China’s Dog Meat Markets: Dr John Wedderburn Interviewed

By Claudette Vaughan

Dr John Wedderburn is Scottish born, lives and works in Asia, was one of the first people to ever go undercover in China at their dog-meat markets. He started the first ever Hong Kong Vegan Society.

Abolitionist: I have heard you speak about what you have witnessed at the dog meat markets in China. Can you describe again here the atmosphere and the whimpering of the dogs as they knew they are going to be tortured and killed. What have you seen?

Dr John Wedderburn: Unfortunately I have been witness to gross suffering by animals on many occasions on my travels. As my travels have been mainly in China and as the Chinese have been less sophisticated about hiding things that might be offensive, it has been my lot to observe many harrowing scenes - in
markets, on farms, in the streets.

Abolitionist: What undercover work have you undertaken John since we last spoke?

Dr John Wedderburn: I have reported on a couple of zoos at the request of overseas organisations but that is not really under cover in the way that going into a dog farm or lab animal breeding centre is under cover. I will not do those again as it is too dangerous - the breeders are now more sophisticated and more suspicious.

Abolitionist: How much undercover work is being done in China to the best of your knowledge?

Dr John Wedderburn: Fortunately, there are now some young Chinese who are willing to take risks (the days are gone when foreigners could get away with it). But I have to emphasize that it is very dangerous indeed for anyone to go under cover in China. The police and judicial systems are very different from what we are used to in the West. For this reason I have not applied for Chinese citizenship although I am qualified to do so and intend to remain in China for the rest of my life. At least I can hope for support from a British Consul if arrested for anything!

Abolitionist: Are the dogs being bred for slaughter (human consumption) or are they stolen dogs?

Dr John Wedderburn: They are mainly bred. There have been some recent reports of dogs being stolen in Shanghai and ending up as food or coats - but I don't believe this happens on a wide scale or in an organised fashion.

Abolitionist: Which breeds?

Dr John Wedderburn: There is a traditional Chinese meat dog but some of the more sophisticated farmers are developing faster growing, less troublesome and more flavourful meat dogs by selective breeding using admixtures of St Bernards, German Shepherds, Newfoundlands, etc.

Abolitionist: There’s also this new market that pretends it is faux fur trim for western fashion but in fact is not. What are your views here John and how big is this industry?

Dr John Wedderburn: The dogmeat industry has been expanding rapidly with the increasing affluence of the Chinese population. Selling the fur to the West increases the profitability significantly - and therefore makes ending of the practice much more difficult.

Abolitionist: How can it be outlawed?

Dr John Wedderburn: I don't know. The Chinese government is more frightened of its masses of disenfranchised poor than it is of Western animal rights activists. They are more interested in creating jobs and wealth than in closing down an industry which is highly profitable and earning foreign exchange.

Abolitionist: How big do you estimate the industry to be?

Dr John Wedderburn: Vast, and growing.

Abolitionist: Is it possible for activists within China to protest against this atrocity?

Dr John Wedderburn: Yes, and this is the hope for the future. But the Government discourages freethinking and activists have to be very careful. My AAPN website is jammed in China.

Abolitionist: The China Olympics are coming up in 2008. Can the International community put pressure to bear on the Government against their treatment of non-human animals and if so, will they be taken seriously?

Dr John Wedderburn: The international community can and will protest and they will be taken seriously but nothing of significance will be done. There will be window dressing and quite possibly the introduction of an anti-cruelty law. This will be a worthwhile first step but it is unlikely to be framed in a way that will make it effective.

Abolitionist: Are western animal welfare groups coming in to China to show the Chinese how to become more hygienic and how to practice large-scale slaughter of cats and dogs?

Dr John Wedderburn: The introduction of factory farming techniques is one of the big consequences of China joining WTO. Western firms are making big profits by selling factory farming expertise and equipment.

Abolitionist: How can the industry be abolished?

Dr John Wedderburn: If the West can take the moral highground by banning cruel industries in their own countries, there may be a chance of persuading the Chinese to do the same. I personally see no hope of persuading the Chinese and Koreans to stop eating dogs as long as Western countries are eating pigs, cows and chickens. Can you imagine any progress being made by a group of Chinese wishing to protest against Americans eating turkeys?

Abolitionist: Tell us about your commitment to veganism, John

Dr John Wedderburn: My son then age 17 came home at Christmas 18 years and told me he was vegan. I told him not to be silly, we humans needed to eat meat to be healthy. We argued and after three weeks I realised that he was right. All my animal activism stems from then.

Abolitionist: Are the dogs slaughtered in front of one another?

Dr John Wedderburn: Usually.

Abolitionist: Is it still a back-street job or is the "industry" expanding?
Dr John Wedderburn: It started as a cottage industry with peasants raising a few dogs who would be collected by a buncher to be sold in the market. Then there was a movement to breed food dogs on factory farming lines. But I believe most dog meat producers are now returning to the "buncher" method of acquiring their raw materials - simpler and more economical.

Abolitionist: Who eats dog meat in China?

Dr John Wedderburn: It is considered a macho thing to do - so anyone wishing to appear manly. One result from foreign protests is that eating dog becomes almost patriotic - we have seen this in Korea but this mindset is also present in China. Geographically, eating dog is only traditional in the deep South and
the North-East near the Korean border.

Thanks so much for your time John.