By Alicia Gutiérrez | 2024-04-10

SANTIAGO -- A group of activists convened outside the Chinese embassy in Santiago, Chile, last week as part of a global protest denouncing animal abuse in China.

The Feline Guardians Without Borders movement issued the call for global protests on April 5, with simultaneous demonstrations in various Latin American countries, Europe and the United States on the same day.

At their peaceful rally outside the Chinese diplomatic premises, protesters demanded an end to the abuse and torture inflicted on domestic animals like cats and dogs in China.

"We urge the Chinese embassy to acknowledge that laws against animal abuse exist; here in Chile, we have them," the protesters stated in a press release. "As a nation that boasts of being a global power, the least it can do is enact legislation to halt these atrocities against the most vulnerable."

"There are many of us in Chile and in the world willing to fight for those who cannot speak," they said.

Carrying signs adorned with photos, participants showcased the heinous acts of cruelty inflicted upon felines in China, whether for amusement or profit.

The statement highlighted reported instances of "groups engaging in large-scale acts of animal torture without remorse."

"The issue of animal abuse in China has reached alarming levels, as these acts of cruelty not only harm the animals directly involved but also inflict psychological distress on people who deeply care for their pets," it said.

Activists highlighted instances in China where domestic animals are stolen for ransom. "However, even after owners pay the demanded sum, the pets endure further torture and mistreatment," they said.

Calls to end animal cruelty

In addition to traditional forms of animal abuse, a new trend has emerged in China via social networks and the internet, known as "online animal abuse."

On its social media pages, Feline Guardians Without Borders identifies known "abusers," including some who have reportedly uploaded hundreds of videos to "cat abuse websites," and highlights instances of users paying for "customized cat abuse" videos.

The feline rights activists in Chile have raised awareness about this cruel practice and criticized the absence of legislation in China to protect animals from such abuse.

Demonstrators pointed out that the organizers of these protests around the world, Feline Guardians Without Borders, have identified individuals on social networks dedicated to torturing domestic and stray cats. They have reported these cases to the Chinese cyber-crime-fighting authorities.

After protesting for about four hours without receiving a response from Chinese diplomats in Chile, the activists affirmed their commitment to continuing such demonstrations in the coming days.

Their goal is to end animal cruelty in China in all its forms, including calling for the enforcement of laws prohibiting the human consumption of cat and dog meat.

Most Chinese do not eat cat meat, but an estimated four million cats are slaughtered for food each year in an illegal market that includes areas of Guangdong province, neighboring Guangxi autonomous region and beyond, according to Humane Society International.

The Chinese government announced in 2020 the removal of dogs from the list of approved livestock. Cats were never approved livestock.

However, Beijing has neither prohibited eating cats and dogs nor enacted penalties for those who do.