Taiwan has become the first country in Asia to outlaw both the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat. Under a new animal protection bill, anyone who sells, purchases or eats dead dogs or cats can be fined up to £6,500 and anyone who intentionally harms or kills animals will face a maximum £52,000 and two years in jail. Offenders will be publicly named and shamed. 
 
 The bill also bans the "walking" of dogs by attaching their leash to their owner's scooter or car and forcing them to run alongside. 
 
 Legislators pushed for a tightening of animal protection laws after a series of scandals shocked the public. 
 
 In one last year, a video went viral of a group of Taiwanese marines hanging a stray puppy by its neck over a seawall and throwing its lifeless body into the ocean. The incident triggered an investigation, public protests, and an apology from the defence minister. ||||| Letter to 
 
 Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States Cui Tiankai Yulin City Governor Chen Wu Chairman of China National Tourism Administration Shao Qiwei Director of the Chinese National Tourism Administration Li Jinzao 
 
 Stop the Yulin Dog Meat festival permanently! There is no more loyal animal to humans then dogs. They would sacrifice their own lives to save ours. They do not deserve this cruelty or humiliation. What can we do to assist your government in stopping this forever? Every day over 1,000 people sign this petition, along with all the other petitions to stop this cruel so called festival. There is something seriously wrong mentally with someone who can inflict such cruelty on an innocent creature. It gives your entire city and country such a bad name. There has to be a way to make your people understand this is not going to help their pain or the heat that they feel in the summer. This is one comment on why this has to end. (It's time for man(KIND) to evolve beyond primitive murderous barbarism and sociopathic behavior or go to jail as they are a danger to civilized society. Evidence supports a direct link between animal cruelty and violence against humans. 
 
 “This extremely violent and depraved act of animal cruelty is particularly disturbing, not only because of the unimaginable suffering animals are forced to endure, but also because of the implications such cruelty hold for the safety of the community at large.” Peter Wood. 
 
 “Animal cruelty is not a harmless venting of emotion in a healthy individual; this is a warning sign that this individual is not mentally healthy and needs some sort of intervention. Abusing animals does not dissipate these violent emotions, it may fuel them.” Allen Brantley, FBI Supervisory Special Agent. 
 
 FBI’s “homicidal triad” has been established as a reliable key to future dangerousness to humans: 1) Animal Abuse, 2) Firestarting, 3) Bedwetting. 
 
 Those who harm humans almost always also harmed animals. 
 
 Helpless animals are where serial rapists and killers get their start. 
 
 Violence begets violence. 
 
 This is horrific torture, suffering, neglect and disregard for any basic needs of these animals, of which, clearly trapped/enslaved, they are dependent upon. And then to be mercilessly, brutally killed and eaten. Humans, believing to be superior, must use their superior intellect to research “cruelty free” options. 
 
 Start a veggie noodle shop. 
 
 http://aerofarms.com/ 
 
 https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/videos/10153843787846479/ 
 
 Someone, with ANY intelligence, can solve and resolve this for a humane outcome that is non-exploitative, compassionate and benefic for animals. Humans, believing to be superior, must use their superior intellect to research “cruelty free” options. Humans with allegedly “superior intellect ” should use their “superior minds” to find suitable options/solutions to match their “superior intellect,” rather than, as sociopaths, torture and MURDER innocent animals. 
 
 Instead of the sociopathically brutally KILLING them, animal abusers fines can pay for shelter, food, vet care, to find good homes, or these animals can provide a unique source of support for people with depression, autistic children, seniors with dementia, introverted teenagers, post traumatic stress disorder, or people with chronic or terminal illness. Animal abusers fines can pay for training for cadaver search dogs, cancer search dogs, drug search dogs, etc. 
 
 No animal should EVER be EXPLOITED to satisfy the selfish needs of humans: not for GREED, entertainment, sport, customs, religion, food, fur/any body parts, soulless science, culls, or sadistic “hunting” murder. Those who endanger, disregard, exploit, imprison, neglect, disrespect, abuse, molest, torture, and/or murder animals must be imprisoned and/or pay for their psychiatric management and placed on an animal abuser registry. Their fines must pay to build/support animal shelters/sanctuaries/relocation programs. Pay for protected reserves/conserved areas/fencing, etc. Pay for spay/neuter/birth control programs. Pay for & install billboards, bus signs, street signs, post posters, wear sandwich board signs, pass out flyers, etc., for ANIMAL PROTECTION & CRUELTY FREE AWARENESS & EDUCATION. PAY rescue groups for vehicles, gas, food, vet care, etc. Pay to release animals from labs, puppy mills, kill shelters, factory farms, fur farms, horse/dog/cat meat facilities, canned hunting, dog/cock/bull fighting, circus,etc. Pay to stop poaching/culls, etc. Pay for food, vet care, foster care/adoption, training for cadaver search/drug sniffing, emotional assistance/support animals, training animals for adoption to people with depression, autistic children, seniors with dementia, introverted teenagers, post traumatic stress disorder, or people with chronic or terminal illness. 
 
