China

I love watching the Olympics, but I am starting to think seriously about boycotting the Olympics in China. I just can't ignore the human rights violations there and the continuing cruelty to animals as well.

My friend S showed me these photos on another blog called Texas Oasis of cats being rounded up and killed in China. Widespread paranoia about cats spreading disease is communicated to the people through the government. As S pointed out, do they remember what happens when the cats are gone and rodents are everywhere?? Read the whole story at in the Daily Mail or the Times Online (UK). The HSUS has written a position statement, but I wonder why a search turns up blog entries but no significant US newspaper coverage?

The killing of the six stray cats at the kindergarten - where staff at a Beijing cigarette factory leave their children - is the most striking illustration of the city-wide fear of cats. A teacher at the nursery said:

"We did it out of love for the children. We were worried the cats might harm them. These six cats had been hanging around the kindergarten looking for food."
"So three male teachers put out plates of tuna in cages for bait, trapped the cats and then beat them to death with sticks."
"We were very worried the children might try to stroke them and that the cats might scratch them or pass on diseases. We had to get rid of the cats and this was the only way to do it."

Christie Yang of the charity Animals Asia, which liaises with the Beijing animal welfare groups, said:

"We are seriously concerned."
"We understand that with the Olympic Games the Beijing government is eager to show the world the city in a good light."
"But capturing and dealing with cats in such an inhumane way will seriously tarnish the image of Beijing and the Games."