An Animals Asia investigation, Report No.4, Survey of public attitudes to dog and cat eating in China June 2015
1 Survey of public attitudes to dog and cat eating in China
The health risk associated with consuming cat and dog meat is the biggest concern for respondents – and nearly half believe that killing cats and dogs for their meat should be illegal.
Introducing the survey In 2012, Animals Asia commissioned Horizon Research Consultancy Group (Guangzhou) to undertake a survey to gauge attitudes to dog and cat eating among the Chinese public.
This report is the fourth of a series of four Animals Asia reports into the dog and cat meat industry in China. Our groundbreaking research over four years has exposed the horrifying reality of a trade riddled with crime and extreme cruelty.
Sadly the cat/dog meat issue is not a big priority in China, and little research or investigation has previously been conducted into the industry. In 2011, we launched a full-scale, four-year study into all aspects of the cat and dog meat trade. Our research included multiple secret investigations, market surveys and interviews with local NGOs, community groups, the authorities and people in the trade. Compiling and analysing this information has taken much time and many resources, and we are now in a position to release the reports.
We wanted to understand: • The motives and behaviour behind the consumption of dog and cat meat; • The characteristics of consumers, including gender, age and location; • The difference between those who do and those who don’t eat cat and dog meat; • How the public views the consumption of dogs and cats.
Nineteen cities The survey covered 19 Chinese cities, which were categorised as either A-class or B-class.
A-class cities (where dog meat consumption is more common) Yulin (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region), Kaiping (Guangdong Province), Jinhua (Zhejiang Province), Yanji (Jilin Province), Harbin (Heilongjiang Province), Fushun (Liaoning Province)
B-class cities (where dog meat consumption is rare): Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou (Guangdong Province), Shenzhen (Guangdong Province), Fuzhou (Fujian Province), Wuhan (Hubei Province), Chengdu (Sichuan Province), Zhengzhou (Henan Province), Xi’an (Shanxi Province), Baoding (Hebei Province), Jiujiang (Jiangxi Province), Dali (Yunnan Province), Baotou (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region)
We included more B-class cities than A-class cities in the survey because there are more B-class cities than A-class cities in China and our aim was to gain a more representative picture of the true situation for dogs throughout the country. 2 Respondents were local residents aged 18-65 who had lived in their city for at least two years. The male/female ratio was close to 1:1.
Respondents were interviewed face to face and the interviewer recorded their answers in a formal questionnaire. A total of 3,221 valid questionnaires were collected – 1,161 from A-class cities and 2,060 from B-class cities.
Notes on content • Groups that eat cat and dog meat are defined as those that have eaten cat or dog meat in the past two years (January 1, 2010 to January 3, 2012); • Groups that don’t eat cat and dog meat are defined as those that haven’t eaten it in the past two years (January 1, 2010 to January 3, 2012).
Who eats dog meat? (By gender) Survey results show that far fewer women than men eat dog meat in both A and B-class cities. (Fig. 1)
A-class cities B-class cities
39.0 59.6 70.0 87.1
61.0 Fig.1 Sex-specific 40.4 30.0 comparison (%) 12.9
Male Female Male Female Note: Don’t eat dog meat Don’t eat dog meat 1. Leashed: Kept on a lead or in a cage. 2. Free-range: Free to walk around in the village. Eat dog meat Eat dog meat 3. Captive: Kept in the yard or house but not tied or in a cage. Is it normal to eat dog and cat meat in China? The survey shows that the consumption of cat and dog meat is not mainstream behaviour in China.
In B-class cities, where it is not common, less than a quarter (21.55%) of respondents had eaten dog meat in the previous two years, and just 1.7% had eaten cat meat. Even in the A-class cities where the practice is common, nearly half of respondents had not consumed cat or dog meat in the two-year period. (Fig. 2)
A-class cities B-class cities (N=1161) (N=2060)
Groups Groups that eat that eat cat meat cat meat 1.70% 6.55%
Groups that eat dog meat 50.65% Groups that eat dog meat 21.12% Eaten both cat and dog meat Eaten both Eaten dog meat only 1.26% cat and dog 21.55% 19.85% Eaten dog meat only meat 51.2% Eaten cat 44.62% 6.03% meat only Eaten cat 0.44% meat only 0.52%
Not eaten dog meat 78.45% 78.45% Not eaten dog meat 48.8% 48.8%
Fig. 2 Proportion of the public that have eaten cat meat or dog meat in the past two years
3 Why do people eat dog meat? (Fig. 3, 4) The taste and a belief in its nutritional value are the primary reasons respondents gave for eating dog meat.
