Yulin dog meat festival set to see thousands slaughtered over 10 days

Yulin dog meat festival set to see thousands slaughtered over 10 days

The 10-day gathering, which takes place in southern China’s Guangxi province, is officially known as the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, in reference to the fruit that is also commonly consumed during the festivities.

Thousands of visitors flock to the Yulin festival every year to eat dishes such as dog meat stew and crispy dog meat. But the slaughter of dogs and animal welfare practices at the festival have been criticized in China and abroad.

When the event was launched more than a decade ago, an estimated 10,000-plus dogs were slaughtered during its core days, according to Humane Society International (HSI).