The coronavirus pandemic is believed to have originated from a wet market in Wuhan China, where live animals were sold for food. Now, China has created new guidelines on which animals can be bred for eating, one of which is reclassifying dogs as pets instead of livestock.
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Wednesday said dogs would no longer be considered livestock, which means they can no longer be bred for food, milk, fur, fiber, medicine, or for military or sports purposes.
In its memo, dogs have been considered as pets and not considered livestock elsewhere around the world. Now, China aims to follow those global standards.
They have listed 18 traditional livestock species, such as cattle, sheep, horses and chickens and 13 “special species”, which include reindeer, alpacas, ostriches and foxes. The ministry is now waiting for public comments on the said guidelines by May 8, before they are finalized.
China temporarily banned the breeding and trading of wild animals during the coronavirus pandemic, but the practice will soon resume under revised guidelines.
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