In A-class Cities, the Top 3 motivations are: Delicious taste, local tradition and food culture, and because colleagues eat it.
In B-class Cities, the Top 3 are: Delicious taste, nutrition and nourishment, and because colleagues eat It.
A-class cities Main reason why people in A class cities eat dog meat 10.5 Common Reason 12.1 12.6 B-class cities Influenced by
16.2 7.1 Aphrodisiac local culture 11.0 Influenced by 21.1 6.7 Unknow colleagues 13.6 They are the same as 21.9 livestock animals Influenced 33.3 To be sociable by family For its good taste 25.2 For health reasons 16.8 Because my family does To strengthen 31.5 20.0 Because colleagues do body 4.8 Chinese tradition
46.6 43.9 For taste Main reason why people in B class cities eat dog meat
Fig. 3 Motivation for eating dog meat (%) N=1023 Fig. 4 Common reasons for eating dog meat
How often is dog meat eaten? In general, the Chinese public do not eat dog meat frequently. In B-class cities, over 70% respondents ate it only once or twice a year, while in in A-class cities, the frequency was higher. (Fig 5)
A-class cities B-class cities 0.6 1.6 7.8 15.1
20.7 8.0 Fig. 5 Frequency of eating dog meat
21.4 28.7 (%) Daily A-class cities Weekly N=534, Every 3 months B-class cities 24.7 Monthly N=490
Every 6 months 46.6 Yearly
24.8
4 On what occasion is dog meat eaten? In both A-class cities and B-class cities, dog meat is most commonly eaten at dinners with friends (over 60%). The percentage of home-cooked meals is low, which shows that dog meat is not a common family food. (Fig. 6) Respondents could choose more than one option.
A-class cities
12.8
20.6 B-class cities 5.5 12.2 28.2 Business dinner 17.9 Home cooked meals Fig. 6 When is dog 29.6 23.6 Special season meat eaten? (%) (eg. summer, autumn or N=1023 festivals
Family dinner 64.1 63.8 Friend’s dinner
Understanding of cat and dog emotions Over half of respondents agreed that cats and dogs had emotions and the capacity for feelings, including “fear”, “hunger”, “pain”, “anger” and “thirst”. Most respondents (more than 60%) thought cats and dogs could feel “fear”. In general, these respondents did not eat cats and dogs, and females were more likely than males to recognise that cats and dogs had feelings. (Fig. 7)
A-class cities B-class cities Eat N=594; not eat N = 567 Eat N=444; not eat N = 1616
66.2 Fear Fear 61.0 65.3 75.1
57.6 Hunger Hunger 50.9 58.2 64.9
56.7 Pain Pain 45.3 51.9 63.9
53.7 Anger Anger 44.1 51.0 57.4
52.2 43.0 Thirst Thirst 50.8 56.3
48.7 38.1 Happiness Discomfort 48.5 49.4 Fig. 7 Public’s 48.3 37.6 Sadness Sadness understanding 45.3 52.7 of cat and dog 45.5 35.1 Discomfort Excitement 45.1 55.4 emotion
43.6 37.2 Affection Affection 44.4 50.4
42.9 41.4 Excitement Happiness 42.7 52.4
38.9 36.5 Despair Despair 42.5 48.4
29.8 21.6 Boredom Boredom 30.7 37.9
6.4 6.5 Unknown Unknown 2.1 2.8
eaten both dog and cat meat eaten both dog and cat meat
Haven’t eaten dog or cat meat Haven’t eaten dog or cat meat
5 Awareness of how cats and dogs are treated during transportation Over 50% of respondents were aware that dogs and cats suffered ill-treatment during transportation – cramped conditions, dehydration, malnutrition, injury and even death from being thrown from the trucks and fighting with other dogs. (Fig. 8, 9)
A-class cities
64.1 Animals die due to diseaseHunger 64.9
65.3 Animals fight and kill/inflict wounds on each other 64.7
59.8 Animals suffer from dehydration and/or malnutrition 58.6
58.1 Fig. 8 Animals are piled on top of each other with no room to move 58.2 Understanding 46.1 of the treatment Animals receive bone fractures and breaks from being thrown off trucks 50.4 received by cats 36.9 and dogs during Pregnant animals give birth to their young in the cage 32.3 transport 37.4 Animals are provided with food and water during their journey 23.5 A-class cities
