▁Other ▁restaur ants ▁that ▁served ▁dog ▁and ▁cat ▁meat ▁in ▁the ▁Yu anc un ▁and ▁P any u ▁districts ▁also ▁stopped ▁serving ▁these ▁d ishes ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁Close ▁to ▁ 9 ▁million ▁Chinese ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁also ▁voted ▁online ▁for ▁proposed ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁end ▁the ▁consumption ▁of ▁dog ▁and ▁cat ▁meat , ▁but ▁the ▁legisl ation ▁was ▁not ▁taken ▁forward . ▁▁ ▁In ▁April , ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁Sh enz hen ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Chinese ▁city ▁to ▁ban ▁consumption ▁and ▁production ▁of ▁dog ▁and ▁cat ▁meat . ▁This ▁came ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁wider ▁cl amp down ▁on ▁the ▁wild life ▁trade ▁which ▁was ▁linked ▁to ▁COVID - 1 9 ▁out break . ▁C iting ▁examples ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁and ▁Taiwan , ▁the ▁Sh enz hen ▁city ▁government ▁said , ▁" B anning ▁the ▁consumption ▁of ▁dogs ▁and ▁c ats ▁and ▁other ▁p ets ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁practice ▁in ▁developed ▁countries ... This ▁ban ▁also ▁respond s ▁to ▁the ▁demand ▁and ▁spirit ▁of ▁human ▁civil ization ". ▁This ▁decision ▁was ▁app la ud ed ▁by ▁Hum ane ▁Society ▁International ▁and ▁other ▁animal ▁w elf are ▁groups . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁month , ▁The ▁Chinese ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁said ▁it ▁cons iders ▁dog ▁as ▁' comp an ion ▁animals ', ▁not ▁as ▁liv est ock , ▁sign alling ▁that ▁dog ▁meat ▁consumption ▁may ▁not ▁remain ▁legal ▁for ▁long . ▁ ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁In ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁the ▁D ogs ▁and