September 23, 2011. Reuters reported on Yahoo News that the Chinese government banned a traditional carnival in the east of the country, in which dogs are eaten after being chopped up alive in the street. This followed a public uproar that the festival was cruel, according to state media.
But while the government was trying to do the right thing and end the cruel practice, news of the horrible tradition spread like wildfire on the internet following the banning order, sparking further outrage.
“The government’s quick response should be encouraged. I hope eating dogs will not be a custom there anymore. It’s not a carnival, but a massacre,” one commentator said.
Dog ownership has become increasingly popular with China’s growing middle class in the past few years, as has online activism. While the government has encouraged people to take to the internet to expose corruption and abuse of power, it keeps a tight rein on what can be said online, deleting comments it objects to and arresting those who criticize too much.