35.4 Eat N=594 Not eat Animals are protected from the weather 23.3 N=567
18.7 Animals are provided with their own cages 13.8
2.5 Unknown 0.7
eaten both dog and cat meat
haven’t eaten dog or cat meat
B-class cities
53.6 Animals die due to diseaseHunger 65.2
60.6 Animals fight and kill/inflict wounds on each other 66.7
58.8 Animals suffer from dehydration and/or malnutrition 73.4 Fig. 9 51.8 Animals are piled on top of each other with no room to move 60.2 Understanding of the treatment 45.7 Animals receive bone fractures and breaks from being thrown off trucks 54.0 received by cats
32.9 and dogs during Pregnant animals give birth to their young in the cage 43.8 transport 42.1 B-class cities Animals are provided with food and water during their journey 39.5 Eat N=444 Not eat 32.2 Animals are protected from the weather 36.0 N=1616
12.8 Animals are provided with their own cages 22.0
2.5 Unknown 1.2
eaten both dog and cat meat
haven’t eaten dog or cat meat
6 Attitudes to cat and dog eating Results show that the public in both A-class and B-class cities have similar attitudes to dog and cat eating, however there are some differences between those who eat cat and dog meat and those who don’t. (Fig. 10). These questions are deliberately provocative in some cases – for example assessing whether respondents feel that dogs and cats are different from other animals reared for food, and whether “meat” dogs and cats are viewed differently from companion dogs and cats. This allows responses to be assessed in terms of future public education and advertising campaigns.
Do not eat Eat cats Percentage who agree with statements cats and dogs and dogs
Both companion dogs and cats and “meat” dogs and Over 90% Around 80% cats should be protected by law.
It is unacceptable to eat dogs and cats if they are abused Around 80% Over 70% or tortured during feeding and slaughtering.
Similar attitude, Dogs and cats are companion animals and cannot Around 90% Over 60% mostly agree morally be eaten.
Chinese people are increasingly opposed to cat and dog Over 80% Over 60% eating.
Eating cat and dog meat is different from eating pork, Over 70% Over 70% beef and mutton.
Cats and dogs kept as pets are different from those that Some dispute Over 50% Over 60% are eaten.
There is nothing wrong with eating cat or dog meat. Over 20% Over 60% Big dispute, opposite attitude Eating cat and dog meat is a part of Chinese food culture. Over 20% Nearly 60%
Cats and dogs kept as pets are different from Dogs and cats are those that are eaten. companion animals and cannot be eaten morally. There is nothing wrong with eating cat It is unacceptable to eat dogs and and dog meat. cats if they are abused or tortured Eating cat and dog meat during feeding and slaughtering. is different from eating Eating cat and dog pork, beef and mutton. meat is a part of Both companion dogs and Chinese food culture. cats and “meat” dogs and cats Chinese people are should be protected by law. increasingly opposed to cat and dog eating.
Fig. 10 Public’s views on eating cats and dogs
7 Reasons for not eating cat and dog meat Among those who hadn’t eaten cat and dog in the past two years, more than 70% had never eaten it; nearly 30% had eaten cat or dog before, but not in the past two years (Fig. 11). The reason respondents in both A and B-class cities changed their minds was similar to those who had never eaten cat and dog. The top three reasons are: it’s cruel, they are companion animals not food, and it’s unsanitary (Fig. 12).
