So many animals will be extinct soon. So many animals live horrific lives.

We all need to be paying more attention.

I have read that the younger generation of Chinese are also against these dog and cat meat festivals and there is movement in the Chinese culture to stop this sort of thing. It's a huge embarrassment in the eyes of the modern world.

[dawn frenzy adams]

17. Enough already!

Here is another example of a pampered rich person interfering with another culture. That Real Housewives franchise is one of the most disgusting displays of American culture. It makes women look like shallow, consumerist sows. Lisa Vanderpump, in what I would call veiled racism, once described a visit to the DMV as“eclectic” and a “culture shock” Instead of constantly critiquing the civility of other cultures, why don't we look at the uncivilized nature of our own? The fact that Donald Trump, is a breath away from the presidency, is a glaring example.

[LeftyMom]

25. The Yulin dog meat festival is a long-standing cultural tradition dating back to 2009.

But don't let the facts get in the way of a good uninformed rant.

[DRoseDARs]

19. Ok, can they eat her instead?

*rabble rabble* ONLY SOME KINDS OF ANIMALS ARE SACRED, AND NOT OTHERS, BECAUSE REASONS!!! *rabble rabble*



Give me a break...

[leftyladyfrommo]

32. All life is sacred.

Our contempt for the welfare of other life forms only shows how really ignorant we are. Humans are just another form of animal after all.

[Bradical79]

38. It's awful, but I don't see how a U.S. resolution would help

China would just double down, and we'd have our own animal rights issues tossed back at us.