Guardian Unlimited: "Police and public health officials in southern China have clubbed, hanged or electrocuted almost 50,000 dogs in a week-long crackdown on rabies, local media reported today. Slaughter squads in Mouding, Yunnan province, grabbed pets from their owners while they were out for walks and beat them to death on the spot, the Shanghai Daily reported. Dog owners were offered a 5 yuan (40 pence) reward for killing their own animals. Those who attempted to hide their pets indoors were flushed out by late-night squads that made loud noises outside to make the dogs bark."

This happened in Yunnan, an impoverished Western province. But dog culls have also been carried out in Eastern cities in China, like in Jining, Shandong, which I assume were not as inhumane as in Mouding, but still done equally indiscriminately.

When something like this happens, one is reminded of how vulnerable the Chinese are at the fickle hands of their government. Given how there are many other alternatives to contain rabies, this was completely unjustified and overly drastic.

Another thing to note is how fake rabies vaccines exist on the market. I can condone fake software, movies, dramas, clothes and accessories, but when it comes to health- and life-critical things like vaccines, medicines and food, it's simply despicable how someone can profit from other the expense of others' health. But I guess that's market economy for you. (Fake infant formula kills 12 babies)

This incident also makes you think - who or what group in the Chinese government was so cold-blooded? Who made such a decision? Did one person high up order the cull? Was it a collective decision by many? Maybe some one high up said "let's do something about the rabies" and then someone along the chain of authority misinterpreted it as "let's kill all the dogs". Well you get the idea...

We can blame the mindsets, attitudes and worldviews of individuals in the government which lead to it to do things like this. Someone once told me, that this will all change, that in another generation, the old, corrupt and lazy in the Chinese government will gradually be replaced with more worldly, compassionate and responsible young people. I just hope that he is right - that the shadow and inertia of the old won't get the best of the promising of the next generation of rulers. And then maybe we can look forward to a better future.

(picture source)