A-class cities B-class cities
74.2 71.8 Fig. 11 Previous eating habits
28.2 25.8 of those who do not eat cat and dog meat A-class cities N=567; B-class cities N=1616 Never Never Eaten previously, do not eat now Eaten previously, do not eat now
I think it is cruel 33.1 38.6
They are companion animals and not food animals 32.5 37.9
It is unsanitary 29.4 36.0
Other 31.3 18.2 Fig. 12 Reasons for stopping
13.8 It’s illegal to eat them as most are stolen animals cat and dog eating 14.1
Colleagues or family advise against it 7.5 7.4
4.4 Charity organizations’ influence 7.0 A-class cities
6.3 Religious reasons B-class cities 3.6
Concerns about cat and dog meat consumption 1. A vast majority of respondents had concerns about eating cat and dog meat. Respondents in B-class cities were more worried that those in A-class cities, and those who ate cat and dog meat were more worried than those who did not. (Fig. 13)
A-class cities B-class cities
A-class cities 94.0 92.0 94.0 86.4 94.4 B-class cities 87.9
13.6 10.8 6.0 8.0
Eat cat and Don’t Eat Eat cat and Don’t Eat dog meat cat and dog dog meat cat and dog 12.1 meat meat 5.6
Have many concerns Have many concerns Have many concerns Have no concerns No concerns No concerns
Fig. 13 How concern about cat and dog eating is influencing behavior (%)
8 2. The top 3 concerns of both A and B-class city respondents related to health and hygiene – the risk of unquarantined meat carrying pathogens, the feeding environment and market not being hygienic, and cats and dogs being poisoned before being put on the dining-table. (Fig. 14)
39.4 Meat does not go through any inspection and quarantine 48.7
11.8 Unsanitary conditions on farms and in markets 19.2
15.8 Some are poisoned animals 11.1
11.7 Many are stray animals with potential disease 7.1
5.6 Meat may contain antibiotics and other drugs hazardous to human health 5.3 Fig. 14 Common concerns
3.4 The animals are slaughtered inhumanely about consumption (%) 2.3
4.9 Many are stolen pets 2.3
Negative impact on national identity 3.1 2.1
2.4 The animals are raised inhumanely 1.3 A-class cities
B-class cities The animals are transported inhumanely 1.9 0.8
3. These concerns impact the attitude and behaviour of around 80% of respondents, and they have a great impact on 50%. (Fig. 15)
52.2 Large influence 46.4
28.3 Some influence 32.0
7.2 Small influence 9.9 Fig. 15 Affect of concerns on
6.0 cat and dog consumption (%) No influence 7.7 A-class cities 6.3 Not sure 4.0 B-class cities
Looking ahead Respondents in B-class cities were 20% more likely not to eat cat and dog meat in the future than respondents in A-class cities. More than 30% of respondents in A-class cities and more than 40% of respondents in B-class cities, who had eaten cat and dog meat, were unwilling to eat it again. Very few respondents who did not eat cat and dog meat intended to eat it in the future. (Fig. 16)
A-class cities B-class cities
34.3 41.2
63.7 83.5 94.5 95.1 Fig. 16 Future consumption 65.7 58.8 patterns (%)
36.3 16.5 5.5 4.9 General Eat cat and Don’t eat General Eat cat and Don’t eat dog meat cat and dog dog meat cat and dog group meat group group meat group
No Yes No Yes
9 How consumers are viewed Respondents in both A & B-class cities who did not eat cat and dog meat generally shared the same attitudes towards others eating cat and dog meat. More than 50% disagreed with the practice, and more than 30% thought it was none of their business. Only around 1% thought it was fine for others to eat dog and cat meat. (Fig. 17)
52.6 59.1 A-class cities
B-class cities 36.1 30.5 Fig. 17 Attitudes of non-consumers towards those who eat 10.4 8.7 cat and dog meat (%) 0.9 1.7
Agree Disagree None of my Not sure business
Should killing cats and dogs for food be illegal? As a whole, more than 46% of respondents agreed that killing cats and dogs for meat should be illegal. A quarter were neutral , while nearly 30% thought it should be legal. In the groups that ate cats and dogs, over 40% thought it should remain legal, over 20% thought it should be illegal and more than 20% were neutral. But of the groups that didn’t eat cats and dogs, nearly 60% thought it should be illegal, just over 10% disagreed, while more than 20% were neutral. (Fig 18)
A-class cities B-class cities
22.8 24.7 26.6 25.9 28.6 25.1
11.8 16.5 28.9 22.7
