I appreciate your words Vy lette.
I know there is a lot cruelty worldwide but I just can't think of anything as horrible as being skinned alive. I read the article in the Metro and if you put up "tigers feast on live cow in zoo show" you can read it for yourself.

The horrific trade of stripping cats and dogs of their pelts, while still alive will be banned in the European Union from the end of next year. The European Parliament has unanimously ruled in favour of a ban in the trade of cat and dog fur. The Tory MP, Struan Stevenson, will be travelling to Beijing to ask authorities to stamp out the trade.

You know, I don't like my relatives in China being called abominable or barbaric because they actually saved a couple of dogs, like ten actually. I'm from New Jersey, and we're very protective of our state, and decending from a Chinese background, but you know, I aint sadistic or barbaric or abominable in any way. I won't take it personally though. I agree though, animal abuse, slaughter, and whatever else you might throw in should be stopped (unless it's like, meat and stuff that's done properly, not for entertainment).

Take 1:
Thank you Rambler, for bringing to our attention the atrocities being committed against animals in certain parts of the world. I agree that perhaps the way in which you blanketed the Chinese people as cruel and barbaric was harsh, however, I can see that it has been pointed out in no uncertain terms and I for one give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that you now know better than to make such generalised statements on this site.

I for one am a committed vegetarian who refuses to eat animal flesh of any sort as I personally don't believe in the killing of any animal for food. I was raised on a farm, and I am fervently against killing animals for human consumption. I simply don't see the need, however, I don't have a problem with other people eating meat or wearing leather or other skin products. Not all killing of animals is humane though, even in western countries. It is sad but true.

I contribute the WWF, RSPCA, Greenpeace and other charities that support animal welfare, although I refuse to support PETA. As an aside - I am a regular contributor to Amnesty International as well - atrocities against human beings also get on my nerves.

One of the things that will trigger a downward cycle for me is man's inhumanity to man (as well as animals). I gotta be honest - I just don't get it. If we have evolved so far, why do we insist on behaving like we've just come out of the caves?

If we were to leave those horrible people torturing animals alone, they would probably end up wiping themselves out. What would be better than protesting (I think, both would be the best) is people actually going and educating these people, or at least telling them that it IS wrong... and stronger laws.

It rips me apart to say this, but who are we to say what another country can and cannot do? This is their culture, it's what they believe. Could we really march into India and say that they can no longer believe in reincarnation because some Americans don't believ in it? Or perhaps go into Russia and say that they can no longer take children away from their parents to turn them into athletes? These examples are different situations than what's going on in China, but the effect is the same. Remember that at one time, the US was in China's state of development. There have been atrocious acts committed in our own country. Society evolves. Some day, the descendants of the current generations in China will probably look back and be embarassed by what happened, just like United States citizens are embarassed by some of the things that our ancestors did.

Whilst I do not, and will never, condone inhumane treatment of animals, there are two sayings spring to mind here ,,,

"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones"

"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone"

Furthermore, in agreement with the poster above - I find it refreshing to meet an American who actually accepts and acknowledges the atrocities that the USA has commited, and still are commiting, around the world - as are many other so called "civilised" nations.

Well said (and welcome to the forums)Malarson. Our cultural differences should be recognised, and we shouldn't be upset by what other cultures do that we don't necessarily agree with.

I am not upset with the fact that they are eating dogs or cats, it's the way that these animals are killed that is personally upsetting. I can't imagine (without crying) skinning anything for it's pelt/hide/fur while it is both alive and conscious. I've heard a dog scream after being hit by a car, and it's not a sound I would ever want to hear again. I don't believe that any animal should have to bear pain unnecessarily.

I also agree with what both Malarson and Delboy point out - look at what we do to each other. As one man's trash is another man's treasure, one man's justifiable treatment of another in the name of his country is another man's torture.

Amen to that ecnalubma!

I am ex military, and have served my country in war zones. I have killed and almost been killed, more times than I care to remember, but the "suffering" that upset me the worst was the cries of several injured animals caught up in a bomb blast at a farm in Northern Ireland ......... they were totally 100% innocent and blameless in the atrocities that "we" were throwing at each other - it was that incident, and a few others, that made me really stop and think about the futility and consequence of war.

Perhaps Delboy you can help me with this quote/idea.

"I do not know how World War 3 will be fought, but World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones."

To me, no truer words have ever been spoken.

It strikes me as unfortunate that nobody has yet made the point that the People's Republic of China is a very easy target for exaggerated and/or false reports about cruelty. Some of the claims made in this thread strike me as implausible.

In the nature of things, such attacks are also attacks on the Chinese people in general, and I am therefore closing this thread. Moderator