Jessica sent a message to Michael J. Massey – Chief Executive Officer and President of PetSmart, Inc. – Email Address that said:
Dear Michael Massey, My name is Jessica and I live in NJ. I am reaching out to you for your help!
Myself and many others including Congressman Alcee Hastings are trying to pass a bill known as House Resolution 752 which condemns the dog meat "festival" in Yulin, China (commonly referred to as the "Yulin Festival") and urges China to end the dog meat trade. What is referred to as the "Yulin Festival" is more accurately described as an annual "Torture Festival" during which thousands of dogs (and cats) are brutally tortured prior to being killed and used for food.
The torture consists of the animals being beaten, boiled, skinned, hung while being beaten, stabbed, lit on fire, having limbs removed, among other barbaric acts, all while still alive. The dogs who are not yet being tortured are made to watch the dogs who are being tortured while they await their destiny.
The perverse reason for this is that the torture and/or the fear induced by watching the other animals suffer, causes the animals’ adrenaline to increase which the sadistic participants in Yulin claim makes the meat taste better, is healthier to the human consuming the meat and increases virility.
Prior to being transported to the "festival," the dogs are piled on top of each other in crates without room to move and without food or water. Some die while traveling. The ones who survive must lie on top of the dead ones.
It has been established that the manner in which the animals are treated and transported is unsanitary and can lead to a breakout of diseases including rabies and cholera. As recent events have again demonstrated, these contagious diseases do not stop at international borders.
The torture is performed in public as part of the entertainment provided at the festival so that members of the public, including children, can watch. As is well known, children who are taught that violence is good or acceptable, often become violent. In addition, people who engage in animal cruelty are more likely to commit acts of violence against other people which is supported by the fact that the FBI now deems animal cruelty to be a felony.
This is not a cultural difference where one can rationalize and say that the Chinese people and the American people have different customs and/or that just as people in America eat cows, people in China eat dogs. This is a matter of barbaric torture.
To the extent that one wants to inaccurately argue that the type of meat which countries consume is a matter of culture, I'd like to point out that the Yulin Festival started in 2010 for monetary reasons only. Indeed, Peter J. Li, China Specialist at Humane Society International, has stated, "It was a new festival created by the dog meat traders to promote dog meat sale." In fact, many of these animals are stolen pets who arrive at the festival wearing collars and dog tags.
The written description set forth above does not begin to describe the horror which actually occurs. America does not torture even our worst enemies using these methods. These are defenseless animals who cannot speak for themselves. It is our job as Americans and humans to speak up for them.
Over eleven million signatures were gathered to protest the event which took place this year. Unfortunately, the Resolution did not make it to the floor before the Yulin 2016 event. The goal is to make sure that this Torture Festival never takes place again and the barbaric treatment of these animals ceases.
Google Marc Ching and/or dog meat trade!
For all the foregoing reasons, I respectfully request and urge you to support House Resolution 752 by bringing awareness to Americans. Most of the people I have spoken to have never heard this before but are devastated and want to help. I was hoping your stores across the county could put up a poster that customers can see.
Please Please Look into any way you can help. I will start a fundraiser and buy posters myself!
Thank you from dogs all over the world!
Jessica