45.1 45.3 Fig. 18 Should killing cats and dogs for food 65.4 58.4 51.4 be illegal? (%) 46.4
28.3 26.1
General Eat cat Don’t eat General Eat cat Don’t eat and dog cat and and dog cat and meat dog meat meat dog meat group group group group
Not sure No Yes Not sure No Yes
Main conclusions of the research 1. Eating cat and dog meat is not a regular nationwide practice – and both the amount consumed and frequency of these meals are low considering the population at large. Eating cat and dog meat is not a universal behaviour nationwide. In general cities, only 20% of respondents had eaten dog meat in the past two years, while just 1.7% had eaten cat meat; within this non-mainstream minority, more than 70% had eaten cat or dog meat just once or twice a year. Even in cities with the habit of eating cats and dogs, almost half of respondents had not eaten cats or dogs in the past two years, and of those who had, half had eaten it only once or twice a year. 2. The taste and perceived nutritive value are the primary reasons for eating dog meat. The taste of food and the generally believed nutritive value are the most primary reasons that attract the general public to eat dog meat.
10 3. Dog and cat meat is not a common family food. Over 60% of respondents ate cat or dog meat at gatherings with friends; respondents rarely ate a home- cooked meal of dog or cat meat with their families and dog meat cannot be considered a staple diet or common family meal. 4. Women are far less likely to eat dog and cat meat than men. 5. 90% of all respondents have concerns about eating dogs and cats. The most common concerns were hygiene and health (meat without quarantine could carry pathogens, markets were not hygienic, and the cats and dogs could have been poisoned). A total of 80% of the public believed that these concerns influenced the public’s attitudes towards cat or dog consumption and 50% thought they had a great impact on attitudes. Among respondents who ate cats and dogs, more than 30% said they no longer would.
Of respondents who did not eat cat and dog meat, more than 70% had never eaten it, while nearly 30% had eaten it in the past. Both gave similar responses, saying it was too cruel, it was unsanitary, and dogs and cats were friends, not food. 6. Over 50% agree that cats and dogs have emotions and feelings, and that they suffer during transportation. Most respondents agreed that cats and dogs had emotions and feelings, including fear, hunger, pain, anger and thirst. More than 60% thought cats and dogs could feel fear. Females and those who don’t eat cats and dogs were more likely to know that cats and dogs had emotions and feelings. Over 50% were aware that dogs and cats suffered ill-treatment during transportation (dehydration and malnutrition; illness; injury or death through fighting; being crowded together without space; being dropped from the truck and injured, including suffering fractures). 7. “Pet” dogs and cats and “meat” dogs and cats should be treated the same. Most respondents agreed that all cats and dogs should be treated equally and protected by animal welfare legislation; if cats and dogs are ill-treated during captivity, transportation or slaughter, consumption is unacceptable; dogs and cats are companion animals, eating them is morally unacceptable;
Those who ate cats and dogs and those who didn’t, disagreed over the points “there is nothing wrong with eating cats and dogs” and “eating cats and dogs is part of Chinese food culture”. 8. Nearly half of all respondents believe that killing dogs or cats for consumption should be illegal. Nearly 30% thought that killing cats and dogs for their meat should remain legal and the rest were neutral.
On this point, those who eat cats or dogs and those who don’t have the opposite attitude, over 40% of those who ate cat and dog meat said it should be legal, while over 20% thought it should be illegal, and more than 20% were neutral. Nearly 60% of those who didn’t eat dog and cat meat thought the practice should be illegal, over 10% disagreed, and over 20% were neutral. 9. Among those who do not eat cat or dog meat, over half are against others eating it. Over 30% of those who don’t consumed cat/dog meat thought it was none of their business if others ate it, and just 1% said it was people’s right to eat cat and dog meat if they wished.
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