 Humans are called to be compassionate caregivers, protectors and stewards of the planet and its beings. Helping not harming. To create an environment where all beings are treated with respect and compassion. Never to die needlessly or cruelly. These vulnerable, innocent beings have the right to live “cruelty-free” in peace. 
 
 “We must remember in our dealings with animals that they are a SACRED TRUST to us. They cannot speak for themselves.” Harriet Beecher Stowe. ) ||||| Story highlights People found to be eating the meat could be fined more than $8,000 
 
 "Walking" dogs on a leash behind cars and bikes is also banned 
 
 Beijing (CNN) Taiwan has outlawed the consumption of dog and cat meat, as the island's legislature on Tuesday passed a landmark amendment to its animal protection laws, according to island's official Central News Agency (CNA). 
 
 "Taiwan's progressive ban is part of a growing trend across Asia to end the brutal dog meat trade," said Wendy Higgins with Humane Society International. 
 
 "Previously, the Animal Protection Act only covered the slaughter and sale of dog and cat meat, but this amendment specifically prohibiting the actual consumption of dog meat today is welcome," said Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia Foundation. 
 
 Individuals who eat or trade dog or cat meat can now be fined between $1,640 and $8,200. 
 
 The amendment also bans "walking" the pet on a leash pulled by cars and motorcycles and raises the penalty for cruelty to animals. ||||| Consumption attracts large fine and repeat offenders could be named and shamed under law that is first of its kind in Asia 
 
 Taiwan is set to become the first country in Asia to ban the consumption of dog and cat meat, as increasing pet ownership across the continent has seen attitudes shift. 
 
 The revised Animal Protection Act imposes a fine of up to 250,000 Taiwan dollars (£6,500) for eating dog or cat meat, while the penalties for animal cruelty or slaughter were raised to up to two years in prison and fines of up to 2m Taiwan dollars (£52,000). 
 
 Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to five years and face stiffer fines, and those convicted under the new law may also be publicly shamed, with their names and photos published by the government. 
 
 The law also makes it illegal to “walk” a pet while riding a scooter or driving a car. The amendment still needs to be signed by the president, but could be law by the end of April. 
 
 Dog meat is not widely consumed in Asia, but it is featured in some regional cuisines, and cat meat is more rare. Dogs were once widely consumed in Taiwan, but are now almost universally seen as pets rather than food on the island. 
 
 Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, is a well-known cat lover, frequently posing with her two cats during her campaign. She also adopted three retired guide dogs last year. 
 
 The most notorious mass slaughter of dogs for food occurs once a year in China during the Yulin dog meat festival. About 10,000 dogs are killed every year and eaten throughout the southern city of Yulin, but the festival has increasingly attracted the ire of animal rights activists. 
 
 Taiwan previously banned the sale of dog and cat meat in 2001, and some local governments had prohibitions on consumption. 
 
 A student convicted of killing two stray cats last year was sentenced to 10 months in prison. The case sparked national outrage toward the man, who was from Macau, and animal rights activists protested and attacked him outside the court. 
 
 Hong Kong banned the slaughter and sale of dog and cat meat while under British colonial rule, but did not specifically outlaw consumption.
– A big win for animal rights activists—and a bigger win for dogs and cats—in Taiwan. With the legislature's approval of an amendment to the country's Animal Protection Act, Taiwan appears on track to become the first country in Asia to ban the possession, sale, purchase, and consumption of cat and dog meat, reports the Guardian. The amendment that passed Tuesday, which includes fines of up to $8,100 for offenders, still needs to be signed by the president, but Tsai Ing-wen is known to be an animal lover and is expected to do so by the end of the month. The measure also doubles the maximum penalty for animal cruelty to up to two years in prison and a $65,000 fine. Though dog and cat meat were once popular in Taiwan, the animals are now most often viewed as pets and family members. Tsai even brought her two adopted cats along on the campaign trail prior to her election last year, while promising to do more to protect animals, reports the Telegraph. She also has three retired guide dogs, which she adopted. Animal activists hope China and South Korea, where the consumption of dog meat is more common, will follow Taiwan's lead, per CNN. However, China's infamous Yulin Dog Meat Festival, where 10,000 dogs are slaughtered and eaten each year, is expected to kick off without a hitch on June 21—even with 675,000 signatures on a petition calling for its end. (In Moscow, orange-toothed river rat is now a popular meal.)